Pneumonia vaccination

Has everyone had a pneumonia vaccine?

[Hidden]

Yes, I had one last Winter (I'm in Australia, so that would be around May last year) - I was also given a flu vaccine at the same time so was a bit ill for a few days. I get the flu shot every Winter and have had no side effect before so I think having the two at the same time was the reason I got ill.

[Junolee]

Yes. I had both it and the flu injection. Had the flu injection end of October and the pneumonia one mid November. My GP decided to leave a gap between them just to be sure. The pneumo vax lasts for 5 years. You have to get the flu one every year.

[mumofthree]

I was given both the pneumonia jab and the flu jab in Oct 2011 (I was diagnosed with PBC Jan 2011) and only the the flu jab in Oct 2012. I was wondering why I didn't have 2 this year but going on what Junolee says that the pneumonia jab lasts for 5 years then that explains that.

[Val02]

yes Ive had a pneumonia jab, used to have flu jab but the last one i had made me so ill for months Ive stopped having them.

[Axl888]

I had the flu jab at the beginning of October and the pneumonia jab in the middle of November. I have had pneumonia twice in the past four years so hopefully will reduce my risk.

[Hidden]

Interesting reading about the pneumonia jab as I have read that it is a simple one-off. Over 60's only have the one shot of pneumo and no more needed apparently. Unless there is the booster one now that is shoved in with the 'flu every yr?

I declined the 'flu jab when I was first offered it 2011 and 2012. I have my own opinions on vaccinations and still wonder if having the Hepatitis ones when I worked in a job that recommended them several years ago as to whether that somehow brought on the PBC. I'll never know but that was my first thought when I got the abnormal LFTs in 2012.

My daughter only had the measles vaccination at 13mths back in 1987 but when her brother got to that age in 1989 it was then the MMR and it was recommended my daughter had it so she did. Just over a wk later she woke up appearing to have arthritis throughout her body and was seen at hospital. It was unexplained but she did have the swelled face from one that has mumps and I was pretty certain she had had a bad reaction to the MMR. She was fine a couple weeks later by the way.

Given I personally have never been one for suffering from colds and can't recall ever having anything like 'flu in a way I don't want to 'rock the boat' so-to-speak and perhaps lay myself open to starting with something like this following a 'flu jab.

Again it is personal choice.

This is from the NHS website:-

"If you are 65 or over you will need to have the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV). This one-off vaccination will protect you against serious forms of pneumococcal infection.

Booster doses

If you are at increased risk of a pneumococcal infection you will be given the PPV vaccination just once. For most adults, this will protect you for life.

However, if your spleen does not work properly, or if you have a chronic kidney condition, you may need booster doses of PPV every five years. This is because your levels of antibodies (proteins that destroy disease-carrying organisms) against the infection will decrease over time. "

[Hidden]

I had the pneumonia jab and was told it was a one off, I got as my Dr told me I was in the at risk catagory, this was about 4 years ago, before being diagnosed with PBC, it was to do with having sarcoidosis, I also get the flu jab every year, I work in the NHS and Re given the flu jab at work xx

[nonnatwoxtwo]

Yes, every 5 years. For healthy people starts over 55 I believe. For me with many autoimmune diseases starting at 35, I've been getting them all along. Flu shot every year. Have not gotten either ever. As our immune system is low. I've had 19 surgeries for OA, mostly joint replacements, fusions, as so forth. Gallbladder gone wrong 21 day stay. But, no flu or pneumonia illness!