Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Pneumococcal Vaccine....have You Gotten Yours Yet?

mamabear

Recommended Posts

mamabear Explorer
mamabear
Posted

There are 2 common diseases that are associated with a hypofunctioning spleen. Sickle cell anemia is one and Celiac disease is the other. The biggest problem for us celiacs from hyposplenia is the risk of serious infection from certain common bacteria since our spleens don't effectively clear them out. A Pneumococcal conjugated vaccine is the preferred vaccine . This can be a life saver, so please check with your doctors about doing this immunization.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular
Fiddle-Faddle
Posted

Hmmm. Isn't sickle cell a chromosomal abnormality, primarily associated with those of African heritage?

And I googled "celiac and spleen" and nothing concrete came up. Only one site mentioned that celiacs might have a smaller spleen (the hyposplenia you mention), but wouldn't our spleens be working just fine if we are gluten-free?

I'm not trying to argue with you--I'm just trying to think it all through. Do you have any sites/research you can post?

mamabear Explorer
mamabear
Posted
  • Author
Hmmm. Isn't sickle cell a chromosomal abnormality, primarily associated with those of African heritage?

And I googled "celiac and spleen" and nothing concrete came up. Only one site mentioned that celiacs might have a smaller spleen (the hyposplenia you mention), but wouldn't our spleens be working just fine if we are gluten-free?

I'm not trying to argue with you--I'm just trying to think it all through. Do you have any sites/research you can post?

No argument taken. I wish I knew how to link a site, but go to the Entrez Pub Med website and put celiac disease/ pneumococcal vaccine/ hyposplenia on their search. I'll try and figure how to do the link, but I'm leaving the house for a few hours .

One additional word of caution.....these are not given annually! Usually given at or near diagnosis, and then POSSIBLY a booster at age 65. These things change, so I'll post if other recommendations occur. So, ask your doctor whether or not you (the general you) shpuld get it.

Sorry I can't do it the IT way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

blueeyedmanda Community Regular
blueeyedmanda
Posted

Fiddle-Faddle you are right about sickle cell.

I got the vaccine my doctor suggested it due to me working in a hospital. I got it two years ago, maybe longer. I seem to have gotten sinus infections since then....I never had those before. I also got the flu shot this year too....

Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular
Fiddle-Faddle
Posted
So, ask your doctor whether or not you (the general you) shpuld get it.

I'm glad you posted this, as this may be yet one more thing we all (we celiacs) need to worry about (like we really needed something else???!?!!). However, I'm not yet convinced that the medical community has shown that we are at risk for hyposplenia AFTER having gone gluten-free.

And unfortunately, my doctor is still recommending flu shots for everyone, and the full complement of 26 vaccines for infants by the age of 15-18 months. While I am not anti-vaccine, I am vehemently against the way vaccines are currently used (and marketed), so I don't trust my doctor's opinion on this one. :(

However, if it turns out that we are at high risk for hyposplenia even after going off gluten, then I think the pneumococcal vaccine may very well be a good idea after all. :huh:

mamabear Explorer
mamabear
Posted
  • Author
I'm glad you posted this, as this may be yet one more thing we all (we celiacs) need to worry about (like we really needed something else???!?!!). However, I'm not yet convinced that the medical community has shown that we are at risk for hyposplenia AFTER having gone gluten-free.

And unfortunately, my doctor is still recommending flu shots for everyone, and the full complement of 26 vaccines for infants by the age of 15-18 months. While I am not anti-vaccine, I am vehemently against the way vaccines are currently used (and marketed), so I don't trust my doctor's opinion on this one. :(

However, if it turns out that we are at high risk for hyposplenia even after going off gluten, then I think the pneumococcal vaccine may very well be a good idea after all. :huh:

Open Original Shared Link

See if this one comes through. It's from 1995 but still quite relevant. I will continue to look for the more recent one I found earlier today.

