Had mine many years ago. Doc said we needed to be DONE with my annual bouts of Pneumonia and Bronchitis. It's been a dream--RARELY get even a cold. Vaccines never bother me in the least.

Had mine years ago, as well. As I recall, it was a 2 step vaccination. I've had both Pfizer vaccinations and booster. Scheduled for the first Shingrix vaccination in a few days and am nervous about that...

I've had them more than once and never had a reaction but I never have reactions to anything except the Shingles vaccine.

We also got ours a few years back, don't recall any side effects. Since covid seems to prefer the lungs this is a good back-up vac to have in place just in case other pneumonia related microbes want to take advantage of the situation.

Just had Pneumovax 23 in September (2nd vaccine). I had no reaction, but my husband had a swollen arm and a slight fever for about a day and a half.

Had both doses a year apart. No issues other then having to concentrate on moving my on dominate arm to avoid stiffness. That was the first dose. Always insist on my right side from then on.

I agree with jim. Whether there are side effects or not, follow the advice.

Like others above said, I got mine many years ago. I wasn't asked, I was more or less told. When in for an annual physical, my doctor said "I checked and for some reason you haven't had your *-23 (forget the name) vaccine. If you can stay an extra 5 minutes, you should get it right now"

Me - "Okay".

I had no reaction to it. Since I've had pneumonia twice, I was quite eager to get it.

I actually had Pneumovax first, before Prevnar came on the market. Pneumovax actually protects against 10 more strains of S.Pneumoniae than Prevnar does.

Both DH and I have had the pneumonia vax with no side effects. You will be fine.

I thought I had had one, but I do not see a record of it on the UCLA portal, although it might not show up for me if I had it several years ago.

My doctor is good about recommending all the vaccinations I need, and so I think I have probably had it. It does sound familiar.

Had two. No side effects.

I had my second pneumonia vac last October. No problem at all. I'd say it's likely you'll be fine with maybe some soreness at the injection site at the most. I've yet to hear any of our family or friends have anything more than that.

Yes, had it...you should def get it!

Had mine four weeks ago, no side effects.

I had the first injection years ago but couldn't tolerate the second. I had an anaphylactic reaction to it and it was the last such vaccine of my health "career". But...it was most probably the best. I'd had several forms of pneumonia over the years. I never missed a winter. After the pneumonia vaccine...I never had another attack. So...I would wholeheartedly recommend that you get it.

Editing to add that my reaction to the second injection shouldn't be construed as a normal reaction to this vaccine. I think the vaccine itself is very safe and I had no difficulties with the first shot. It's my personal health issues that caused the problems. Not the vaccine itself.

I'm surprised you haven't already had it! Got ours sometime back. We got boosted last week. No reactions.

Got it. No problem.

I had one many years ago, No side effects what so ever. I should ask about a booster. Thanks for the reminder.

I got mine as part of a pre-op package several years ago before surgery on my ankle. But I got my very first ever flu shot two weeks ago! To my knowledge, I have never had the flu (I think I'd remember :)) but I decided better to be safe than sorry.

I had the Pneumococcal Prevnar 13 in August 2016, and the Pneumovax-23 in August 2017. No side effects from either one.

I had a shot some years ago and then more recently another one which I gather was different. I wasn't interested enough to enquire as to how. Slightly sore arm. Like getting a Tetanus shot. It has been illuminating to me that grown ups are so nervous about shots. We all do things that are going to hurt like dental work. When I was a kid and getting vaccinated for weeks on end before going over seas I cant imagine my mom or dad being all worried and bothered about their own shots.

I had Prevnar13 over a year ago, and need to follow up with Pneumovax23 soon. The soreness was mild and lasted about a day. I don’t fit in the CDC’s criteria but I decided to have them due to the nature of my work, and it’s all paid for by employer health insurance. I’ll repeat the series after 65 year milestone.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6434a4.htm

I read that the Pneumonia vaccines only protects against bacterial pneumonia not viral. The only time I got Pneumonia was with the Flu and that was viral. Covid is viral. Not sure how protective it really is when dealing with a viral pandemic.

