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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 2/5/2022 3:59 PM (GMT -8)
Just posting an update for those who offered support recently. Approved for entyvio. Waiting on an appointment for infusion. Hopefully early next week. Down to 10mg pred and seeing a return in my symptoms. Worried I’ll have to do another pred course. Fingers crossed. It works for me. One thing this flare has taught me is to live for now. Wait for nothing
Posted 2/5/2022 5:56 PM (GMT -8)
I am getting ready to start Entyvio just as soon as the First and Second Hep A and B combination Vaccine is complete and all test have been completed. Due to my age (about to be 75) my GI DR wanted me to be current on every Vaccine I need. Should be starting in late March or early April. Keep us posted on your progress.
Posted 2/5/2022 8:03 PM (GMT -8)
Good luck to both of you ... hoping that Entyvio brings you to a lasting remission. FlowersGal makes a good case for it. Definitely let us know how you're doing. / Old Hat (40+ yrs with left-sided UC; in remission taking Colazal)
Posted 2/5/2022 8:09 PM (GMT -8)
Thanks Old Hat
Posted 2/5/2022 11:40 PM (GMT -8)

enjoygolf said...
I am getting ready to start Entyvio just as soon as the First and Second Hep A and B combination Vaccine is complete and all test have been completed. Due to my age (about to be 75) my GI DR wanted me to be current on every Vaccine I need. Should be starting in late March or early April. Keep us posted on your progress.


My GI hasn’t mentioned those tests? He did say something about TB
Posted 2/6/2022 7:09 AM (GMT -8)
I hope the Entyvio works for you!
The hepatitis vaccines are often recommended for people on or about to start biologics, especially if you're at higher risk of contracting hepatitis. I'd ask your GI about them if you haven't already received those vaccines. I was able to just walk into CVS and get mine. My insurance covered it completely.
Posted 2/6/2022 8:21 AM (GMT -8)

Theanxiousaries said...

enjoygolf said...
I am getting ready to start Entyvio just as soon as the First and Second Hep A and B combination Vaccine is complete and all test have been completed. Due to my age (about to be 75) my GI DR wanted me to be current on every Vaccine I need. Should be starting in late March or early April. Keep us posted on your progress.


My GI hasn’t mentioned those tests? He did say something about TB

I had the TB test also. Might want to ask about the Hep A & B. I am having the Combo shot it was called Twinrix. No prescription needed. Had Walgreens order it. Hope all goes well.
Posted 2/6/2022 8:23 AM (GMT -8)

Old Hat said...
Good luck to both of you ... hoping that Entyvio brings you to a lasting remission. FlowersGal makes a good case for it. Definitely let us know how you're doing. / Old Hat (40+ yrs with left-sided UC; in remission taking Colazal)

Thank you Old Hat. Will let everyone know once I start Entyvio.
Posted 2/6/2022 10:12 AM (GMT -8)
FYI, forum members posting here: Theanxiousaries lives in Australia so posting about CVS or Walgreens doesn't help there, but ok for EnjoyGolf. / Old Hat

Post Edited (Old Hat) : 2/6/2022 11:15:04 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/6/2022 11:22 AM (GMT -8)
Vaccines are less effective when you're on steroids. I was told to wait until I'd stopped prednisone (and azathioprine actually) before updating my immunisations.
Posted 2/6/2022 11:29 AM (GMT -8)

poopydoop said...
Vaccines are less effective when you're on steroids. I was told to wait until I'd stopped prednisone (and azathioprine actually) before updating my immunisations.

That is what my GI Dr said and I stopped Uceris 30 days before my first Hep A & B shot.
Posted 2/6/2022 1:35 PM (GMT -8)
I truly hope it works for you. I started in July and it’s been a struggle. Had to go on an eight week course of cortiment in November to stop a flare and infusions were switched from 8 to 4 weeks at that time. Started flaring again after Cortiment so now back on prednisone until April. Dr is hopeful though that Entyvio is doing something as my inflammatory markers have been normal last couple of months (even with symptoms, not sure how that works) so he wants me to stick it out until July and give it a whole year to work. He said it’s notoriously slow.
Posted 2/6/2022 6:51 PM (GMT -8)

Sara14 said...
I hope the Entyvio works for you!
The hepatitis vaccines are often recommended for people on or about to start biologics, especially if you're at higher risk of contracting hepatitis. I'd ask your GI about them if you haven't already received those vaccines. I was able to just walk into CVS and get mine. My insurance covered it completely.


