I was in the hospital in June for my COPD.....they gave me the pneumonia vaccine there. Last week I got the Flu shot too.............first time for both for me ( I am 60 y/o)

Guess the hospital doc thought with my luck I would get that one strain..........LOL

Glad your dad is feeling better so soon.................took me almost 5 months:(.........Just NOW starting to feel semi-normal (whatever that is - LOL :)

Just found this link which might help you.............

http://www.medicinenet.com/pneumococcal_vaccination/article.htm

From the link.............."Pneumococcal vaccination does not protect against pneumonia caused by microbes other than pneumococcus bacteria, nor does it protect against pneumococcal bacteria strains not included in the vaccine. It is reassuring to note that of the 80 different serotypes, the vast majority of infections are caused by the 23 serotypes contained in the vaccine."

My Plumy told me to get a Pneumonia shot and I got the Flu shot last month.

I was in the hospital in Sep with Pneumonia, he said if I had not had the shot my condition would have been worse. I guess not all Docs agree.

Got my pneumonia shot in Sept, as recommended by my pulmonologist. As he said, "Anything that might help."

Since I have been taking the pneumonia shot I havent had it and it has been about 6 years. I get bronchitis.
I also get the flu shot.

I have taken the pneumonia shot. It is true there are about 80 something types of pneumonia, and all fit into three catagories, bacterial, viral, and the word I can not spell but means "breathing it in" such as breathing fumes, cleaners,smoke, ecct.

The pneumonia shot protects against the worst kind, and is reccomended for people with lung disease.

The bacterial and breathing in pneumonias you can take antibiotics to kill it off, but some are resistant to antibiotics.

I would recommend your dad get one, as long as he has no allergies to the ingrediants. It also helps make the others not so very bad.

Here is a very informative (and long) artical on pneumonia from Mayo Clinic

http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/pneumonia/DS00135/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print


Take care
BJ

Sabrina, I have my pneumonia shot every 5 yrs as directed by my Doctor. He advises that while it doesn't protect from all strains it does protest from serveral, based on that alone I will continue taking the shot as scheduled. Take care, Bill

Had my shot faithfully every 5 years, for first 2 shots. Got bad case that put me in hospital for a week, gave me one while impatient. Doc said same thing about other strains. Been 2 yrs. and had 2 bouts since. Not as bad though. Just fyi.
Paul

I had my pneumonia shot last year after a stay in hospital with the virus.I was told it would last ten years but last month when I went for my flu shot I was told that they had been advised that it be given every twenty years.I live in the uk,they are always trying to save money here.

I am in end stage emphy. Because of that, my pulmo requests that I get the pneumonia vaccine every year. I still get pnemonia several times a year, but it's not as bad as if I didn't have the shot! So. every year I get it along with my flu shot.

Looking at the balance on the shot or a bout of pneumonia, shot is the easier way to go. Here's an article: http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/pneumonia/prevention.html
It protects against the most common strain and is vital for anyone with a compromised immune system - that would be us. A ml of prevention is well worth weeks in the hospital...

Take care,
Dennis

Love all the dancing turkeys!
My friend, over 90, was deathly sick with "herpes pneumonia".
I'd never heard of it. But now she's all better: )

Every 5 yrs & the flu shot yearly

I'm with Denise, Pneumonia at 5 yr. and Flu at 1 yr.
Ive only had aspiration pneumonia since, due to not paying attention while I was eating and breathed at the wrong time.
As long as your getting them. check out the shingles shot too.
I got it, cause everyone I know who has had shingles has told me I REALLY don't want it!

I'm allergic to eggs and therefore cannot get the flu shot. I did get the pneumonia shot 3 yrs ago. I've had shingles. No fun. And have asked my doctor how the vaccine is cultured but not gotten an answer. I've also looked online and can't find this out. If it is not cultured in an egg, then I could get it. I certainly would prefer the shot to having shingles. I understand that you can get shingles more than once. Does anyone know who the shingles vaccine is cultured?