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Symptoms 'flaring' for weeks after flu jab?

Jammy27

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Jammy27 Rookie
Jammy27
Posted

Hello,

I've had a pretty rough ride health-wise over the past year due to Coeliac. I posted a few months ago explaining my story:

I've seen small, incremental improvements over the past few months (headaches starting to ease, more stomach 'rumbling' instead of just an uncomfortable bloated/full feeling etc.) and have just started back at university which I'm pleased about. However, progress is painfully slow and I was hoping to have seen more concrete improvements by now. My stomach also seems to affected by the tiniest thing (i.e. I took some ibuprofen and it upset my stomach for a week or so). Is this normal? Any advice/reassurance from others who still had fairly severe symptoms after 6-8 months gluten free would be really helpful. It can be quite tough both physically and mentally sometimes and the 'light at the end of the tunnel' can seem a long way off. 

In addition, I had a flu vaccination around a month ago and since then, have had quite bad GI symptoms, headaches and fatigue which seem to occur in 'flares' of a few days before settling and then starting up again a few days later. I think they're beginning to settle down a little more now but just wondered if it's possible that the flu jab could have had this effect due to the severity of my symptoms and sensitivity of my 'system'/stomach post-diagnosis? I stick to very similar foods on a daily basis because I'm only able to tolerate a bland diet, so I can't put my finger on anything food-related that could be causing this and I'm very careful to avoid gluten and cross-contamination etc (I live at home and prepare meals myself, I don't eat out at the moment and have been 'glutened' once and these symptoms are quite different to that). Has anyone else in the earlier stages of recovery had reactions to vaccinations?

Thanks everyone for your support.

 

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manasota Explorer
manasota
Posted

My Celiac symptoms always flare after vaccinations.  I've been gluten free for 6 1/2 years.  I find the vaccine benefit to outweigh the temporary rise in symptoms--even though it is quite annoying.

Since you've been gluten free for about a year, it's very likely you need more time to heal.  Just stick with it as best you can .  Keep getting flu shots!

I think it's best to think of Celiac as a lifelong "trait" (like having red hair, for example) rather than something you can "fix".

You will be OK.  Keep eating simple, healthful foods to help your body heal.  Good luck!

 

 

Jammy27 Rookie
Jammy27
Posted
  • Author
On 23/10/2016 at 2:09 PM, manasota said:

My Celiac symptoms always flare after vaccinations.  I've been gluten free for 6 1/2 years.  I find the vaccine benefit to outweigh the temporary rise in symptoms--even though it is quite annoying.

Since you've been gluten free for about a year, it's very likely you need more time to heal.  Just stick with it as best you can .  Keep getting flu shots!

I think it's best to think of Celiac as a lifelong "trait" (like having red hair, for example) rather than something you can "fix".

You will be OK.  Keep eating simple, healthful foods to help your body heal.  Good luck!

 

 

I see - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only who who's reacted badly to it!

Thank you for your advice, it's much appreciated. It can get pretty frustrating but I understand it just takes time.

emma6 Enthusiast
emma6
Posted

hey, i had a bad reaction with very similar symptoms pre celiac, report your side effects to your doctor or the cdc. im not against vaccines at all but i would be very caucious getting it again especially if your not elderly/ high risk and its not completely nesscessary, i find washing your hands regularly and not touching your face goes a long way

egs1707 Enthusiast
egs1707
Posted
On 25/10/2016 at 0:08 AM, emma6 said:

hey, i had a bad reaction with very similar symptoms pre celiac, report your side effects to your doctor or the cdc. im not against vaccines at all but i would be very caucious getting it again especially if your not elderly/ high risk and its not completely nesscessary, i find washing your hands regularly and not touching your face goes a long way

The flu vaccines can also be a bit of a gamble with what strains they put in each year. I've been OK with them generally but one year I had a really bad reaction to it and ended up feeling like someone was shoving razor blades down my throat for the best part of a week :o

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted

Seeing as the flu shot will stimulate your immune system, it stands to reason that it could make symptoms flare.  I have never had a flu shot because I am low risk for catching it.  Now, I am nervous to try having one in case the above happens. I am not against vaccines, either, but I have never had the flu and just do not want a flare of symptoms......which can happen at any stage of recovery. I have been under stress for awhile after a few deaths in my family and sure enough, for the first time in 11 years, I have been having some subtle symptoms again and I have not been glutened at all. The docs tell me this is completely normal for those with AI diseases.  Trying to keep the immune system calm and happy can be challenging at times!

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

Luckily neither I nor my husband have ever had any negative reactions to the flu vaccine either pre-diagnosis or post diagnosis. I had the flu, oh I was around 25 when I had it. Then my husband got it from me. I tell you it purely kicked my butt from FL to Montana & back! I was young & healthy & it laid me so low it took months to get back to normal. By normal, I mean back to jogging as I had been prior. 

I am pushing hard on 60 now. Both of us have gotten the flu vaccine every year since that horrid bout with it. I was worried about how I would react the first time after dx and even the second year. Now I just don't worry about it.

Last year we both got the shingles vaccine and no problems with that either. I was pretty worried about that one as I have dh and certainly didn't want it to flare!

I am not saying that people don't get negative reactions. We are all individuals and as such, react individually. I'm just telling of my & my husbands experiences. 

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emma6 Enthusiast
emma6
Posted

exactly i think that's why its such a hard topic to advise anyone on because everyone reacts differently and no one can predict how your body will handle it that's why i think it is very important to listen to your body

 

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