I think I figured out how to link........

mamabear Explorer
mamabear
Posted
  • Author
Open Original Shared Link

See if this one comes through. It's from 1995 but still quite relevant. I will continue to look for the more recent one I found earlier today.

I think I figured out how to link........

Open Original Shared Link

Here is the main article I wanted to link. I guess it still doesn't make it 100% clear by the abstract that the celiacs were gluten-free compliant. My general thought is that it only is talking about celiac patients and not delineating dietary adherence. What are your thoughts now?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Not to be negative here but..... I have been strictly, very strictly gluten-free now for almost 5 years. I have not even caught a cold. My personal take on this is that my body had built up a 'hyperdrive' immune response in response to my constant glutenings. I was always catching everything before I was gluten-free because my immune system was too busy trying to protect me from the toxin gluten to fight off 'little bugs'. Now that hyperimmunity seems to be working in my favor. I even worked in the school system for a couple years after diagnosis, a sure way to catch lots of stuff, and never caught anything.

That said do I think I need, or for that matter trust, any vaccine? Absolutely not.

mamabear Explorer
mamabear
Posted
  • Author
However, if it turns out that we are at high risk for hyposplenia even after going off gluten, then I think the pneumococcal vaccine may very well be a good idea after all. :huh:

Open Original Shared Link

One more link( and then I'm done!! ) which does address gluten-free diet compliance. This study is from Italy, and I think most of us agree the Europeans are farther along in their celiac science! It is recent... a 2006 article.

Of course, we should have a say in what parts of medicine we choose to use.....but I figured since a lot of the really good GI docs don't remember to mention this..I would bring it up. It's best to receive it through your health care provider,public health department and keep the date in your medical records in case reimmunization status ever changes.

darlindeb25 Collaborator
darlindeb25
Posted

Not to be negative here but..... I have been strictly, very strictly gluten-free now for almost 5 years. I have not even caught a cold. My personal take on this is that my body had built up a 'hyperdrive' immune response in response to my constant glutenings. I read somewhere the other day that celiacs are not as prone to picking up viruses because our immune systems are in overdrive.

Seems there is one plus side to celiac disease!

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

My doctor also noted that a pneumococcal vaccine was important as celiacs tend to be more susceptible to more severe effects from it (blood borne, not respiratory). She had me get it (I have other risk factors - asthma). I had a pretty bad reaction to it, but they last, on average, about 10 years.

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

Open Original Shared Link

Dr. Green also mentions spleen and the vaccine.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. Wheatwacked
      - Wheatwacked replied to Scott Adams's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      50

      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      Raising you vitamin D will increase absorption of calcium automatically without supplementation of calcium. A high PTH can be caused by low D causing poor calcium absorption; not insuffient calcium intake. With low D your body is not absorbing calcium from your food so it steals it from your bones. Heart has priority over bone. I've been taking 1...
    2. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to catnapt's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      results from 13 day gluten challenge - does this mean I can't have celiac?

      @catnapt, Wheat germ has very little gluten in it. Gluten is the carbohydrate storage protein, what the flour is made from, the fluffy part. Just like with beans, there's the baby plant that will germinate ("germ"-inate) if sprouted, and the bean part is the carbohydrate storage protein. Wheat germ is the baby plant inside a kernel of wheat...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Scott Adams's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      50

      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      Hello, @asaT, I'm curious to know whether you are taking other B vitamins like Thiamine B1 and Niacin B3. Malabsorption in Celiac disease affects all the water soluble B vitamins and Vitamin C. Thiamine and Niacin are required to produce energy for all the homocysteine lowering reactions provided by Folate, Cobalamine and Pyridoxine. Weight...
    4. Florence Lillian
      - Florence Lillian replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      11

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Hi Jane: You may want to try the D3 I now take. I have reactions to fillers and many additives. Sports Research, it is based in the USA and I have had no bad reactions with this brand. The D3 does have coconut oil but it is non GMO, it is Gluten free, Soy free, Soybean free and Safflower oil free. I have a cupboard full of supplements that did not agree...
    5. catnapt
      - catnapt replied to catnapt's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      results from 13 day gluten challenge - does this mean I can't have celiac?

