Flu Shot

Guinsell · November 27, 2006

I hope this isn't in a thread somewhere. Are flu shots gluten free?

gadgetgirl · November 27, 2006

As far as I can tell, the only thing you need to worry about is if you are allergic to eggs as the virus is cultured on eggs.

jesscarmel · November 27, 2006

Guinsell said:
I hope this isn't in a thread somewhere. Are flu shots gluten free?

hello

i asked the same question a month ago, and people responded that it was gluten free.

jess

oceangirl · November 28, 2006

jesscarmel said:
hello
i asked the same question a month ago, and people responded that it was gluten free.
jess

My doctor, Gluten-savvy, says NO FLU SHOT for me! She claims my immune system is in overdrive already. I used to get them, but I'm going without! For what it's worth.

lisa

flagbabyds · November 28, 2006

actually according to my GI doc of 15 years celiacs are considered high-risk and should get the shot because if you get the flu then your immune system could get thrown off or if you get gluten posioning then you could have more of a chance of getting the flu because your immune system is weakened from the gluten posioning.

kbtoyssni · November 28, 2006

I got a flu shot right away last year because I was still recovering after being diagnosed for about six weeks. My immune system was well enough to handle the flu shot but probably wouldn't have been ok with the flu. Plus the flu was what triggered my celiac the year before so there was no way I was going without a flu shot again. Lisa - your doctor must think that your immune system is still too weak to even handle the flu shot.

lovegrov · November 28, 2006

Everything I've read or seen says that the flu shot is perfectly fine for people with celiac. All celiac experts (Drs. Green, Fasano, Rudert and so one) I know of agree on this. They also agree that people with celiac are NOT in the high-risk group unless they have other problems that would put them there. When there was a shortage a couple of years ago, celiac was not included in the high risk list.

Most of them do seem to feel that the pnuemonia vaccine is a good idea.

The flu shot is gluten-free, as are all known injectables and IV fluids.

richard