I should be able to access them easily enough. I just wasn’t aware we should have them. Will definitely follow up
Posted 2/7/2022 6:54 PM (GMT -8)
I don't know your age... But they told me to get my pneumococcal vaccines also... Recently they recommended those plus the shingles vaccine to a friend that was going to start Remicade....

So please double check all your vaccines and make sure they are all up to date. Remember with anti tnf no live vaccines. I am unsure on Entyvio.

I'm on Remicade and my infectious disease doctor is concerned that I won't respond to my shingles or other vaccinations now.

Clo
Posted 2/8/2022 4:33 AM (GMT -8)

clo2014 said...
I don't know your age... But they told me to get my pneumococcal vaccines also... Recently they recommended those plus the shingles vaccine to a friend that was going to start Remicade....

So please double check all your vaccines and make sure they are all up to date. Remember with anti tnf no live vaccines. I am unsure on Entyvio.

I'm on Remicade and my infectious disease doctor is concerned that I won't respond to my shingles or other vaccinations now.

Clo


This is freaking me out. I start entyvio next Monday. Surly it can’t be good to have all these vaccines in a short space? Can I still have them after or could that cause it? I’ve had chicken pox as a child. I don’t know what tests he’s ordered. It says FE studies
Posted 2/8/2022 5:32 AM (GMT -8)
FE Studies check your iron levels.

The important vaccines to get before going on a biologic are the live vaccines. I had to get a shingles shot before starting because at the time the only one available was a live virus vaccines, but the newer shingles vaccines aren't live so I believe you could get that later same as flu vaccines and any other inactivated vaccine. When in doubt I read up on a vaccine and check with my doc.
Posted 2/8/2022 7:20 AM (GMT -8)
TAA I did no vaccines either before or on entyvio (or infliximab) because I was taking prednisone and azathioprine at the same time and the dr advised that I would get a limited response and better to wait until I was off both drugs and they were out my system. The point being, I think I did about 10 months on various biologics without any special vaccines and nothing happened in terms of infections except for a few colds.

My only regret is not doing a yellow fever vaccine before starting immunosuppressants because it is live and now I can't travel to any countries that require yellow fever vaccine. But I was so sick at the time I could not afford to wait on starting these medications.
Posted 2/8/2022 7:32 AM (GMT -8)
I recall a TB test. But I don’t recall getting hepatitis vaccines. Doesn’t mean I didn’t, but seems like I’d remember if I did?

The thing about entyvio that’s so great is it doesn’t affect your entire immune system like remicade does. That’s what they say about it — that it’s gut-based in its immune suppression. I tend to believe it now because the studies on response to covid vaccinations have shown entyvio users had a high immune response as a whole. I’m in two studies for immune response and both I’ve scored really high on antibodies.

Don’t fret too much about it. You can get shingles vaccine after you’ve been on entyvio. The reason they say no live vaccines after you start it is because they think the vaccine won’t be effective. But I wonder if they’ve really studied this or they’re assuming it’s so? I truly don’t know. And I could be completely off base.
Posted 2/8/2022 8:18 AM (GMT -8)
You don't have to get all the vaccines before you start Entyvio. It's not that big of a deal. Space them out and get them all at some point.
Posted 2/9/2022 5:34 AM (GMT -8)
Lots of horror stories about shingles. So it concerned me when I got the diagnosis.

Just three days after noticing some strange bumps (they line up in rows) I was sitting in a dermatologist office. He put me on anti virals and they were gone in a week. Never had any pain. The trick to those anti virals is they have to begin working early in the disease process. He told me 3-4 days max. Barely caught mine but they worked. Moral to the story…if you notice odd, small looking bumps lining up on your skin, get to a doctor sooner rather than later. Today’s meds work. (And you’ll know them when you see them). I have to wonder if a lot of the horror aren’t due to the fact that anti virals either weren’t taken in time if at all.

“One thing this flare has taught me is to live for now. Wait for nothing.” - good on you anxiousaries. 😊

Good luck enjoygolf.
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