Pneumonia vaccine free or not.
Hi. if you have emphysema in the uk a... - Lung Conditions C...
Hi. if you have emphysema in the uk are you entitled to pneumonia vaccine for free. My gp says no. Got to be over 65. 2 gp's have said this.
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Gazza01
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Hi
Mine was free, had mine when I was 60, COPD is a risk factor so Pneumonia and flu jabs are free.
The GPs are wrong. Look on the internet for the protocol re the pneumonia jab for emphysema (cood) print it off and take it to the GP. I have bronchiectasis and had my pneumonia job when I was 52
O2Trees in reply to
No idea how old you are LP so dont want to be presumptuous but Ive been told that they do wear off. I had a second one after double pneumonia in 2015 - fifteen years after diagnosis. (Then had two hospitalisations for pneumonia this year - so much for that!)
in reply to O2Trees
It only covers one pneumonia unfortunately, pneumoccal. There are many different strains out there in the community but that is the mist common. I asked my practice nurse about having a boost so she got the protocol folder out and it says one shot for life unless there are kidney failure issues. I know that some other practices do differently so if it is offered why not have it.
O2Trees in reply to
I have done but had no idea it only covers one kind. Is pneumoccol worse than the others? Ive had one which showed staph aureous, all of them labelled community acquired, which Im assuming just means you didnt catch it in hospital.
My daughter's father had pneumonia one time back in the day when he accidentally swallowed paraffin - he was a fire-eater at the time. So obviously many way to get it.
in reply to O2Trees
Yes I sometimes think it’s a generic term for ‘ we don’t know what you’ve got’.pneumoccocal is the most frequent in the community I think but the joke is that many people like me had it as children and my clinic at the QE used to say that I would be immune to it. I had the jab anyway and caught a different one in 2015. Some pneumonias just seem to grow themselves in the lungs.
O2Trees in reply to
Ive just googled for a definition and this is what they came up with (havent clicked on to see which dictionary it came from):
"lung inflammation caused by bacterial or viral infection, in which the air sacs fill with pus and may become solid. Inflammation may affect both lungs ( double pneumonia ) or only one ( single pneumonia )."
A friend who's been in hospital with galloping heart rate and chest infection turned out to have pneumonia - kind of obvious as with the alvioli blocked up the heart races away trying to get the oxygen into the brain.
A fire eater! Now you don't hear that every day! 😁
Haha! So this is what it took to check you're still here Frose! Good to see you. 
xx
And, re fire-eating, he told me that in Victorian times as chronicled in Mayhew's London fire-eaters had a life of about two years before pneumonia killed them off. It's actually the fire-blowing that does it as apparently you cant help swallowing a bit each time.
I was also given the pneumonia jab when I was in my 50's because of severe asthma, before I was officially diagnosed with COPD.
Free when first diagnosed at 55. I wonder if some practices are trying to save money? No idea who pays for the jab but they should be free.
I've had it and I'm 40. You are entitled they are wrong look on NHS England then go back and read it to them. Also my sister has had one (45) she's got diabetes.
I have never paid for a Pnuemonia jab since they came out! I have one every 5 years? Having multi conditions may well be the reason.
Be well
Well mine was free a couple of years ago. Mind you the doctor said it wasn't necessary at all and refused to give me it on the grounds I had never had pneumonia. My copd nurse on the other hand asked me about it and when I told her what the doctor had said she tut tutted, and with an expression showing exactly what she thought of stupid doctors, proceeded to give me one! x
You would think. That. Buy giving those that are. more at risk of Pneumonia would be very clear and very much. Cheaper. Cost of a single jab. Over. What could be. Many weeks or even months in ICU surly. Common sense. To give the jab to. All who need. ? The health service is. Great. And I would not be here. Writing this without but. It. Should be. Run a lot more. Effectively it. Seems. Common sense. Is not so common after all
I had it a few years back when I was 17, and it was free, on the grounds of asthma hospitalisations. People with COPD are more prone to infections as well so it ought to be free
Hi gazza01 yes they are free I got mine years ago but still got pneumonia twice in my left lung so are they really doing the job mmmmm
Like the flu vaccine, the pneumonia vaccine cannot cover every strain of pneumonia - there are several so what you had was a different strain of bacteria to the one used in the jab.
Hi well thanks for letting me know.
You probably already know that the flu vaccine is changed regularly to encompass the 'most expected' ones for the following winters - I think they have admitted that they got it wrong last year.
So important to continue with all the personal hygiene habits to prevent catching anything.
It always takes a couple of weeks after the jabs to build up our immunity. P
Mine was free I had it in my 50s. (in UK) after pulmonary rehabilitation the medical advisers say to have the annual flu shot each year and the one off pneumonia vaccination, this for people diagnosed with COPD emphysema and other cronic lung conditions.
Yes you are no matter what age you are as you will be considered at risk.
Gazza01, my GP won't give me one either. Their reason being that I'm 40. I have severe asthma, mild COPD and was hospitalized with pneumonia three years ago. You'd think they might just want to save a little bit of money by vaccinating me, wouldn't you? I'm going to look into getting one privately. I really, really can't be bothered to argue the case on this one.
Gazza01 in reply to
Hi yes I was thinking the same. But at £70 why should I? I may ask the nurse next time I see her. It seems there is no blanket rule. I can't believe they wouldn't give you one seeing as you've had problems before. Good luck.
I have had the flu jab free ever since it began, and the pneumonia one free, twice, ten years apart. Now that I am over 60 no problems of course, but I never had any problems before. Your GP should read the literature!
I've just been told I gave to have it. I'm 51
If you have a chronic disease it should be free. I had for Asthma before 65 so see with your pharmacist or respiratory nurse
On a similar subject what does everyone do about colds. Living in the uk avoiding colds is not easy. Are they just as dangerous. I've only just been told I have some emphysema after it was spotted on a cat scan after a heart operation. I did have some breathing issues before the operation for a new heart valve. But the breathing was put down to that. Now the valve is fixed I still have the problem, thankfully it will go completely with ventolin for 5 hrs or so and the doctor doesn't seem bothered at all which is something I am hearing a lot of. I have been treated for asthma for the last 3 years which I probably don't have after all. (need to see the asthma nurse about it) as its either all copd or a mix of both. Luckily my wife has just stopped working at the local primary school, normally we would have every bug and cough and cold going by now. So that's good. But surely no one can avoid getting a cold unless they hide themselves away. I don't want to get to point of being paranoid every time I hear someone sneeze or cough within 50 yards of me. But should I.
I had the pneumonia jab and I am 64 but suffer from COPD. ITS FREE
As others have said, you are entitled to a free vaccine.
well my GP give me it for free, and i'm only 62!
mine was free at 63
