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Reaction to Pneumococcal vaccine when given with Flu vaccine

Posted , 12 users are following.

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Guest

I too had a fairly violent reaction to this injection which was given on Saturday 6 November 2010 in the same upper arm and at the same time as my flu vaccination.

Symptoms came on about 5-6 hours after the injections and included aching in all joints (particularly the fingers) general feeling of nausea and retching (only bile came up) very dry feverishness switching from feeling hot to very cold about every half-hour and thumping headache.

This continued overnight - showers / sponging down did nothing to ease the feverishness - and I didn't get much sleep. Symptoms eased gradually over the next couple of days and were completely gone within a week.

My GP reassured me that this was my body's natural defences showing that they worked!

3 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • micmc47
    micmc47 Guest

    Posted

    I had the flu and pneumococcal injections 3 days ago, (in opposite arms) and my reaction has been virtually a carbon copy of yours. The worst side effect by far has been the dry retching, which had me out of bed 3 times over the first night. On day 3 that has now fortunately passed, but I am still left with a very sore arm (which I literally cannot lie on), a general feeling of malaise, and recurring mild fever (37.9).  I am  am  a male aged  67 years, so appreciate that this inoculation has significant protective health benefits, but if I had known I was going to feel like this I think I might have chosen not to have it.
  • jennifer18656
    jennifer18656 Guest

    Posted

    I had the pneumococcal vaccination plus flu jab 5 days and am still feeling unwell. Synptoms started within 8 hours and I had mild fever shivering, nausea and diarrhoea. After five days I am left with nausea and upset stomach and a general feeling of malaise. Please could someone tell me that this will pass soon. I had the jab a few weeks after pretty major cancer surgery and a post-op wound infection and two courses of antibiotics. With hindsight I don't think I should have had this jab at this time, but I did assume, perhaps wrongly, that the nurse would have looked at my records first! Wish I had never had it!
  • jackie57069
    jackie57069 Guest

    Posted

    Really sorry you've all had such bad reactions and hope you all feel better soon. Just wanted to say that these reactions are rare - the vast majority of people feel nothing but an achey arm and maybe mild flu-like symptoms for 24-48 hours. It is a 'dead' vaccine so cannot give you pneumonia. It's also a very good vaccine to have and as it gives lifelong protection at least you wont have to have it again. Side effects can be lessened by having it at a different time to the flu jab - pneumonia vaccine is available all year round from your practice nurse to those over 65 and those younger in certain clinical risk groups such as asthma and diabetes.
  • jennifer18656
    jennifer18656 Guest

    Posted

    Thank you for that response and, yes, I am now feeling better. I started to improve 12 days following the vaccination, which was a relief. I do feel it was the wrong time to have had it, as my immune system was struggling following surgery and infection. However, as you say, it is a once only vaccination, so now I am protected as far as it is possible.
  • stephen16672
    stephen16672 Guest

    Edited

    I have had the same symptoms as yourself.

    I had the flu and pneumonia in one arm and my hepatitis a+b combined in the other arm.(pin cushion).

    I have all the symptoms that seems the norm.

    I feel like i have been rolled down a hill and at the bottom been used as a football.

    Not nice!

  • david591
    david591 Guest

    Edited

    I wish I'd seen this discussion before having my flu+pneumonia jab. I've never had a flu or pneumonia jab before but it seemed a good idea. 44 hours later my arm still feels like it's been hit with a jousting lance, legs and head ache like hell and had a second night of fever.

    I wish I'd known that this reaction was fairly common. I was told "you might feel a little under the weather for a couple of days" - that really doesn't describe how I feel. My aching and fever feel similar to real flu but I've no nasal/bronchial problems.

    If you get this buy-one-get-one-free jab offer you might like to have them at separate times!

