As flu season once again approaches, the question of whether or not fibromyalgia and ME/CFS patients should get a flu shot is again being asked. Only this time there is a new twist. This year the regular seasonal flu vaccine has been combined with the H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine so only one shot is required.
What does this new combo vaccine mean for FM and ME/CFS patients? Since no research has been done on either the seasonal flu vaccine or the H1N1 vaccine as they relate to FM and ME/CFS, there is no clear-cut answer to that question. While most conventional doctors recommend flu vaccinations across the board, many FM and ME/CFS specialists advise their patients against getting the shot.
What the Specialists Say
Last year I shared a video with you in which Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Kent Holtorf strongly recommended that people with mitrochondrial dysfunction, chronic neurological illnesses, fibromyalgia and ME/CFS not get the H1N1 vaccine because, to use his word, he has seen it “devastate” them.
Due to reports of severe relapses following immunization, Charles Lapp, MD, Director of the Hunter-Hopkins Center in Charlotte, NC, generally does not recommend flu shots of any kind for his FM and ME/CFS patients. There are, however, two exceptions:
- Patients who have taken flu vaccinations in the past and tolerated them well.
- Patients who have a serious chronic illness (such as emphysema, diabetes or heart disease) in addition to FM or ME/CFS.
Charles Shepherd, MD, a U.K. doctor who is a member of the Chief Medical Officer’s Working Group on CFS/ME at the U.K. Department of Health, agrees with Dr. Lapp. He has found that a substantial percentage of his ME/CFS patients have mild-to-moderate relapses after receiving flu vaccinations.
On the other hand, Anthony Komaroff, MD, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, the medical director of the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers, feels the benefits outweigh the risks because the effects of the flu on FM and ME/CFS patients can be severe and long lasting.
Things to Consider
One of the reasons some doctors do not recommend flu vaccinations for their FM and ME/CFS patients is that there is evidence that our immune systems are already in a state of chronic activation. In that case, any kind of immunization could push this hyper-stimulated state into overdrive, which would significantly increase our symptoms.
Another factor to keep in mind is your exposure level. If you’re largely homebound and have limited contact with other people, your risk of exposure to the flu will be minimal. On the other hand, if you have school-age children who are bringing home every germ and bug imaginable, then your likelihood of catching the flu will be very high.
So should you get a flu shot? Ultimately, only you and your doctor can make that decision. Your personal medical history, current health condition and level of probable exposure all have to be taken into consideration. In the end, you have to decide whether you feel the risks outweigh the benefits or vice versa.
