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Question about considering Entyvio and vaccines etc.

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 1/14/2021 11:55 AM (GMT -6)
Hi all,

Due to my inability to take mesalamine anymore, my doc may want to put me on entyvio. I keep hearing that this biologic is a bit safer/less risky and 2 GI's recommended it to me since it doesn't cause widespread immunosuppression.

2 Quick questions:

1) What vaccines do you have to have before Entyvio? I am not a fan of getting over-vaccinated since I'm sensitive to things so I just want to do what is needed.

2) I am sensitive to meds, weigh very little (even when not flaring) and often need low doses. Can they give me a lower dose of Entyvio? I wonder what they do for children on Entyvio? Anyone on Enyvio who is sensitive to meds?

Thanks again!
Posted 1/14/2021 12:40 PM (GMT -6)
I didn't have any vaccines before starting entyvio (or immunosuppressants in general) because my hospital at the time was useless and i needed to start therapy urgently, but if I'd had more forward planning I would have had a yellow fever vaccine, because this one is live, and live vaccines are strongly discouraged after you start immunomodulators. And then you can't/shouldn't travel to countries with yellow fever....
Likewise measles vaccine is live if you didn't have that
All the non live vaccines are OK after starting therapy, they just might not work as well.
After I switched to a competent hospital they gave me a DTP booster and pneumonia vaccines (prevenar 13 followed by pneumovax 3 months later).
Posted 1/14/2021 1:35 PM (GMT -6)
I also didn’t have any vaccines prior to starting. They did test for TB beforehand. Entyvio is not weight specific so everyone gets 300 cc/ml/whatever the volume measurement is. I only weighed 100 lbs when I started and have always been sensitive to meds but I’ve never had any problems. I don’t take any pre-meds because my original GI thought it was better to wait and see if they were necessary but as I said I’ve never had any issue with any type of reaction.

I have gotten pneumonia vaccine and get my yearly flu shot.
Posted 1/14/2021 4:20 PM (GMT -6)
I got the shingles vaccine before I started Entyvio. Once on a biologic we aren't supposed to get live vaccines. I get a flu shot every year.
Posted 1/14/2021 4:23 PM (GMT -6)
I loved Entyvio. I was 100% normal for the first time since I had been diagnosed 3 years before. I was very bummed when it stopped working for me after just a little over a year. Many people get really long remissions on it so hopefully you will be one of those.
Posted 1/14/2021 4:30 PM (GMT -6)
They don't do pre-meds where i live, not for entyvio or remicade. The nurse just gave me a big red button to press if I started to feel unwell (she also said she'd never seen an allergic reaction to entyvio)
Posted 1/14/2021 9:12 PM (GMT -6)
I hover around 100 lbs thanks to UC, and as you can see from my signature have had a history of med reactions. The doseage is the same for everyone. I started Entyvio in January, and was flaring quite badly by June. (still on steroids, too) My Gi checked my levels, and due to antibodies, I had virtually none in my system. I was moved to every 4 weeks, and did decently for another year and a half before I started a combination of things that made my GI and I conclude separately that it was time to move on. I think compared to a lot of other meds, Entyvio causes less adverse reactions in people, so I would encourage you to give it a try.
Posted 1/14/2021 10:46 PM (GMT -6)
DD did not have any vaccine Prior to starting Entyvio.
Before each infusion she takes Benadryl allergy and a Tylenol .

So far she is doing good and gained back all lost weight and eats normally.
Initially, after infusion she had body aches and sinus type headaches.
I would encourage you to give it a try.

Best wishes...
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