Does Lupron affect vaccine immune response?

Does being on Lupron have an affect on the immune system response you get to various vaccines, the shingles/shingrix vaccine in particular?

My insurance covers the shingles/shingrix vaccine now that I'm 60 (I turned 60 back at the end of May). At a visit in June with my PCP, I asked him about getting the shingles vaccine, but he wanted to hold off on it, if I recall correctly it was because he thought my immune system response might be somewhat suppressed from being on the Lupron/ADT. Funny thing though he didn't have a problem with giving me the TDAP vaccine last year, or my getting the Flu shot last fall (I was also on Lupron at those times too).

Kent

Fairwind said...
Ask your Oncologist about it...

I'm not seeing the RO anymore. At the end of August of last year he released me back to my Urologist who had referred me to him. My Urologist is also the one who has given all the Lupron injections (well, actually one of his nurses), so maybe ask him?

Kent I asked both my UR and RT Oncologist and both said the flu and shingles vaccines were fine with Lupron. I needed my second shingles. I'm getting both in a couple of weeks.

68 yrs., marathon runner, PSA .012, 8.12.18, 1.42 June 18, 2018 (Lupron 5.21.18 & 8.15.18), 12.7 May 2018, 13.7 Jan. 2018, 2.1 May 2012. SpaceOar 9.6.18, testosterone <.7, 8.15.18, Tot Mayo 19 ng .17 testosterone Free 6.18.18, Gleason 3+4=7 involving 15% of the right apex and 15% of the right mid, 3+3=6 prostate cancer involving 5% of the left base. Pathology interpretations by John Hopkins, UNM Cancer, and SF Path 3+4=7 or 4+3=7 MD Anderson Proton Center w/o %. T3 MRI 1.8 lesion left side 5P, Neg. Bone Scan. Prolaris test 3.5 consistent with intermediate and a PTEN test negative. Father PC age 78 RT & ADT now 93 yrs. Neurogenic bladder due to lumbar disk disease and recurrent bladder neck contracture with urinary retention man. 20 years doing catheterizations. TURP & scaring 2003, Finasteride 5 milligrams daily since 2002.

Kent I asked the nurse practitioner today about both Shingles and flu vaccines, they said it was fine while I am on ADT, but not while I’m doing radiation, only because if it causes a reaction, I might miss a treatment.

So on Lupron, I’m guessing you should be fine.

Because Luprolides shut down your pituitary gland completely, they don't just stop production of gonadotrophin. The other substances the pituitary produces profoundly affect your entire body and all of its systems, immunologic functions included.

I got the Shingles shot before I started Luprolides, got a nice dose of shingles too, when I started Luprolides.

logoslidat said...
It seems getting 2nd opinions from the medical system is the same as getting advice from internet forums and for the same reasons...you(rhetorically) do the "math" its systemic

There isn’t equivalencies between medical advice from professionals who examine you and anonymous opinions from the internet. Thinking like that can and has caused problems.

Hello ~

I am also slated to receive my annual flu shot ~ and my oncologist is also recommending that I receive the new SHINGRIX shingles vaccine, as a proactive measure.

All of this while being on continuous ADT shots for the past five years.

I trust my oncologist's recommendations. He has never steered me in the wrong direction.

Keeping in touch ~
CYCLONE ~ Iowa State University