    • david591
      david591

      Posted

      Day 3 : no fever last night. Feel washed out today but improving. Arm is swollen, red and very hot between elbow and shoulder but not as painful today. Hoping day 4 will start to feel proper recovery.
    • david591
      david591

      Posted

      Day 4 it became clear that my arm had cellulitis (bacterial infection of the skin or just below). It is hot and red and spreading about 1.5 inches a day so today, Day 6, it has reached a few inches below my elbow (photo from Day 5). Seen my GP and I’m on antibiotics now. Cellulitis can become serious and life threatening if not stopped so will need managing apparently. 

      It seems I’ve received a bacterial infection from the jab but that was all sterile and a plaster was on for hours after. I have Coeliac disease and borderline anaemia so my immune system isn’t great but that’s why I was offered the jabs...hmm!

    • david591
      david591

      Posted

      After antibiotics started on Day 6 things started to improve. Day 12 there's nothing to see now although upper arm is itchy, skin isn't flaking but feels 'scraped'. Generally feeling very lacking in energy although improving day by day.

      GP advises to have flu jab again next year which I think I'll do but wouldn't recommend having flu and pneumonia jabs at the same time to anyone.

    • linda21751
      linda21751 david591

      Edited

      I had flu and pneumonia shots in the same arm 2 days ago. I had a horrible reaction... much like yours, David. Within an hour, my arm started to get hives, then within 2 more hours, my arm became red, swollen and hard as a rock. Went to the ER only to hear that this was not an infection and that I needed to give it time. It is day 3... it is better but still sore. Advice: never get these shots on the same day and in the same arm.
    • becky69303
      becky69303 david591

      Posted

      David, I had the same reaction as you. Everyone has told me what happened couldn't have been caused by those shots.

      I had the pneumonia and flu shot in the same arm in 2014 in the same arm. Nothing in the other arm. Immediately after I went into a nursing home for fractured ankle rehab. I developed a very hot large swelling in my arm within 24 hours. Within 72 hours, it was obvious I had cellulitis and I developed a high fever and high blood pressure. So the nursing homes doctor sent me to the ER where they did blood cultures. The blood culture came back positive for Strep and J was diagnosed with sepsis. I ended up on IV antibiotics for 7 days followed by oral antibiotics

      I knew I was allergic to thimerosol in topical products and answered yes to that question which meant they should have given the single dose vial instead of the multi-dose vial flu shot. But I found out after my reaction that the multi dose vial dose was given to me. I always blamed my reaction on Thimerisol.

      i am sure the nurse knew she did something wrong because her documentation says she gave the pneumonia shot intramuscular in my arm and the flu shot subdermal in my stomach. Flu shots are not given subdermal and not done in the abdomen. The hospital claims she clicked the wrong box.

  • stephen16672
    stephen16672 Guest

    Posted

    I know how you feel i was drained for many days after and an arm ach for at least a week.
  • penelope60077
    penelope60077 Guest

    Edited

    I too had both shots, one in each shoulder. This was yesterday, it is now 3 am. and not only are both arms too sore to lift or move much but my entire body is hurting. All my major joints and even areas near to them are affected.

    Almost everything I've read about side affects mentions occasional pain at the injection site but only here on this forum have heard of pain elsewhere in the body. It seems that we are all 'special' !Sigh.

  • k75030
    k75030 Guest

    Posted

    Similar to other people here, i had my flu and pnuemonia vaccine on Friday 16.10.20 and within 5-6hrs i was really poorly with shakes shivers body aches and nausea and a temprature of 39.1 this was bought down to around 38.8 with paracetamol. its ongoing as i write, my arm is very very painfull and i'm hoping this all passes quickly with no longer term effects. i really need to get back to work and wss feeling much better yesterday but woke this morning feeling pretty wretched again.

  • joshuapryce1987
    joshuapryce1987 Guest

    Posted

    Weird for a doctor to say that, I think it means that either the dosage was too high or a bad prescribed medication through injections. Injections work better than tablets, but they also are more likely to bring about side effects.

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