I was hoping to get a yellow fever vaccine before I start Kesimpta as it’s a live vaccine. South America is somewhere I’ve always wanted to go to.
I went to my appointment at boots and told the pharmacist why I was getting the vaccine (I have MS and I’m starting Kesimpta soon) he then said he that could not vaccinate me. Boots have a policy that they will not vaccinate for any reason other than immediate travel. Because I couldn’t give dates for when I may visit any country on the hot list he wouldn’t give me the jab.
Does anyone know how I can get this done? Can I get it prescribed? I’m not trying to get a freebie on the nhs but from what I’ve read a lot of other chemists have this rule. Should I lie and say I’m off to brazil next month?
I’d appreciate any help here, because the longer I wait for this vaccine the further away my Kesimpta start date.
We went to Peru a few years ago and I skipped the vaccine because I was on Tysabri. We were mostly in the highlands. The advice I was given was ‘ don’t get the YF vaccine and don’t get YF’. So I drenched myself with DEET, avoided the jungle and it was fine. There’s usually a compromise solution, so don’t worry too much. It’s rarely all-or-nothing.
Have you approached your GP? It may still be a private prescription but they will be better informed on your condition and reasoning so make a different decision.
Have you had specific guidance from your consultant or have you done your own reading?
I am hoping to start another drug and been sorting out the shingles vaccine. Technically would become eligible after I was on the drug and not quite the right age, but sense prevailed.
Shingles is a risk whereas yellow fever only a risk if you are able to travel to an infected area and the vaccine is possibly more risky in its side effects.
If you feel well enough to travel perhaps you should do so before you start Kesimpta?
Being a late starter I am glad I had the chance to travel before diagnosis. As I had a severe relapse leading to diagnosis, I have decided to not risk travel to out of the way places. But clearly it depends on what you history of symptoms are, and getting on with life is to be recommended as you can never know what is round the corner.
Sorry if my ‘cautious’ reply puts a bit of a dampener on things but if it was me I would very definitely talk with my MS Nurse first. I think I remember ( but don’t know for sure) that there are cases of live vaccines inducing an MS relapse.
Maybe draw up a list of other places you would like to go?
Probably a case of a careful weighing up of risks and deciding how much you do really want to go . Personally and unless I was going to parts of Brazil without Y Fever/ or very very low incidence, I definitely wouldn’t risk it but that’s just my personal feeling ( and for me, Yellow Fever or not, it would be a bit of a no-no . MS means that I struggle in hot weather )
I’m not sure but I don’t think you can get ‘freebie ‘ yellow fever jabs on the NHS.
Hi, I would not recommend taking any live vaccines when you MS.
My husband had a severe relapse after taking live vaccines for a trip we were going on many years ago. At the time, he did not know he had MS so he went ahead.
I think I’ve had my chickenpox immunity tested and I still have cover so I shouldn’t need the shingles vaccine.
This is from my own reading but I want to start the medication as soon as possible. So getting the jab now, travelling later makes sense to me, but I might be wrong. I have an appointment with my GP on Monday so I’m going to discuss it then.
Thank you. I wasn’t aware of the risks, so I am definitely reconsidering. I had discussed it with my MS nurses but they didn’t mention any risks. I have an appointment with my gp tomorrow so I will talk about it with her as well.