Transplant: Vaccines: Covid, Flu, RSV

Hi hello1234. Last week I did 2 shots at one, COVID and flu. In all my shots save Shingrix where I had an extreme reaction (rash to my elbow, 4 days of pain and an inability to bend or use my arm) my usual response to vaccines is just a sore arm for 24 hours. So I decided to do the double shot flu and COVID. 8 hours after the shots I got a throbbing headache and by the next day horrible body aches. So I was really uncomfortable and just unplugged ftom any daily routine for 36 hours. I was fine after that and happy that I decided to wait until next week to get the RSV shot.
I am 18 months post liver transplant so perhaps my meds impacted my reaction to the shots. I have advised my transplant friend who is generally weak, to pace the shots one at a time for I have a stronger constitution than she has. That way she can take on any reaction one at a time.
Hope this helps.
Barbara aka ajdo129

I’m 18 1/2 yrs. post transplant and I take no chances regarding vaccinations. Two weeks ago I had the senior flu, latest Covid, pneumonia & RSV vaccines all at once. (2 in left arm, 2 in right) No issues, no pain and no after-effects.

Hi hello1234. Last week I did 2 shots at one, COVID and flu. In all my shots save Shingrix where I had an extreme reaction (rash to my elbow, 4 days of pain and an inability to bend or use my arm) my usual response to vaccines is just a sore arm for 24 hours. So I decided to do the double shot flu and COVID. 8 hours after the shots I got a throbbing headache and by the next day horrible body aches. So I was really uncomfortable and just unplugged ftom any daily routine for 36 hours. I was fine after that and happy that I decided to wait until next week to get the RSV shot.
I am 18 months post liver transplant so perhaps my meds impacted my reaction to the shots. I have advised my transplant friend who is generally weak, to pace the shots one at a time for I have a stronger constitution than she has. That way she can take on any reaction one at a time.
Hope this helps.
Barbara aka ajdo129

My husband, 9 months post liver transplant, to my surprise, was advised by Mayo Clinic not to take the flu nor the covid vaccines at this time due to his cmv detected and low white blood count weekly test results. To be safe, I check with his wonderful transplant team before giving him anything new, even meds prescribed by other doctors.

Hi @charlie5454s 😊
It's so nice to meet you! Congratulations on your 18 year post transplant anniversary...How exciting! It sounds like you take excellent care of your health and transplant. It's wonderful to hear that you had all of your vaccines at one time with no issues at all. It sounds like you sailed through the process with a big smile. Awesome!
Which organ did you have transplanted 18 years ago and which immune suppression meds do you currently take 18 years later? I am hoping to celebrate my 18 year post transplant anniversary one day!!

Hi @valbob 😊
It's a pleasure to meet you. I am so happy that you joined this discussion! Your post is excellent. If your husband has CMV, that probably means the immune suppression is running a little high. In that instance, your husband would probably have my experience with the covid vaccine, which was no immune response and no antibodies created by the vaccine.
In addition to Valcyte, did transplant lower your husband's immune suppression dosage or is the CMV currently at a low viral level at this time?
When I had active CMV during the first year of my transplant, I took Valcyte and my immune suppression was lowered. (I also had a very low WBC before they adjusted the immune suppression down).

Hi...kidney at Mayo, Rochester. "Little" gift from my husband on our anniversary. I take Prednisone, Sirolimus and (after 18 years on Cellcept) now on Myfortic. Sure there's been bumps along the way and some side effects from long term use of immunosuppressants, but on the whole, yay!

Thank you for sharing your experience. They stopped his Cellcept when his wbc went so low. They put him on 1800 mg of valcept, which was stopped last Friday, after 2 weeks of undetected cmv blood tests. The valcept played heck with his kidney numbers. Tomorrow, after his weekly blood tests, they may put him back on the cellcept. It has been an ongoing trial and error. Of course we wear masks when not in the house. Since his extreme drop in his wbc, two weeks ago it was at 0.8. the only place he goes is dr. appointments. We realize that while needed, a hospital and dr's office is the worse places to avoid sick people, but what can you do?