Does The Pneumonia Shot Have Side Effects

Side Effects Requiring Immediate Medical Attention

Along with its needed effects, pneumococcal 13-valent vaccine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking pneumococcal 13-valent vaccine:

More common

• skin itching, rash, or redness
• sneezing
• swelling of the face, throat, or tongue
• tightness in the chest

• blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
• bloody or cloudy urine
• difficult, burning, or painful urination
• dilated neck veins
• large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
• lightheadedness
• lower back or side pain
• muscle aches and pains
• puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
• rapid, shallow breathing
• sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips
• sweating
• swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs
• swollen, painful, or tender lymph glands in the neck, armpit, or groin
• trouble sleeping
• weight gain

Who Should Not Get The Vaccine

People should not get the vaccine if they have had a life threatening allergic reaction to a previous dose.

Additionally, a person should not undergo vaccination if they have had an allergic reaction to medication containing diphtheria toxoid or an earlier form of the pneumonia vaccination .

Lastly, people who are sick or have allergic reactions to any of the ingredients of the vaccine should talk to a doctor before getting the shot.

A pneumonia shot will not reduce pneumonia. However, it helps prevent invasive pneumococcal diseases, such as meningitis, endocarditis, empyema, and bacteremia, which is when bacteria enter the bloodstream.

Noninvasive pneumococcal disease includes sinusitis.

There are two types of pneumonia shots available. Which type a person gets depends on their age, whether or not they smoke, and the presence of any underlying medical conditions.

The two types are:

• Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine : Healthcare providers recommend this vaccine for young children, people with certain underlying conditions, and some people over the age of 65 years.
• Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine : Healthcare providers recommend this vaccine for anyone over 65 years of age, people with certain underlying conditions, and people who smoke.

According to the

• roughly 8 in 10 babies from invasive pneumococcal disease
• 45 in 100 adults 65 years or older against pneumococcal pneumonia
• 75 in 100 adults 65 years or older against invasive pneumococcal disease

Vaccine Side Effects & Injury Lawyers

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a vaccine side effect, you should contact a vaccine lawyer with experience in this type of complex litigation.

We have recently partnered with Schmidt & Clark, LLP a Nationally recognized law firm who handles vaccine lawsuits in all 50 states.

The lawyers at the firm offer a Free Confidential Case Evaluation and may be able to obtain financial compensation for you or a loved one by filing a vaccine lawsuit or claim with The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Contact Schmidt & Clark today by using the form below or by calling them directly at .

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Are There Any Other Precautions Or Warnings For This Medication

Before you begin using a medication, be sure to inform your doctor of any medical conditions or allergies you may have, any medications you are taking, whether you are pregnant or breast-feeding, and any other significant facts about your health. These factors may affect how you should use this medication.

Heart and lung disease: If you have severely compromised heart and lung function, discuss with your doctor how this medication may affect your medical condition, how your medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of this medication, and whether any special monitoring is needed.

Immunization record: Make sure any new doctors know that you have had this vaccination so that they can put this information in your immunization record.

Infection and fever: If you have an infection or fever, your doctor may recommend that you wait until you are better before receiving the pneumococcal vaccine.

Vaccine protection: As with any vaccine, this vaccine may not protect 100% of the people who receive it.

Pregnancy: This vaccine should not be used during pregnancy unless the benefits outweigh the risks. If you become pregnant around the time you are scheduled to have this vaccine, contact your doctor immediately.

Breast-feeding: It is not known if this vaccine passes into breast milk. If you are a breast-feeding mother and have this vaccine, it may affect your baby. Talk to your doctor about whether you should continue breast-feeding.

What Are The Side Effects

Vaccines are very safe. It is much safer to get the vaccine than to get pneumococcal disease.

Many people have no side effects from the vaccines. For those that do, side effects are usually mild and last 1 to 2 days . Serious side effects are very rare.

It is important to stay in the clinic for 15 minutes after getting any vaccine because there is a very rare possibility, between one in 100,000 and one in a million, of a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. This may include hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the throat, tongue or lips. Should this reaction occur, your health care provider is prepared to treat it. Emergency treatment includes injection of epinephrine and transfer by ambulance to the nearest emergency department. If symptoms develop after you leave the clinic, call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

It is important to always report serious or unexpected reactions to your immunizing health care provider.

Also Check: Symptoms Of Pneumonia In Adults Over 65

What Are The Possible Side Effects Of Pneumococcal Immunisation

All medicines and vaccines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time theyre not.

For most people, the chance of having a serious side effect from a vaccine is much lower than the chance of serious harm if you caught the disease.

Talk to your doctor about possible side effects of pneumococcal vaccines, or if you or your child have symptoms after having a pneumococcal vaccine that worry you.

Common side effects of pneumococcal vaccines include:

• pain, redness and swelling where the needle went in
• fever
• reduced appetite
• body aches.