      highly unlikely NOTHING and I mean NOTHING else has ever caused me these kinds of symptoms I have no problem with dates, they are a large part of my diet In fact, I eat a very high fiber, very high vegetable and bean diet and have for many years now. It's considered a whole foods plant based or plant forward diet (I do now eat some lean...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,356
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    JAGAPG
    Newest Member
    JAGAPG
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Wheatwacked
      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      Raising you vitamin D will increase absorption of calcium automatically without supplementation of calcium.  A high PTH can be caused by low D causing poor calcium absorption; not insuffient calcium intake.  With low D your body is not absorbing calcium from your food so it steals it from your bones.  Heart has priority over bone. I've been taking 10,000 IU D3 a day since 2015.  My doctor says to continue. To fix my lactose intolerance, lots of lactobacillus from yogurts, and brine fermented pickles and saurkraut and olives.  We lose much of our ability to make lactase endogenosly with maturity but a healthy colony of lactobacillus in our gut excretes lactase in exchange for room and board. The milk protein in grass fed milk does not bother me. It tastes like the milk I grew up on.  If I drink commercial milk I get heartburn at night. Some experts estimate that 90% of us do not eat Adequite Intake of choline.  Beef and eggs are the principle source. Iodine deficiency is a growing concern.  I take 600 mcg a day of Liquid Iodine.  It and NAC have accelerated my healing all over.  Virtually blind in my right eye after starting antihypertensive medication and vision is slowly coming back.  I had to cut out starches because they drove my glucose up into the 200+ range.  I replaced them with Red Bull for the glucose intake with the vitamins, minerals and Taurine needed to process through the mitochodria Krebs Cycle to create ATP.  Went from A1c 13 down to 7.9.  Work in progress. Also take B1,B2,B3,B5,B6. Liquid Iodine, Phosphatidyl Choline, Q10, Selenium, D and DHEA.     Choline supplemented as phosphatidylcholine decreases fasting and postmethionine-loading plasma homocysteine concentrations in healthy men +    
    • knitty kitty
      results from 13 day gluten challenge - does this mean I can't have celiac?

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @catnapt, Wheat germ has very little gluten in it.  Gluten is  the carbohydrate storage protein, what the flour is made from, the fluffy part.  Just like with beans, there's the baby plant that will germinate  ("germ"-inate) if sprouted, and the bean part is the carbohydrate storage protein.   Wheat germ is the baby plant inside a kernel of wheat, and bran is the protective covering of the kernel.   Little to no gluten there.   Large amounts of lectins are in wheat germ and can cause digestive upsets, but not enough Gluten to provoke antibody production in the small intestines. Luckily you still have time to do a proper gluten challenge (10 grams of gluten per day for a minimum of two weeks) before your next appointment when you can be retested.    
    • knitty kitty
      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @asaT, I'm curious to know whether you are taking other B vitamins like Thiamine B1 and Niacin B3.  Malabsorption in Celiac disease affects all the water soluble B vitamins and Vitamin C.  Thiamine and Niacin are required to produce energy for all the homocysteine lowering reactions provided by Folate, Cobalamine and Pyridoxine.   Weight gain with a voracious appetite is something I experienced while malnourished.  It's symptomatic of Thiamine B1 deficiency.   Conversely, some people with thiamine deficiency lose their appetite altogether, and suffer from anorexia.  At different periods on my lifelong journey, I suffered this, too.   When the body doesn't have sufficient thiamine to turn food, especially carbohydrates, into energy (for growth and repair), the body rations what little thiamine it has available, and turns the carbs into fat, and stores it mostly in the abdomen.  Consuming a high carbohydrate diet requires additional thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  Simple carbohydrates (sugar, white rice, etc.) don't contain thiamine, so the body easily depletes its stores of Thiamine processing the carbs into fat.  The digestive system communicates with the brain to keep eating in order to consume more thiamine and other nutrients it's not absorbing.   One can have a subclinical thiamine insufficiency for years.  A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function, so the symptoms can wax and wane mysteriously.  Symptoms of Thiamine insufficiency include stunted growth, chronic fatigue, and Gastrointestinal Beriberi (diarrhea, abdominal pain), heart attack, Alzheimer's, stroke, and cancer.   Thiamine improves bone turnover.  Thiamine insufficiency can also affect the thyroid.  The thyroid is important in bone metabolism.  The thyroid also influences hormones, like estrogen and progesterone, and menopause.  Vitamin D, at optimal levels, can act as a hormone and can influence the thyroid, as well as being important to bone health, and regulating the immune system.  Vitamin A is important to bone health, too, and is necessary for intestinal health, as well.   I don't do dairy because I react to Casein, the protein in dairy that resembles gluten and causes a reaction the same as if I'd been exposed to gluten, including high tTg IgA.  I found adding mineral water containing calcium and other minerals helpful in increasing my calcium intake.   Malabsorption of Celiac affects all the vitamins and minerals.  I do hope you'll talk to your doctor and dietician about supplementing all eight B vitamins and the four fat soluble vitamins because they all work together interconnectedly.  
    • Florence Lillian
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Florence Lillian · Posted

