Can someone who has had Guillain Barre receive a flu shot?

Answer 1

It may be that your physician will advise against taking a flu vaccine if you have had Guillain-Barre Syndrome, so always speak to them before hand. It is also important to avoid flu shots if you are allergic to chicken or egg products, since the virus is grown using eggs to provide the host cells needed to reproduce the virus. Some people who are allergic to latex also have problems, so mention this to your doctor before getting the flu shot, too.

People with other uncontrolled nervous system disease such as epilepsy, Parkinson's, or Alzheimer's may also be advised against taking the flu vaccine. Ask your doctor if you should take one if you have an allergy to any other drugs, have hemophilia or other bleeding disorder, or are taking blood thinners such as Coumadin. Always check first before taking any medications, including flu shots, if you are immuno-compromised from cancer therapy, HIV/AIDS, a bone marrow transplant, other disease or disorder, or taking immuno-suppressing drugs.

The side effects from the 1976 Swine Flu vaccination that resulted in some getting the Guillain Barre Syndrome is believed to have been related to either contaminants in the vaccine's medium or the method of the vaccine manufacturing process back so long ago.

The regular flu vaccines have been made an entirely different way for decades and have a very good safety record. It is this same method of creating vaccines and the same ingredients for the medium that are being used to create the new A-H1N1/09 Swine Flu vaccine currently under development. So very few problems are expected with it, but you should check if any of the above mentioned circumstances apply to you.