Can you get a flu shot and pneumonia shot at the same time?
I've been really sick for months, but I got well (temporarily, probably) three days ago, which is exactly how long you must be without a fever before you can get an effective flu shot. Well, the doctor said, "Let's sneak in these shots now before you get sick again." He gave me both the flu AND the pneumonia shot.
When I got home, my mom said that when she got the flu shot, she was told by her doctor to WAIT two weeks before getting the pneumonia shot.
WILL IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
2010-11-30T23:04:10Z
MAN I hope you're wrong. The doctor said it would BOOST my immune system! I can't stop getting sick!
2010-12-02T06:22:56Z
I've had a "cold" that won't really go away. I get well, then I'm sick again. Like, I went 2 days ago now, feeling fine finally, and today I woke up with a new sore throat! I've tried disinfecting house, but no one's sick but me!
Anonymous2010-12-01T10:34:41Z
Favorite Answer
There's no big harm in doing two at once. The issue is that a vaccine TAXES your immune system. This is because the purpose of the vaccine is to put dead viruses into your body in order to force your immune system to make antibodies. Then, the antibodies are in your system for years, and this is what keeps you from catching that disease.
The reason they don't give you vaccines when you're sick is that all your immune system's resources are busy making antibodies for the REAL disease you're sick from. The doctor doesn't want to give it the extra task of making antibodies for the harmless vaccine.
Some doctors like to space out vaccines so that your immune system doesn't need to make antibodies for two vaccines at once. Also, it makes things easier to track if you have a rare bad reaction to one of the vaccines.
However, some vaccines are traditionally grouped together. There's a shot for 5 diseases at once! I think that vaccines for some diseases are more taxing to the system than those for other diseases.
Even though you've been catching a lot of illnesses in the last few months, you're probably otherwise healthy, with a strong immune system that's capable of eventually fighting off all the gems that invade it. The doctor probably judged that even though the vaccines will tax your immune system some, it will still be strong enough to fight off the next disease that enters your body.
RE: Can you get a flu shot and pneumonia shot at the same time? I've been really sick for months, but I got well (temporarily, probably) three days ago, which is exactly how long you must be without a fever before you can get an effective flu shot. Well, the doctor said, "Let's sneak in these shots now before you get sick again." He gave me...
I've got the flue shot and pneumonia shot and the meningitis shot all at once and I did just fine. I don't have a spleen and was told these shots are necessary.
I had a flu shot last year & pneumonia shot.Then after my arm swell up could not move my arm was very sore and swollow.I was told can't have it anymore.So what do I do? I have copd in and out of hospital.