Pneumococcal vaccination

[jen_slc]

I'd like to get an idea of how many of you have gotten this vaccine, for both personal and professional reasons. It's the vaccine to prevent Streptococcus pneumoniae infection, commonly called the pneumonia vaccine. Brandnames are Pneumovax, Pnu-Immune and Prevnar (for the kiddies) if that jogs your memory. It's not a mandatory vaccination, but it's one of the recommended ones for certain age groups (65+) and immunocompromised individuals such as ourselves. It causes middle ear infections, pneumonia, bloodstream infections, sinus infections and meningitis.

I personally haven't ever gotten it, mostly because it's not very visible, I've never known much about it and I didn't think pneumococcal disease was a true/real threat to me. So, who has gotten one? And who recommended it to you (primary care doc, endocrinologist, other specialist)?

[Funnygrl]

My primary care doctor gave it to me, but I had to practically beg for it. I have GERD, which puts me at risk for pneumonia, diabetes, and asthma. And I work in healthcare. If there was ever a person who should get it, that's me.

[camjen1]

I still regret not getting it because I went through two bouts of pneumonia in a 4 month span. I to suffer from asthma but I don't fathom the idea of injecting anything else into me except for insulin and my yearly flu vaccine which is mandatory.

[Funnygrl]

I still regret not getting it because I went through two bouts of pneumonia in a 4 month span. I to suffer from asthma but I don't fathom the idea of injecting anything else into me except for insulin and my yearly flu vaccine which is mandatory.
Yikes! That sounds horrible.

[camjen1]

Believe me when I say pneumonia was only a piece of the puzzle this past season. I have never been as sick as I was over the Winter months.

But I'm happy to say if I should ever fall ill in the next few months to a year I have a cabinet full of prescription meds that would ease every possible ailment. :D

[Funnygrl]

Believe me when I say pneumonia was only a piece of the puzzle this past season. I have never been as sick as I was over the Winter months.

But I'm happy to say if I should ever fall ill in the next few months to a year I have a cabinet full of prescription meds that would ease every possible ailment. :D
Good deal! Everybody needs their own personal pharmacopia.

[princesslinda]

I got my first pneumonia vaccine in '06, shortly after my diagnosis. My physician said I should have another shot in 5 years, as i'm under 65 it may not hold me my entire life. I work in a physician's office, so i'm exposed to a lot of germs as well, so I had no problem with taking it. Other than a sore arm, I had no symptoms that I was aware of...unlike with the flu shot, which often makes me have cold/flu symptoms. I've had a flu shot for the past 20 years, ever since starting work in healthcare.

[nneighbour]

In the past few years my provincial government has really been promoting the vaccine. I requested it when I went to an emergency clinic for a yeast infection, which eventually lead to my diagnosis as a diabetic.

If it can help, why not?

[kgm0612]

My PCP highly recommended the pneumonia shot back in 03', the year I was dx'd. I also get a flu shot every October.

Karen

[Injecto]

I said yes because of my Endo and CDE, but also my main doctor agreed it was very good.

[KritterMom]

I get one every year. A few years ago I didn't get one because it was in short supply, and I got very, very sick with the flu. From now on, every single year I will get one.

[buzzborne]

I had it about 3years ago - I went to go and have my flu jab - and they offered it to me then so i said yes - they said you might as well have it.. but no recommendation or anything.

[DeusXM]

Same as Buzzborne - was at the doc's for a routine appointment and they asked whether I wanted it because they had a load lying around and I was an 'at risk' group anyway. Had a sore arm for a couple of days and that's about it.

[blacklightmike]

Got one on the way out of the hospital in February... literally, bags in hand, walking out, rolling up my sleeve. The most painful injection I've ever felt... it really lingers.

[slipperyelm]

I had a pneumonia vaccine so long ago that I'm probably due for another. It was 2 or 3 years later that my MD's nurse offered it, but I had gotten it of my own volition at the city health department--convenient walk-in, no appointment necessary.

[jen_slc]

Thanks for the responses so far.

