6 months later
[object Object] 14
6 months later
Nia is 14
Nia is doing well. She gets vaccines (shots) to help her body fight germs.
You might need to get all your vaccines (shots) again.
- This happens 6 months after you leave the hospital.
- Your doctor checks if you still have any immunity from before the chemotherapy.
- You will go to the doctor more than one time to get vaccines, because some vaccines have more than 1 dose (shot).
There are some vaccines you need to get every year.
For example, you need to get a flu shot every year.
Vaccines teach your immune system how to fight dangerous germs.
Chemotherapy destroys your immune system’s memory of how to fight these dangerous germs.
- You need vaccines (shots) to teach your white blood cells (immune system cells) all over again.
- You cannot get vaccines right away. You need to wait until your genetically-changed stem cells have made enough new white blood cells. This is why you get vaccines about 6 months after you leave the hospital.
Vaccines can protect you from many dangerous germs:
- Chickenpox (Varicella)
- Dengue
- Diphtheria
- Flu (Influenza)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
- HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
- Measles
- Meningococcal
- Mumps
- Pneumococcal
- Polio (Poliomyelitis)
- Rotavirus
- Rubella (German Measles)
- Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
- Tetanus (Lockjaw)
- Whooping Cough (Pertussis)