YES to Pneumonia vaccines Pneumovax 23 and Prevnar13

[Purplecrow]

I just corrected the title of this post. Please pardon my mistake, and experts, please weigh in on the subject of two injections. 🙏🏽

Two years ago I experienced two episodes of pneumonia. The second episode was consequence of low grade sinus infection which had percolated along behind the scenes for 6 months before it "kindled" a second episode of pneumonia.

After several rounds of nasty antibiotics, I recovered from both the pneumonia and sinus infection. After my recovery, My pulmonologist gave me the first pneumonia immun shot, Prevnar13. I had to wait a full year to get the second dose, P23.

Last month I received that second dose (p23), and am hopeful that Pneumonia is behind me. It is a nasty serious illness, not one to be risked at my elder age, and with my PMR -compromised immune status...

I am not a medical professional, this is my opinion.

Just sayin.....Jerri💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼

PMR diagnosed 2013

[Longtimer]

Hopefully you will not get a repeat of pneumomia. I had it (walking pneumonia) two years ago, had the injection, but was told that was it. Confused again about why one or two injections for pneumonia?......

Good luck..

[Purplecrow in reply to Longtimer]

Longtimer, you need to chat with your doc or pharmacist about the difference and your need for two types of vaccination. I am 73 and have a hx of pneumonia, along with PMR, all of which lend themselves to higher risk for subsequent episodes of the virus.

Good luck, J

[Longtimer in reply to Purplecrow]

Ok, thank you for that......

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Longtimer]

webmd.com/healthy-aging/new...

explains it pretty well

[Longtimer in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you for that, I will probably wait (naughty I know)..a little while, because of all the quandary over having the 4in 1 flu recently, would my poor immune system cope with all that! I never get a proper answer from the receptionist when I enquire, she said, yes, you`ve had the Pneumonia jab, it doesn't say you are to have another....and also on my records it says the same...no repeat of another....no wonder we get confused...or am I missing something!

[Longtimer in reply to PMRpro]

Ps meant to say, could it be because I`m under 70?...my OH was rung recently to see if he wanted the injection...no to that (no surprise there)....but he is over 70...just a thought...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Longtimer]

No idea what the NHS position is I'm afraid.

Just looked:

nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinati...

they say over 65. When did you have one? A newer one is for life, the older one was for 5 years. Maybe OH had that one and is now due the follow-up which will probably be the for-life version? I'm not sure.

[Longtimer in reply to PMRpro]

I will ring again......why don't I expect to get anywhere...😕

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Longtimer]

Learning by doing?????????

[SheffieldJane]

Thank you for sharing this, I have undiagnosed sinus pain and blockage, I often feel really quite ill. This is something my doctor’s should explore. I sincerely hope that this is behind you. 💜

[Megams in reply to SheffieldJane]

~SheffieldJane - if you have a blockage + sinus pain do you think you have a low grade infection going on?

Had low grade sinus infection close to 3 months - variety antibiotic's did not deal to it so opted (advice of ENT) to have cleaned out + area widened to increase drainage flow as fine/narrow bone structure.

This was many years prior to PMR diagnosis.

Not a cure all but certainly made big difference - sinus issues can make you feel very unwell.

I'm proactive in prevention techniques on all fronts.

Good luck ~

[nickm001]

I don't get it? If you had pneumonia, why in earth would you need vaccine ? Isn't the vaccine role to simulate pneumonia. so that the body develops immunity? But if you had real pneumonia, what can vaccine do for you?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to nickm001]

No - not as simple as that. The vaccines stimulates the formation of the antibodies to many pneumonias which is a different thing altogether. There are a lot of different viruses and the two vaccines together cover an awful lot, one has 13 and the other 23 targets. Having pneumonia once only protects you against one version, if at all.

[nickm001 in reply to PMRpro]

I was reading after posting and found out that, but thanks for correcting me. My thought was that immunity from actual illness is far better protection then vaccine - like chickenpox, but I realize that because of multiple causes of pneumonia that logic does not work.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to nickm001]

For some reason, having a disease doesn't always produce long term resistance. That's why they add the adjuvants - to make the response stronger.

[nickm001 in reply to PMRpro]

I am gonna respectfully disagree on this one. As far as I know if you had illness ( say chickenpox), immunity is for life. However, if you had vaccine, then you might need boosters every so often ( 5-10 years usually). Adjuvants are usually added to vaccines with dead or attenuated viruses to enhance body's reaction to dead virus. In fact most of complications related to adjutants happen when person had live virus at the time patient received vaccine. Because of the adjuvants may not be selective, reaction to both vaccine and live virus is enhanced causing adverse reaction.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to nickm001]

No - there are people who have had CP who didn't develop resistance even in the short term. And the massive discussion about flu vaccines recently included people who had problems with the flu vaccine with adjuvant s having had none before. The flu vaccine for adults is not live.

[Purplecrow]

The argument holds no interest for me.. The shots were advised...by qualified professionals., whose opinions I respect.

[Hidden in reply to Purplecrow]

I think that if you have suffered such an illness it makes you more open to stopping it again if at all possible. I have had flu twice...a gastric one 30yrs ago and the swine flu that year it was popular. I will always have the flu jab. I had a pneumonia jab in 2001 that they said would last 10years, then when I asked in 2011 they said it was "lifetime" version. I will be checking again. Living alone makes it more vital I take steps to at least try to stop these horrid pair.

[Longtimer in reply to Hidden]

Yes, I agree, having had both...but they sure as hell don`t help us by giving conflicting messages about the jabs...we can probe for answers, some people can`t and just go ahead with things....not right.....

[Purplecrow]

Hi all responders...this spirited discussion has provided food for thought...as intended...

💜🙏🏽💜