Funnygrl, GERD, asthma (surprisingly!) and working in healthcare don't qualify you for the vaccine, but being diabetic does, so I wonder why you had to fight for it?

I know many people who do not fit into the qualifying groups and fight to get it (and then docs "make up" some qualifying diagnosis to get it paid for).

I'm just curious what the vaccination rate looks like in diabetics, since I investigate invasive pneumoccocal disease (infection in the blood, CSF, lungs) and, not surprisingly, diabetes is a common morbidity among cases. I know that this forum population is a biased population, that we are proactive in our health, so I'm wondering if it's the diabetics who don't see a regular doctor/endo, who may possibly be uncontrolled, and who therefore don't know they should be vaccinated, that end up with invasive pneumococcal disease. Or if it includes the more proactive diabetics, and presumably in better control, who just decide not to get vaccinated.

I'd really like to know why people are not getting vaccinated too, when they qualify for the vaccine. Is it because a) they don't know the vaccine exists? b) doctor hasn't recommended it? c) can't afford it but know they should? d) don't perceive pneumoccoccal disease as a real threat?

[Dewey]

I voted no, even though both the flu & pneumonia vaccinations were offered to me. I have my views on them, but do not wish to start an "opinion war."

[Lloyd]

I'd like to get an idea of how many of you have gotten this vaccine, for both personal and professional reasons.


I got the vaccine right after I was Dx'ed, 13 years ago. I had 2 previous bouts of "walking pneumonia" so it it's important to me.

No pneumonia since.

-Lloyd

[BriOnH]

It's so weird to me how Streptococcus and Escherichia coli have strains that could kill us and others that keep us alive.

[condensr]

Never gotten either a pneumonia or flu vaccine..

[Petruchio]

Not sure how to answer this. When I was in the Military, I was in a unit tasked for worldwide deployment on short notice. So, I was vaccinated for everything. Each month I got 3 or 4 shots, year round. If there was a pneumonia vaccine back then, I got it. But I don't know how long those shots last.

Needless to say, now that I am out, I get as few as possible.

[jen_slc]

It's so weird to me how Streptococcus and Escherichia coli have strains that could kill us and others that keep us alive.I know. They are such fascinating little buggers, I think!

Not sure how to answer this. When I was in the Military, I was in a unit tasked for worldwide deployment on short notice. So, I was vaccinated for everything. Each month I got 3 or 4 shots, year round. If there was a pneumonia vaccine back then, I got it. But I don't know how long those shots last.

Needless to say, now that I am out, I get as few as possible.The current version of the adult pneumo vaccine was licensed in 1983, but a different version was available in 1977, I believe. They last ~5-10 years. In reference to the adult vaccine, those aged 65+ who got their 1st pneumo vaccine before age 65 are recommended to get a second one if it's been more than 5 years since the 1st one; also, 2 doses are recommended for severely compromised individuals (cancer, HIV/AIDS, renal failure, organ transplant, no spleen, etc), usually 5 years apart. So for any of us under 65 who has already gotten one, or will get one in the future, we might face another recommendation for dose #2 once we hit age 65.

But after being stabbed all those times in the military, I don't blame you for not wanting any more! :D

[duck]

I've had mine, and I am pretty anti-vaccine as many of you know. This one was a little more appropriate, in my mind, since it addressed a specific type of pneumonia that they can track, etc.; Whereas the flu vaccine to me is like a shot in the dark.

[grace girl]

Never had it, never been offered it, either. I've never taken a flu shot because it's egg based and I've been told repeatedly by doc's over the years that I shouldn't take it because I was allergic to eggs as a child. I'm personally not all that big on vaccines anyway...I'd have to know a WHOLE lot more about it before I would even remotely consider it.
My mom, however, had one this year. She has pretty bad asthma, and she had a bout with pneumonia last winter that took two months to totally clear up. Not a good risk for her.
She's had no problems with it, didn't get sick this winter, and knowing her, she'll be first in line whenever she needs another one. She doesn't "officially" have D, though they've got her taking metaphormine (sp?) because without it her fasting is around 200. But that's a whole 'nother story, don't even get me started!

