- Home
- Share
- Forum
- Cancer Forum
- Treatments for cancer
- Interferons: Interactions with the COVID-19 vaccine?
Patients Cancer
Interferons: Interactions with the COVID-19 vaccine?
- 33 views
- 2 times supported
- 5 comments
All comments
Courtney_J
Community managerGood advisor
Courtney_J
Community manager
Last activity on 13/10/2022 at 16:47
Joined in 2020
1,280 comments posted | 43 in the Cancer Forum
10 of their responses were helpful to members
Rewards
-
Good Advisor
-
Contributor
-
Messenger
-
Committed
-
Explorer
-
Evaluator
Hi @desmum, thank you for opening this discussion and sharing what you've been going through! That must be so frightening, and frustrating that your doctors don't have any answers for you. Let me tag some other members who can possibly share with you.
Hello everyone, how are you doing?
For those of you on interferon alfa, have you had any reactions with the COVID-19 vaccines? If so, what type of symptoms have you experienced? Have your doctors given you any guidance or explanations? Will you be getting the booster jab?
@RonHartley @MaggieMM @issyhay @Thegardener @Whitewater @Widgey64 @GoldieM @Jackieann @Sherin @YorkshireJayne @GinaLymph @Mustang @Davidpryce @Kather @Beamer @LisaKuz @lopez1 @Vonj68 @Coocher @Bundlepop
Don't hesitate to share with us here!
Take care,
Courtney
See the signature
Courtney_J, Community Manager, Carenity UK
YorkshireJayne
Good advisor
YorkshireJayne
Last activity on 17/07/2024 at 07:17
Joined in 2021
92 comments posted | 8 in the Cancer Forum
16 of their responses were helpful to members
Rewards
-
Good Advisor
-
Contributor
-
Messenger
-
Committed
-
Explorer
-
Evaluator
I'm not on any treatment as yet, so can't comment on Interferon, sorry @Courtney_J and @desmum
Cancer Research has this to say https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/cancer-drugs/drugs/interferon reading that, it seems that it isn't the Covid vaccination causing your problems, it's all a part of the side effects of the Interferon. Have a word with your specialist nursing team, there are other things they can give you to counteract side effects.
See the signature
Life is for living, do it, no matter what!
desmum
Good advisor
desmum
Last activity on 09/02/2022 at 13:29
Joined in 2021
8 comments posted | 3 in the Cancer Forum
Rewards
-
Good Advisor
-
Contributor
-
Explorer
I've been off the interferon for a month now and back on chemo but the exhaustion etc is still persisting
YorkshireJayne
Good advisor
YorkshireJayne
Last activity on 17/07/2024 at 07:17
Joined in 2021
92 comments posted | 8 in the Cancer Forum
16 of their responses were helpful to members
Rewards
-
Good Advisor
-
Contributor
-
Messenger
-
Committed
-
Explorer
-
Evaluator
@desmum The exhaustion is a part of the treatment and probably your cancer, just go with the flow, let your body tell you what it needs and don't force yourself to do things you really don't need to. I find that talking to the ladies in my support group helps, we have a weekly Zoom session where we laugh, cry, chat and generally get advice on things (not just cancer). Do you have a local cancer charity with a support group or counsellor? I Googled cancer support for my local area and found mine.
As for the booster, I'm refusing to have mine. It's only 6 months since I had my 2nd vaccination and having had an antibodies blood test done lately, know that my immunity is high even with my cancer. Maybe have a word with one of your specialist nurses or your GP about it?
See the signature
Life is for living, do it, no matter what!
desmum
Good advisor
desmum
Last activity on 09/02/2022 at 13:29
Joined in 2021
8 comments posted | 3 in the Cancer Forum
Rewards
-
Good Advisor
-
Contributor
-
Explorer
Thankyou for responding Jayne - I was fine on interferon for over a year until I had the Pfizer vaccinations - since then I started losing hair and my muscles were so painful I could hardly walk - I came off interferon about 6 weeks ago and my muscles are no longer painful but I've been left with total exhaustion and no appetite losing alot of weight - I'm backbon chemo now but no one seems to know what to advice about the booster except to say if I get Covid on top of this it will make me very ill - I've had ET now for about 9 years and it's not hampered me much at all till now - I also had bowel cancer 20 yrs ago and had most of my bowel removed and even that wasn't as bad as this! I'm part of a walking group and normally walk 10 miles easily but right now I'm shattered just walking up the stairs - I'm talking to my oncologist on 21st so hope she can help (just wish I could see her face to face)
Give your opinion
Members are also commenting on...
Articles to discover...
Medication fact sheets - patient opinions...
Subscribe
You wish to be notified of new comments
Your subscription has been taken into account
desmum
Good advisor
desmum
Last activity on 09/02/2022 at 13:29
Joined in 2021
8 comments posted | 3 in the Cancer Forum
Rewards
Good Advisor
Contributor
Explorer
Has anyone else had nasty after effects from taking interferon ? I was on it for the last year after chemo started causing problems - it seems interferon reacted with the Pfizer jabs and turned my immune system in on myself - I've had extreme exhaustion and hair loss for weeks now- so I've been taken off interferon and put back on a smaller dose than before of chemo - needless to say I'm very worried about the booster as no one seems able to advise me - so I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this?