What Side Effects Are Possible With This Medication

Many medications can cause side effects. A side effect is an unwanted response to a medication when it is taken in normal doses. Side effects can be mild or severe, temporary or permanent.

The side effects listed below are not experienced by everyone who takes this medication. If you are concerned about side effects, discuss the risks and benefits of this medication with your doctor.

The following side effects have been reported by at least 1% of people taking this medication. Many of these side effects can be managed, and some may go away on their own over time.

Contact your doctor if you experience these side effects and they are severe or bothersome. Your pharmacist may be able to advise you on managing side effects.

• reaction at place of injection such as redness, soreness, hard lump, swelling, pain
• mild fever

Although most of the side effects listed below don’t happen very often, they could lead to serious problems if you do not seek medical attention.

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

• aches or pain in joints or muscles
• altered skin sensation
• headache
• high fever or chills
• skin rash

Seek immediate medical attention if any of the following occur:

• signs of a serious allergic reaction such as:
• difficulty in breathing or swallowing
• hives
• itching, especially of feet or hands
• reddening of skin, especially around the ears
• swelling of eyes, face, or inside of nose
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• seizures

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Things To Know About The Pneumococcal Vaccine

The pneumococcal vaccine is important for people 65 and older HealthPartners geriatric medicine specialist Dr. von Sternberg explains why.

Theres been a lot of talk lately about vaccines, their safety and whether they really work. One vaccine I always recommend for my older patients is the pneumococcal vaccine. I recently got mine and feel much safer as a result.

Does The Pneumonia Shot Have Side Effects

The pneumonia shot is a vaccination given to prevent illness caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, also known as pneumococcus. Infection with this bacteria can cause serious problems, including pneumonia, blood infection or meningitis — infection of the coverings surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.

Two forms of pneumococcal vaccines, PCV13 and PPSV23 , are available and used in specific circumstances. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends pneumococcal vaccination for all children younger than 2 years of age, all adults 65 years and older and people between these ages who smoke or have certain medical conditions 56. Although generally very safe, pneumonia shots may produce side effects, which are usually mild and transient.

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How Should I Use This Medication

Pneumococcal vaccine will be injected either under the skin or into a muscle by a qualified health professional. It usually needs to be given only once in a lifetime. Although routine revaccination is not recommended, people at highest risk of serious pneumococcal infection may need revaccination. Revaccination is given 5 years later for people who received their first dose of pneumococcal vaccine when they were older than 10 years of age, and 3 years later for people who received their first dose at age 10 or younger. People over the age of 65 who have not received a dose of this vaccine within 5 years, should receive another dose of the vaccine.

Many things can affect the dose of medication that a person needs, such as body weight, other medical conditions, and other medications. Your doctor may recommend a different dose than the ones listed here.

It is important this vaccine be given exactly as recommended by your doctor. If you miss an appointment to receive the pneumococcal vaccine, contact your doctor as soon as possible to reschedule your appointment.

Refrigerate the vaccine until use. It must not freeze or it will have to be discarded.

Do not dispose of medications in wastewater or in household garbage. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medications that are no longer needed or have expired.

Does Pneumovax 23 Cause Side Effects

Pneumovax 23 is an immunization used to prevent pneumonia. This pneumococcal vaccine contains chemicals extracted from 23 types of Streptococcuspneumonia bacteria.

Upon injecting pneumococcal vaccine, the body recognizes these chemical as foreign and produces antibodies to destroy the chemicals. Antibodies are blood protein that help the body fight infection and destroy other harmful substances.

Once produced, these antibodies destroy injected Streptococcuspneumonia chemicals but the antibodies remain active in the body and can detect the same chemicals from live Streptococcus pneumonia in the future. If a vaccinated person comes in contact with Streptococcus pneumonia the antibodies will destroy the bacteria and prevent pneumonia or reduce its severity.

Pneumovax 23 should not be confused with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine used in special conditions because often in the medical literature the non-specific term “pneumococcal vaccine” is used.

Common side effects of Pneumovax 23 include

• injection site reactions ,
• weakness.

Serious side effects of Pneumovax 23 include severe allergic reactions.

Drug interactions of Pneumovax 23 include zoster vaccine live administered at the same time. When they are given concurrently, Pneumovax 23 reduces the response of zoster vaccine compared to those who received both vaccines 4 weeks apart.

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Who Should Get Pneumococcal Vaccines

CDC recommends pneumococcal vaccination for all children younger than 2 years old and all adults 65 years or older. In certain situations, older children and other adults should also get pneumococcal vaccines. Below is more information about who should and should not get each type of pneumococcal vaccine.

Talk to your or your childs doctor about what is best for your specific situation.

