Pneumonia vaccine

 

 

 

Should you get the pneumonia vaccine (Pneumovax 23) if you have asthma?

 

According to Drugs.com, people ages 2-65 should get the vaccine if they are risk of developing pneumonia because of another disease (such as asthma, diabetes, lung disease or heart disease, alcoholism, liver or kidney disease.)

You should only get the pneumonia vaccine once. 

 

In special circumstances, they may give it again, but there is more of a possibility of more serious and frequent side effects. To read their advice, click here.

Son #2 had the vaccine when he was younger because he had already been hospitalized several times with pneumonia. His doctor recommended the vaccine, so my son had that vaccine. 

 

A couple of months later, he wound up in the hospital (again) - with pneumonia! I was shocked! 

 

The nurse in the Pediatrics unit said "Well, it doesn't work on all strains of pneumonia and it doesn't work on all people." 

 

Just our luck.

I think if you have asthma, it may be worth getting the vaccine. 

 

Since I have asthma, I decided to get the vaccine. My daughter Kitty also has asthma and was hospitalized several times with pneumonia, so we decided it would be helpful to try to prevent pneumonia next time, and she also received the vaccine. 

 

We need all the help we can get since our lungs can often become inflamed and irritated. What is a cold to normal people often turns into pneumonia for us.

Check with your doctor to see what he recommends. After you (or your kids) get your pneumonia shot, take yourself (or your kids) out for a treat! 

 

Chocolate makes everything feel better!