I'm getting my second shingrix shot tomorrow and then will schedule my pneumonia shot.

I got my second shingrix on Tuesday. I will go in for my flu shot next week. Should I get a pneumonia shot yearly?

Happy, it is not necessary to get the pneumonia shot yearly. If over 65, you can get Prevnar 13 in two consecutive years, and that's the end of the vaccinations for your life.

If younger, there are other vaccination strains that your doctor will recommend and keep track of.

Yay! Just be prepared for a sore arm for a couple of days with the Prevnar. At least mine was. No other ill effects.

I figure that nothing can be much worse than my reaction to the second dose of Shingrix was. I'm prepared for anything, lol.

I've never had a flu shot or any of the others (I just turned 56). Something is telling me this year should be the year I get a flu shot. I'll probably drop by one of the pharmacies soon.

I got my flu shot last week. Stopped by Ingles grocery, filled out a short form at the pharmacy, got my shot and 200 gas points on my reward card.

rhizo - I've heard that about the shingrix so I'm getting it at a time when I have a couple of less busy days ahead of me. I didn't react at all to the first one so we'll see.

Thank you for telling me about Prevnar 13. I will ask my doctor about it.

I had flu like aches and pains and could not get warm yesterday- one day after the 2nd Shingrix. I was fine all day today but arm at the site of the shot is hurting a bit this evening. Overall, not much to go through compared to the pain associated with Shingles.

bifenton, my husband had no reaction to his second dose, so just remember that everyone is different. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you and everyone regarding your vaccination reactions.

aok....my doctor had pretty grim reports about this year's flu season; last year was awful and it's looking like it might be worse this year. Please get your shot and give yourself a better edge in defense.

If you are 65 and on Medicare, it's free. Seniors are recommended to get the stronger vaccination.

Stopped by CVS earlier today and got my annual flu shot. I haven't ever done the others, but hubby received the shingles vaccine not long ago. He's planning to get the pneumonia shot this year, but is on the fence regarding the flu shot.

Waiting for 2nd shingles shot - it's been unavailable here for a while.

Dawn, do you know how many people in this country died of the flu and its complications last season? Over 80,000.

The victims were of all ages; it's an equal opportunity killer.

Shingrix is in high demand in central Ohio. I've been on the list since July. I did get a call in late September, but was in Canada for a few weeks. Moved to bottom of list. I'm currently 89th on the list (in my zip code) so it should happen before Thanksgiving.

Got the high-dose flu vaccine last Friday. No discomfort for me. Even if there was discomfort, I would continue to get the vaccine. I owe it to my family, friends, neighbors.

I never do the flu shot. I may have had the flu last November when I had my varicose veins stripped. I don't remember being that sick in 30+ years when I was pregnant with my youngest child. I rarely get colds. Dealing with the cough 24/7 for five solid days (the cough slowly trickled off and took four months to go away completely) and the healing of my leg was pure hell. *If* I get that sick again this year, I'll contemplate the flu shot. Considering I have worked in a drug store for 20 years, where the majority of our customers are sick with one thing or another and I've only been sick once, I think I'm doing good.

There is a difference between an upper respiratory infection, sinus infection or after effects of a cold and the flu. Lots of people (including me) have confused their symptoms with flu but it’s not.

Brushworks, most people don’t have any side effects from the flu shot except for a mild soreness at the site. Sort of like a tetanus shot if you’ve had one of those. Pneumonia shot is different, and can cause more swelling, more soreness and redness. I had all three but it was gone in about 3 days.

I got my flu shot recently. I didn't want the extra strength one for a couple of reasons, but they gave it to me automatically, without asking. The next day my arm hurt so much that I called to ask what I'd been given, and that's when I found out. Well, I survived it with no reaction other than the unusual level of arm pain, so that was good.

I've had both pneumonia shots, and while the first one is indeed Prevnar 13 I think the second one has a different number. Possibly 23.

Rhizo, I wouldn't have dared get the flu and pneumonia shots in the same day, but that's just me. I'm glad it worked out well for you.

I have never had a flu shot either. And the only time I have had anything resembling the flu was years ago while still a student......long before there were such things as flu shots. I don't often even get colds. Can't think of the last time I had one. I think I must have a pretty robust immune system :-)

The last time I was hospitalized (for orthopedic surgery) they did give me a pneumonia injection. But other than an updated tetanus shot last year, I have had no other vaccines for any other purpose.

I know, rhizo. You can lead a horse to water, but you cant make him drink.

I started getting flu shots when I worked at a school. Public Health would come out and vaccinate the entire staff, but there were always a few who opted out. I missed getting it one year and came down with the flu in March. I was sick until nearly the end of July and have never felt as terrible as I did during that period of time.

