If you have coeliac disease are you self isolating for 12 weeks.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Sorry, my head is spinning.

Boris says if you're offered a flu jab then you should isolate for 12 weeks. DD has coeliac disease and has a flu jab at the GP every year. I understand 30% of people with coeliac have a poorly functioning spleen which affects immune system. They don't test peoples spleen so no idea if dd's spleen is ok or not.

But on nhs website coeliac disease is NOT specifically mentioned as needing a flu jab. But it DOES say "This list of conditions is not definitive. It's always an issue of clinical judgement."

So what do we do?

[Exochord]

I’ve had coeliac for 20 years and never been offered a flu jab. It hadn’t even occurred to me to stay home for that reason. (I am staying home but not because of coeliac)

[VivaLeBeaver]

Dd gets flagged up on the system as someone who should have the jab. So now I don’t know what to do.

[VivaLeBeaver]

I am working from home anyway and happy to stay at home if needed. Dh also wfh.

Dd is 18yo and kicking off at the thought of it.

[KellyMarieTunstall2]

I have coeliac, and I've only been invited to have the flu vacc when I've been pregnant. Can you ask your GP?

[VivaLeBeaver]

I guess we could ask the GP, don’t want to add to the pressure.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Think I will ring Coeliac Uk tomorrow.

[onlyreadingneverposting8]

I was winding similar - 17 yr old ds has Colitis and has lie literally finishing steroids this week but will remain on Melalazine which can act a an immune suppressant, although isn't technically one. He was only dx in Jan so hasn't had a flu job but will qualify for one.

[mbosnz]

My dd has coeliac disease, no, we are not self isolating on this basis. Other than that, she's really rather robust healthwise, being coeliac will not compromise her body's ability to fight the virus.

[UntamedWisteria]

DS has coeliac disease.
He also has asthma.
He gets a flu jab - but that's because of the asthma, not the coeliac disease.
No-one seems to be panic buying GF pasta yet...

[DICarter1]

Two kids with coeliac but they’re at school do offered the flu jab. Not that I think it’ll make much difference. Both seem healthy at the moment though dreading if our youngest comes down with anything because she has autism (she’s non verbal) and coeliac. I think Coeliac UK have released something. I’m a bit more worried about getting hold of gf food especially for the very particular autistic child.

[Guttersnipe]

Did he actually say self isolate for 12 weeks? I am offered the flu jab each year as I have CKD, except I am not actually ill, just had a slightly abnormal creatinine level in a blood test once, but when I questioned the need for a flu jab, my GP practice told me I might as well have it. I consider myself otherwise perfectly fit and healthy. I didn't hear 'self isolate.' I heard them say people who get the flu jab should be shielded from social contact. Is that the same as self isolating? Sorry if that is a stupid question. I have to admit, I am rather shocked and may not be thinking straight.

[BretonKitten]

My take is that coeliac is an autoimmune condition, so extra caution is warranted. (I’m not coeliac but I do have another autoimmune condition).

My reasoning is this: People with autoimmune conditions have too strong a immune response to invaders. Once you have one autoimmune condition you are more likely to develop another.

Some of the people, especially the younger people, who are getting into serious difficulties with the corona virus a few weeks into the disease are suffering from cytokine storms (which can lead to multiple organ failure). Cytokine storms are an immune response- an over production of immune cells.

So whilst I am not sure whether or not having an autoimmune condition makes someone more susceptible to catching the virus, I think it is likely that having an autoimmune condition might increase the chances of getting into serious complications later.

For that reason I am choosing to pretty much self-isolate, except medical appointments and essential supply runs, for the next while.

[Womble65]

I have a coeliac son who also gets called for flu jab and I’m wondering the same thing. He’s due home from university this week and I did find that gluten free pasta had been panic bought when I tried to get some, but managed at third attempt. supermarkets had no pasta at all - staff said people had taken baby and gluten free pasta once the regular stuff was gone.

[loutypips]

@onlyreadingneverposting8 I'm in the same position! I have colitis, I have to have the flu jab every year.

I'm naughty though as I stopped taking the Mezalazine last year as I'm in remission. Quite glad now though as although they say you should be fine on it, I picked up every bug going!

I was worried about my mum as she's got a lung condition, but it looks like I need to think about myself too

[TiddleTaddleTat]

Gosh I never thought of this.
I'm coeliac and currently have CV symptoms , I'm self isolating

[VivaLeBeaver]

being coeliac will not compromise her body's ability to fight the virus.

But it could do if she’s one of the 30% who have a spleen which doesn’t work as well? Which is why they’re offered the flu jab, because they’re more likely to be severely affected by flu.

[TiddleTaddleTat]

Worried now I tend to have pretty good immunity usually and shake off colds etc pretty easily. I'm on about day 6 of cough/temp/fatigue and feel pretty stable, but it isn't nice

[VivaLeBeaver]

If you’re feeling stable Tiddle that’s a good sign. Hopefully just a cold.

[TiddleTaddleTat]

Hmm unfortunately I'm fairly certain it isn't a cold. It's a temp up and down, constant dry cough, fatigue, and chest tightness.

[TiddleTaddleTat]

I feel stable now, but it started off differently to how it is now

[KellyMarieTunstall2]

Coeliac.org have confirmed that we should consider themselves in the at risk category as we may or may not have spleen issues.

[handmademitlove]

My coeliac dd and dh both have flu jabs due to coeliac disease. We are fairly certain they do not have spleen issues as they haven't been ill in a long time but are being quite strict with reducing the number of people we come into contact with.

[TiddleTaddleTat]

Thanks to the OP for this, I have had to notify my employer that coeliac U.K. is considering us as potentially at risk.
I think I have just had covid, FWIW, and it wasn't too dreadful for me, but then I don't know if I did actually have it or some other virus due to lack of testing ! Sigh

[SirVixofVixHall]

Yea, coeliacs can be at increased risk due to spleen disfunction. As this isn’t something that is tested, you have to assume that you do fall into the (roughly a third, but I imagine true figure not known) group with spleen issues. This puts you at higher risk of pneumonia.
Spleen disfunction is mentioned as a shielding reason, but as far as I know coeliacs are not being sent a shielding letter ?
I am almost certainly coeliac but have no positive test as I don’t eat gluten, so I would not get a letter, have any other coeliacs had a shielding letter ?

[catsandlavender]

My mum is coeliac. It’s something like 30% have issues with their spleen, obviously there’s no way to know if she has this. She’s not self isolating for 12 weeks but she only went to the shop for the first time since lockdown about a week ago.
I know she considers herself to be vulnerable (she’s also just over 60) but it’s a hard one as about 70% of sufferers don’t have spleen issues and there’s no way of knowing.