If both of your doctors are suggesting this vaccine, I’d go ahead with it. How many more cycles of chemo do you have? Depending on completion of treatment, could you have the vaccine in December or early January, at last 2-4 weeks before transplant? Would you feel more comfortable waiting until your treatments are over?

Having an autonomous SCT, you won’t some of the other issues associated allo transplants such as Graft Vs Host disease. So you won’t be receiving anti rejection meds which further cause your immune system to be compromised. Though initially you’ll have antibiotics and antifungal meds to keep you safe until your bone marrow starts producing blood cells again.

Unfortunately, anytime we have a blood cancer, even in remission, our immune system won’t ever be as robust as before With the conditioning chemo right before transplant you will lose all immunity as it cleans out your marrow of all diseased cells. However, since you’ll be receiving your own cells in the transplant you’ll be restoring your immune system, complete with your killer T and B-memory immune cells. So anything you do now to boost your immunity will live on. ☺️

Chemo is rough on the digestive system. Are you able to eat yogurt? That seemed to help keep things calm for me.

@sylvia67 As @becsbuddy and @loribmt mentioned, I am undergoing chemo [Revlimid + Dexamethasone + Bactrim] for multiple myeloma, also in my 3rd round like you. I got my third shot just before starting chemo in Aug. In fact, we had Pfizer vaccines [me 1/24/21 and 2/14/21] and as soon as they talked about it, I called my oncologist, he said "get it if you can". So, I ran down to Walmart and said I was starting chemo the next day ad they gave me the third shot right away.

I have had only one night of gastro issues, thank goodness. Did get the Revlimid rash on lower legs during first round, but it cleared up during the one week break, not to return [knock on wood!]

Wishing you success on your SCT and hope you will let me know how it goes, okay?
Ginger