I've never understood the pseudo badge of pride people give themselves for not following simple health recommendations. Sorry, I don't get it. For those of this persuasion, I hope it doesn't lead you to incorrectly think ("I don't need to, I haven't had the flu in 85 years!") that you know more or better about medicine and health than the experts do. For far too many (like the uninformed anti-vaccination people), I fear it does, so that's the real danger.

I don't understand the "pseudo badge of pride" people give themselves when they go to work sick. If you're sick stay the heck away from me.

I'm an anecdote - I had the flu shot last year for the first time ever. Now I know that last years flu shot was apparently very ineffective (somewhere around 30% effective if I remember correctly) and I haven't had the flu in probably 20 years. But last year I was so frigging sick from mid December to the end of January. I won't get another one.

Got my Shingrix, will get my pneumonia next week and calling it done.

Alisande, you can be sure that I asked both my doctor and the pharmacist about getting both shots on the same day! But I was assured after talking to them that it was perfectly safe. I've certainly suffered very little in the way of side effects with either of these two vaccinations.

There are some shots that one has to be careful about; I believe that the shingles vaccination is one of those that shouldn't be given with any other.

It goes without saying that our primary care physicians need to be informed about any injections that we receive from pharmacies so that it can be part of our medical records.

I wrote this about vaccines and anti-vaxxers just three days ago:

Reading Gravestones

I made an appt with my doctor to talk about the shingrix and the pneumonia vaccinations and she is on board with both and then gave me a prescription for the pharmacy and the pharmacist gives me the actual vaccinations. I don't know if prescriptions are necessary or not. Some people will pick up the vaccinations from the pharmacist and then take them back to the doctor to have them give them the shot. A waste of the doctors time in my opinion.

Outside, I know symptoms vary by person. My pneumonia vaccine actually disabled my arm for a day because I forgot about it and went fishing, casting may times which caused it to be very sore that evening. I did get the Tdap vaccine in July and the soreness was noticeable, but only if touched.

Regardless of symptoms, it beats the heck out of sickness or death.

blfenton, you're in a different country with a very different medical system than we have.

In the US, I don't think you can walk away from a pharmacy with a vial of a vaccination medicine in your possession. But if you could and you walked it into your physician's office, it would be a nurse or some type of medical assistant who would do the injection, certainly not the doc. On reflection, I doubt they would inject you with a liquid you walked in the door with that they didn't supply. Why? Just an easy way to be safe and careful.

Alisande, that is so true, and it reminded me of a poem that dates back perhaps as far as 1894, and was shortened perhaps in 1918 during the flu epidemic which claimed many children.

‘I had a little bird, it’s name was Enza.

i opened up the window and in flew Enza.’

The original poem (1894) is only slightly longer.

https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=3171

And yes, my doctor said getting both the flu and pneumonia shots at the same time was fine. Believe me, I asked too. We had this same discussion here a couple of weeks ago when I posted about getting mine, Lol!

Elmer, back when I got the original shingles shot it was kept frozen. I was instructed to go to one of the few (I think there were just two) pharmacies that stored it, and bring it immediately to my doctor's office, where I was given the shot--yes, by a nurse.

Very interesting, alisande. Thanks. Why didn't you have the injection done by the pharmacist?

Similarly but in a different sense, I remember some years ago that my own primary care doc at the time told me that his practice didn't have the refrigeration equipment to keep one particular vaccine (I forget which) at the low temp it needed and suggested I get it at a pharmacy or a larger group practice. He's since retired and my new doc is part of a larger medical school faculty practice. I haven't had a similar experience though I do go to a large pharmacy location for annual inoculations needed off cycle from primary care doctor visits.

My employer has an on site registered nurse who is available to give us flu shots. I haven't had mine yet but their annual health fair is in a couple weeks and I might get one then.

I get sick every year. Not the flu,but at least one cold a year. I had a cold a couple months ago. I have never had one in the summer before this year. The only flu I seem to get is the stomach flu,which is not really a flu at all is it? Now if they had a miracle vaccine to prevent THOSE,I believe I would travel around to get 3 or 4 doses of it.....

Hubby and I got the strong flu vaccine for us old folks a couple weeks ago and we are up to date on shingles and pneumonia shots.

Got the high-dose shot yesterday. No after effects, hurrah. I did get it in my dominant arm, due to someone saying that movement was helpful to avoid the after-pain -- it worked! Am thankful.

I got my second shingrix shot yesterday afternoon, man do I feel like crap today. I usually sail through stuff like this but this one has given my a splitting headache. But on the other hand, my arm isn't sore. :)

While DH and I were getting our flu shot yesterday, we asked about the shingrix and was told it's a 6 month+ wait as production seems to have slowed drastically due the demand. We are numbers 356 and 357 on the wait list. I called around to several other pharmacies and was told the same thing.

blfenton, hope you feel better quickly!