      Hi Jane: You may want to try the D3 I now take. I have reactions to fillers and many additives. Sports Research, it is based in the USA and I have had no bad reactions with this brand. The D3 does have coconut oil but it is non GMO, it is Gluten free, Soy free, Soybean free and Safflower oil free.  I have a cupboard full of supplements that did not agree with me -  I just keep trying and have finally settled on Sports Research. I take NAKA Women's Multi full spectrum, and have not felt sick after taking 2 capsules per day -  it is a Canadian company. I buy both from Amazon. I wish you well in your searching, I know how discouraging it all is. Florence.  
    • catnapt
      results from 13 day gluten challenge - does this mean I can't have celiac?

      By catnapt · Posted

      highly unlikely  NOTHING and I mean NOTHING else has ever caused me these kinds of symptoms I have no problem with dates, they are a large part of my diet In fact, I eat a very high fiber, very high vegetable and bean diet and have for many years now. It's considered a whole foods plant based or plant forward diet (I do now eat some lean ground turkey but not much) I was off dairy for years but recently had to add back plain yogurt to meet calcium needs that I am not allowed to get from supplements (I have not had any problem with the yogurt)   I eat almost no processed foods. I don't eat out. almost everything I eat, I cook myself I am going to keep a food diary but to be honest, I already know that it's wheat products and also barley that are the problem, which is why I gradually stopped eating and buying them. When I was eating them, like back in early 2024, when I was in the middle of moving and ate out (always had bread or toast or rolls or a sub or pizza) I felt terrible but at that time was so busy and exhausted that I never stopped to think it was the food. Once I was in my new place, I continued to have bread from time to time and had such horrible joint pain that I was preparing for 2 total knee replacements as well as one hip! The surgery could not go forward as I was (and still am) actively losing calcium from my bones. That problem has yet to be properly diagnosed and treated   anyway over time I realized that I felt better when I stopped eating bread. Back at least 3 yrs ago I noticed that regular pasta made me sick so I switched to brown rice pasta and even though it costs a lot more, I really like it.   so gradually I just stopped buying and eating foods with gluten. I stopped getting raisin bran when I was constipated because it made me bloated and it didn't help the constipation any more (used to be a sure bet that it would in the past)   I made cookies and brownies using beans and rolled oats and dates and tahini and I LOVE them and have zero issues eating those I eat 1 or more cans of beans per day easily can eat a pound of broccoli - no problem! Brussels sprouts the same thing.   so yeh it's bread and related foods that are clearly the problem  there is zero doubt in my mind    
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.