Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives Anti TNF and other biological medications pnemonia shot too...

Hi everyone,
i was reading the post regarding flu shot. back in aug. my rhuemy suggested i should get both shots, which i thought ya, right....i never get sick. in sept. i got pneumonia, that came on so fast, i have never been that sick before. i stopped my shots as soon as i started feeling crummy, waited around 5 days to see the dr.
when i finally did, she said if i had waited one more day to see her she would have had to put me in hospital. then about 1 week after i was over the pnuemonia, i got a head cold. it lasted 2 weeks, then stopped for a week and now 3 days ago (after doing only my 2nd shot since sept.), i start getting sick again! i had the pnuemonia shot and the nurse also suggested a tetnis shot almost 2 weeks ago. i am going for flu shot on nov.6th.
prior to being on enbrel, i never got colds or flu.
so, you guys may want to think about getting the pneumonia shots too. also, don't wait like i did to see the dr. as i didn't want to bug her for a "cold".
take care
lisa

Hi Lisa,
That's awful you've been so sick! Hope you're feeling better now - you've had enough bugs for a lifetime, I think.
I had the flu shot again this year, and had the pneumovax 2 years ago. I didn't really want to get the pneumovax, because, like you, I thought I just usually don't get sick. But your story validates my concerns now.
One thing people at the flu clinic told me - those of us on immune suppressants might need 2 doses of pneumo vaccine (5 years apart) in a lifetime, unlike healthy people who only need one dose in a lifetime.
Hope this was the last of your bugs for awhile!
Take care

Thanks Megan,
Hey are you back on Enbrel? Is it working? Hope you are doing well.
take care
Lisa

Hey Lisa,
Yep, back to enbrel... for now, since I have temporary drug coverage. I'd say it decreases my pain by only 10 or 20% now, but no more than that. Not like 3 years ago, when it was about 95% effective. Hopefully when I see my rheumy in Dec, he'll let me try something else, like remicade.
What about you? Still on enbrel?

I got my pnemonia shot yesterday. i am glad I did. I've been fighting bronchitis this week. The dr. said it will have to be monitored but gave it to me anyway. Last year I was too sick to get it. So I'm encouraged I was able to get it this year. I say if you can get it do it. I am one of the unlucky ones that can't have the flu shot. So everyone around me gets it for me. (Egg sensitivity)

Hey Megan,
Yes, I am still on Enbrel. Had to go off it for 6 weeks due to being sick etc.
It has been 2 years now and I see it is not working as well as it did for pain, but it still works quite well for the stiffness and touch wood, no iritis since starting it. keep us posted on how you are doing. I would have thought you being off Enbrel for awhile would have made it effective again once you started. Too bad Humaria wasn't the ticket ..hope the remicade helps, hang in there Megan
Lisa