What Are The Symptoms Of Pneumonia

The signs and symptoms of pneumonia can range from mild to severe. The symptoms depend on the type of germ that caused the infection, your age and overall health. Mild signs and symptoms of pneumonia are often similar the symptoms of a cold or flu, but the effects of pneumonia last longer.

Signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include:

• Chest pain when you breathe or cough
• Confusion or changes in mental awareness
• Cough, which may produce phlegm
• Fatigue
• Fever, sweating and shaking chills
• Lower-than-normal body temperature
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
• Shortness of breath

Newborns and infants may not show any sign or symptoms of the infection. However, they may vomit, have a fever, cough, be restless or tired, or have difficulty breathing and eating.

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Two Types Of Pneumonia Vaccine

There are two different types of pneumococcal vaccine:

• pneumococcal conjugate vaccine this is given to all children under two years old as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme. It’s known by the brand name Prevenar 13.
• pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine this is given to people aged 65 and over, and to people at high risk due to long term health conditions

More than 90 different strains of the pneumococcal bacterium have been identified, though only between eight and 10 of them cause the most serious infections.

The childhood vaccine protects against 13 strains of the pneumococcal bacterium, while the adult vaccine protects against 23 strains.

The pneumococcal vaccine is thought to be around 50 to 70% effective at preventing pneumococcal disease.

People Who Received Moderna Vax Had More Side Effects

Researchers of this study say that a greater percentage of participants who received the Moderna vaccine, compared with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, reported reactogenicity this pattern was more pronounced after the second dose. Reactogenicity refers to a subset of reactions that occur soon after vaccination. People who got a Moderna shot were more likely to have a side effect — 73 per cent had an injection site reaction, compared with 65 per cent of people who had a Pfizer/BioNTech dose.

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Who Shouldnt Have The Pneumonia Vaccine

Theres a long list of people who should have the pneumonia vaccine. Even if youre not on the list you may want to get the vaccine. Speak to a pharmacist in your local store today for more advice.

There are also some people who should avoid it:

• If youve previously had a severe allergic reaction to the pneumonia vaccine or any ingredients it contains, you probably wont be able to get the jab.
• If you have a fever and youre feeling unwell youll probably need to delay your vaccine appointment until youve recovered.
• If youre pregnant, you may want to wait to receive your vaccine until youve had your baby. The vaccine is generally thought to be safe for pregnant women, but there may still be a small risk for you and your baby until youve given birth.

Per Cent Moderna 2nd Dose Recipients Exhibited Full Body Symptoms

Nearly 51 per cent of Moderna recipients had full-body symptoms, compared with 48 per cent of people who got the Pfizer/BioNTech shot. The gap widened after the second dose. Almost 82 per cent of people getting their second Moderna shot had injection site pain versus just under 69 per cent of people with Pfizer/BioNTech. Overall, 74 per cent of people said they had general reactions after their Moderna shot, compared with 64 per cent of people getting Pfizer/BioNTech.

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Signs Of A More Serious Reaction

“A very small percentage of people can have a true allergic reaction to the vaccine, including chest tightness, difficulty breathing, wheezing, facial or throat swelling and redness of the eyes,” Teague says. If you experience these symptoms, you should seek medical attention immediately. Teague says severe allergic reactions usually happen within a few hours of getting the flu shot.

Signs of a severe allergic reaction, according to the CDC, can include:

• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling around the eyes or lips
• Hives
• Weakness
• A fast heartbeat or dizziness

Another possible reaction is an infection where the shot was administered. “Patients can also develop an infection at the injection site, which is manifested as worsening redness, swelling, warmth and tenderness,” Teague says. You should also seek immediate medical attention for this type of reaction.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

Who Should Get The Vaccine

People over age 65. As you age, your immune system doesnât work as well as it once did. Youâre more likely to have trouble fighting off a pneumonia infection. All adults over age 65 should get the vaccine.

Those with weakened immune systems. Many diseases can cause your immune system to weaken, so itâs less able to fight off bugs like pneumonia.

If you have heart disease, diabetes, emphysema, asthma, or COPD , youâre more likely to have a weakened immune system, which makes you more likely to get pneumonia.

The same goes for people who receive chemotherapy, people who have had organ transplants, and people with HIV or AIDS.

People who smoke. If youâve smoked for a long time, you could have damage to the small hairs that line the insides of your lungs and help filter out germs. When theyâre damaged, they arenât as good at stopping those bad germs.

Heavy drinkers. If you drink too much alcohol, you may have a weakened immune system. Your white blood cells donât work as well as they do for people with a healthy immune system.

People getting over surgery or a severe illness. If you were in the hospital ICU and needed help breathing with a ventilator, youâre at risk of getting pneumonia. The same is true if youâve just had major surgery or if youâre healing from a serious injury. When your immune system is weak because of illness or injury or because itâs helping you get better from surgery, you canât fight off germs as well as you normally can.

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