[notme]

I had it offered by my family physician and took it for the first time right after diagnosis. I have had it a couple of times since then when recommended by my endo.

[Funnygrl]

Funnygrl, GERD, asthma (surprisingly!) and working in healthcare don't qualify you for the vaccine, but being diabetic does, so I wonder why you had to fight for it?


I've had bronchitis many time, related to my ashtma, and my GERD, and was told that the pneumonia shot may help it. I've also been told that GERD and being on a PPI puts you at a hugely increased risk for pneumonia as the PPI kills off hydrochloric acid production in the stomach, which is normally relied on to kill of bacteria that may cause pneumonia. That being said, I imagine the vaccine works against viral strains? I pretty much wanted to cut my chances at respiratory ailments any way I could, because I already have enough of those to deal with.

[Penny]

My Diabetic Advantage counselor kept bugging me to have the pneumococcal vaccine. I finally talked to my Doctor about it and he agreed I should have it. Did not hurt as much as the flu shot. It hurt when I found out our insurance only covers them if you are 65 or older. I was told I will need another in 5 years, I will be old enough to have it paid for then.:)

[barbarac]

That is another whole thing. They say "get the flu shot", then my GP or Endo neither were giving it. So I had a choice of Kroger (grocery store) or health dept. Went to health dept because I could get it sooner. My insurance is suppose to pay for it once a year, but since it was a non-preferred provider they wouldn't. Had I been able to get it at the Dr. it would have. Why do Dr.'s offices not get the vaccine anymore. I had to stand in the long lines at groceries, etc. Plus I feel better about getting shots at the Dr. office. I don't know these people injecting me--silly huh?

[JasonJayhawk]

barbara,
I was confused--for the last two years, they claimed "no supply issues" -- and yet, the supply was horded by companies that wanted to give the injections in grocery stores for $20 each. Not fair, really.

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Does anyone know the length of time that the Pneumoncoccal vaccination lasts after getting it? I see that it's part of the CDC's 2007 vaccination schedule for infants/children, so I'm curious if it's going to be more of a standard, and if it's just being "reserved" for certain populations.

[sofaraway]

When I went for my flu vaccine they were giving it at the same time to the over 65's, but they said that i didn't need it. maybe next year when i get my flu jab i'll ask again about it

[jen_slc]

That being said, I imagine the vaccine works against viral strains? I pretty much wanted to cut my chances at respiratory ailments any way I could, because I already have enough of those to deal with.Nope, the pneumo vaccine is not effective against viral pneumonia. Sometimes it's difficult to tease apart the different pneumonias because viral pneumonia can predispose you to bacterial pneumonia. So the pneumo vaccine won't help you at all with viral pneumonia but may prevent any subsequent bacterial pneumonia specifically caused by S. pneumoniae.

Plus, the pneumo vaccine is only effective against the Strep pneumoniae bacterium, not other bacteria that can cause pneumonia (of which there are plenty). There are >90 different strains of the S. pneumoniae microorganism that can cause disease; the adult vaccine, PPV, contains 23 of the most common strains and the child vaccine, PCV, contains 7 of the most common strains affecting children.

Does anyone know the length of time that the Pneumoncoccal vaccination lasts after getting it? I see that it's part of the CDC's 2007 vaccination schedule for infants/children, so I'm curious if it's going to be more of a standard, and if it's just being "reserved" for certain populations.~5-10 years. I believe the current recommendation is if you get one before age 65, you should probably get a second one once you hit 65, as long as it's been at least 5 years. But for severely immunocompromised individuals (cancer, no spleen, etc), 2 doses are recommended, 5 years apart no matter what age (though not sure about the range for children).

It is part of CDC's recommended immunization schedule for children in high-risk groups, but it is not mandatory, just like how it is for the rest of the population. At this point in time, I do not see it becoming mandatory because its use in the targeted high-risk populations is highly underused; so why try to introduce it to the general population if the high-risk populations aren't getting it?

[Funnygrl]

Jen, I wish you could have taken my mico final for me.