Flu Shots after AVR

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I've gotten a flu shot for as long as I can remember with no adverse reaction. I have always been encouraged by my docs to get this shot. I've already gotten my 2011/2012 shot.
 
My surgeon did tell me to wait until 6 weeks after surgery as a precaution. Looks like you're already past that point anyway, but as I recall, it was not so much an issue of a weakend immune system, but some of the side effects of the flu shot like fever are also signs of some surgical complications, and he didn't want to introduce unnecessary symptoms/diagnosis confusion.
 
Somehow I always end up with nasty side-effects. The last time I took a flu shot, I was sick in bed for a week. I haven't taken one in 5 or 6 years, and won't unless I'm forced to.
 
IMore like the opposite of "restrictions", more like a "recommendation"....I've always gotten one since '07. AVR puts me first in line! :)
 
I've gotten a flu shot every year for as long as I can remember and never had any problems, knock on wood! I should have gotten one already but I've been fighting a bronchial infection for two weeks and I'm waiting for that to clear up to get one. This year I'm due for the pneumonia shot as well. Get that every five years.
 
Yep, wait 6 to 8 weeks after surgery, then have at it, please. And get the pneumonia shot every 5 years (I'm due this year, I think, since 9/5/11 was my fifth valversary on the mitral - If I'm a year early, I'll take it anyway, because it will be easier to keep track on 5 year anniversaries.
 
epstns said:
Somehow I always end up with nasty side-effects. The last time I took a flu shot, I was sick in bed for a week. I haven't taken one in 5 or 6 years, and won't unless I'm forced to.
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Each year I give the flu shot another chance.. last year I even waited until I knew I had a 3 day weekend, just in case I got the horrible side effects again.. sure enough, for the 3rd year in a row I was sick in bed for days with flu like symptoms due to the shot.. I give up, I'm not getting one this year..
 
They gave me both a flu shot and pneumonia shot 3 days after surgery. They did ask if I ever had any problems in the past with the flu shot. I never have.
 
All my doctors urge getting flu shots and I always do. I've never had any side effect or problem from it.
 
I am up for AVR surgery sometime in late October (will have a firm date next week) -- that's the time I usually get my flu shot, so my Cardio had me get mine now, not wait until afterwards. Did -- no side effects.

Dan
 
I get a flu shot every year. Last year they combined it with swine flu. The only side effect was a sore arm for a few days. I also get the shot in my right arm so as not to confuse it with arm soreness we should not ignore, just a thought.
 
I'm 11 weeks post op and got my flu shot last week, this last Tuesday I sneezed at work and felt an itchy throat, next day I missed rehab cause I was feeling sick, today is Thursday and I have all the cold symptoms, everyone at my work is coughing or sneezing. So there it is first cold and first flu shot after AVR and pacemaker and I feel pretty tired through out the day, yucky feeling. BTW I started taking Zicam yesterday to see if it would help ease the cold... I think its working. I will tell you one thing because I'm still considered in early recovery still and this is my 2nd week back at work my mood is crappy, all the aches and fatigue is amplifed right now it makes work hard to bare. I'm sure same situation a year from will be a lot easier. Cheers!
 
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