Question: Is it ok to get the COVID-19 vaccine if I take daily medication?

Answer: It is essential to speak directly with your primary care physician or specialist to get the facts regarding the coronavirus and its possible effects on you or your care recipient.

In a recent AARP article, medical experts discussed what effect, if any, will the COVID vaccines have on your daily medication.

Common Prescription Medication
The consensus is that maintenance medications for such conditions as diabetes or high blood pressure have not shown evidence of being adversely impacted. The reason is, the COVID vaccines goes into your immune system, while maintenance medications do not.

Immunosuppressants
Those on an immunosuppressant may have a decrease in the drug’s efficiency around the time of being vaccinated for the coronavirus, but not significant enough to avoid getting vaccinated.

Blood Thinners
People on blood thinners should notify the vaccine administrator of that fact due to the risk of bleeding at the vaccination site.

Read the full AARP article by clicking here.

Question: Is it ok to get my mammogram after I get the COVID-19 vaccine?

The answer is: As a caregiver, your health is vital to the care you give, so it is not advisable to skip your mammogram appointment. But if you have concerns, contact the facility where your mammogram is scheduled to ask for guidance. 

According to an article from the Mayo Clinic, the vaccine that prevents COVID-19 can cause swollen lymph nodes under the arm in which the shot was given.

Your lymph nodes are part of your body’s germ-fighting immune system. The swelling in the lymph nodes is a sign that your body is responding to the vaccine and building up defenses against the virus that causes COVID-19.

Breast cancer also can cause swelling in the armpit if cancer cells spread to the lymph nodes.

Some doctors are concerned that having a mammogram soon after vaccination may cause unnecessary worry about swollen lymph nodes.

Read the full Mayo Clinic article by clicking here.