I haven't gotten it yet because I just got boosted and think I should get the flu shot first.

So many different shots!

Jane

jane__ny People who are ill with a virus are far more susceptible to bacterial infections. That is why they recommend the pneumonia vaccine. For most people over the age of 65 they recommend a dose of Pneumococcal Prevnar 13 followed by a dose of Pneumovax-23 at least a year apart. I chose not to get flu vaccines due to their unpredictability of usefulness from year to year, but the pneumonia vaccines have a proven track record. Flu in itself is not what normally kills a person. The number one cause of death during flu is the secondary bacterial infections and bacterial pneumonia pretty much tops tops the list.

I had the flu a few years ago but other than feeling like death for a bit a over a week, I never developed secondary effects, perhaps since I was fully vaccinated for pneumonia.

Thank all for your inputs. Some seem to think I'm debating about getting it. I'm not. It's only a matter of when given the other shots and medical issues I have going on with me and DH. Medically, the plate is pretty full so it's only a question of when and what to expect. Glad to hear little to no side effects

DH and I had both pneumonia shots several years ago. Zero reactions. I'd had bacterial pneumonia twice -- hospitalized once -- and bronchitis a couple of times, but *nothing* since the shots. When we have an opportunity to eliminate a serious illness from our future we TAKE it.

No remarkable side effects from either Pneumovax or Prevnar.

I get my second Shingrix this week, then I'll be done with vaccines for a long while!

Good luck with yours, we're so fortunate to have vaccines available to us!

Correct Jane, the shots only protect against bacterial pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae -- by far the most common cause of community acquired pneumonia. Also the usual cause of post-flu pneumonia. There are other bacteria and viruses that can cause pneumonia though, which these vaccines don't protect against.

Years ago (early 1990s) when Medicare started paying for flu shots, we saw the rate of hospitalizations for pneumonia in that age group drop significantly. Research had already shown the correlation between flu vaccination and reduced incidence of pneumonia.

So, I guess I should get it. I haven't had the flu shot yet. I had the Covid booster and they told me to wait 2 weeks before another vaccine.

Sooo, which should I get first? Flu or Pneumonia? Just so many shots.

My niece, double vaccinated is sick with a breakthrough Covid infection. They put her on antibiotics because her chest is so congested and coughing, coughing. Fever, chills for over a week. She's in great shape, 62 yrs old, works out, works full time and got Covid. So, I'm thinking (I'm in Florida, high rates of Covid), do I get a Flu shot or the Pneumovax shot?

Jane

I would get the flu shot first. Flu is much more common and easily caught from another. Then, also, you reduce the risk of complications from flu (such as pneumonia).

I am sorry to hear about your niece - hopefully her MD was able to confirm that it is a bacterial infection on top of Covid, not just Covid symptoms.

Jane_ny

I'm thinking (I'm in Florida, high rates of Covid), do I get a Flu shot or the Pneumovax shot?

Uh, Florida has the lowest current rate of Covid per capita in the US according the the below Mayo Clinic website...7 cases per 100,000. They have had the lowest rate for a few weeks now.

Mayoclinic

I would get the flu shot first as well.

I got Prevnar about 10 years ago after I had a bout with Pneumonia and got Pneumovax in 2019. I'm getting my Covid booster tomorrow.

Lonejack, yes the numbers have declined (if you can believe what the State records) over the last month. Take a look back three months and through this year. Florida has a Governor who has banned masks, refused to shut down businesses early in the pandemic. Hired a Surgeon General who was hired after firing the past Surgeon General because he promoted safety measures (masks, social distance, etc). The new Surgeon General says masks do nothing, parents should decide if their kids wear masks in school, believes that the vaccine does nothing.

This State is a joke, the Governor is playing to the Trumpers and I just hope there are enough people who believe in vaccines and masks to get him voted out of office.

Lonejack, take a look at the death rates in Florida. I live here and remember this past summer when hospitals could not treat anyone due to the huge amounts of Covid patients.

My husband was one of the patients who was moved around from floor to floor, hallway to hallway, that made it difficult to find him while he was dying in the hospital filled with Covid patients.

Don't even get me started!!

Jane