I have Crohn's, Should I Get a Flu Shot?

This is a question that I had to ask myself this morning. Prior to researching this issue, my suspicion was that anyone taking Remicade, Imuran or immunosuppresive Crohn's drugs should avoid. Theory being that if your immune system is weakened do you really want to be injected with the flu virus. Partially correct it seems. The flu shot contains a strain that is not a live flu virus, but most doctors seem to be recommending you wit one week after your infustion. See below, but the answer seems to be yes, you can get a flu shot if you have Crohn's.

People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who are taking immunosuppressive drugs fall into a high risk group. Some immunosuppressive drugs include:
Azathioprine (Imuran)
Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune)
Mercaptopurine (Purinethol, 6-MP)
Methotrexate
Prednisone

If you are taking any of these drugs, or your immune system is being suppressed by another drug, the optimum time to get vaccinated against the flu is from late October to mid-November. A flu shot takes one to two weeks to be effective.
Also, any person with IBD, even if they are not taking immunosuppressive drugs, might want to talk to a doctor about getting a flu shot. As with any chronic condition, IBD causes the body to be under stress. This makes it harder for the body to fight off both colds and the flu. After all, struggling through one major health problem is bad enough without complications from other illnesses.

Anyone who lives with a high-risk person should get the flu shot along with the high risk individual.

Anyways, I am getting my flu shot today.