HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

On Humira-should I be worried about pneumonia?

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 1/5/2016 6:37 PM (GMT 0)
When I started Humira, no one told me to get any other vaccines besides the flu shot. Lots of people are sick in my office right now, and I just found out that someone has pneumonia. With my immune system being weaker now, should I be worried about this? Am I even able to get a pneumonia vaccine or will they tell me I'm too young to get one? Clearly I know nothing about these things. Help?
Posted 1/5/2016 7:14 PM (GMT 0)
We're at increased risk of pneumonia than the normal population. Take extra precautions. I've been contemplating getting the pneumonia shot myself. I believe it's covered for us on biologics and immunomodulators regardless of age, but every insurance is different. I'd call yours and ask.
Posted 1/5/2016 7:49 PM (GMT 0)
my doctors all want me to get the pneumonia shot. i've had it before (a few years ago) but not recently. i just got a Tdap vaccine and will be two weeks late on my simponi because of it. you have to space the vaccine apart from the biologic shot. vaccines stimulate the immune system to create antibodies and humira suppresses it. it would be pointless to take both so closely together.
Posted 1/5/2016 7:55 PM (GMT 0)

iPoop said...
We're at increased risk of pneumonia than the normal population. Take extra precautions. I've been contemplating getting the pneumonia shot myself. I believe it's covered for us on biologics and immunomodulators regardless of age, but every insurance is different. I'd call yours and ask.

That's what I was afraid of. I will definitely look into this now.
Posted 1/5/2016 7:59 PM (GMT 0)

Bacon Girl said...
my doctors all want me to get the pneumonia shot. i've had it before (a few years ago) but not recently. i just got a Tdap vaccine and will be two weeks late on my simponi because of it. you have to space the vaccine apart from the biologic shot. vaccines stimulate the immune system to create antibodies and humira suppresses it. it would be pointless to take both so closely together.

I'm glad you mentioned that because I did not know that. I'll ask my Humira nurse what she suggests. I just did my injection yesterday.
Posted 1/5/2016 11:13 PM (GMT 0)
sure, no problem. i haven't had any GI side effects from my immune system being stimulated again but vaccines can mess you up if you are flaring. i was terrified to get the shot because i've been suppressing it for so many years! my doctor said it takes two weeks for my vaccine to reach maximum effect so taking the simponi before that would hinder my body's abilities to make antibodies and the vaccine might not work at all. i assume the same could be said for the pneumonia vaccine.
Posted 1/6/2016 1:59 AM (GMT 0)
My infectious disease doctor said i should get it because I was compromised. Now I had surgery and I am no longer compromised... I never got the shot anyway. I hate shots and I actually developed a terrible pneumonia a week after getting a flu shot so I've felt uncomfortable with unnecessary shots since. I think it's smart to protect yourself as much as possible while on these drugs, I do not believe all strains of pneumonia are covered with the shot. The pneumonia i got wouldn't have been stopped by the vaccine anyway I don't think.
Posted 1/6/2016 3:30 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah with what notsosicklygirl said, my problem with shots is there are so many strains of these viruses etc :((. I have contemplated getting flu shot etc but just unsure. A lot of my coworkers were sick lately, I didn't get it? Not sure why maybe luck of draw
Posted 1/6/2016 3:59 AM (GMT 0)
I started remicade in the hospital and they required the following scheduled before I could get my 2nd dose:
1) flu
2) pneumonia-the one that covers 20 strains
3) hep b 3 series
4) skin cancer baseline screening
5) chicken pox vaccine since I never had chicken pox and my vaccine was an outdated version
Posted 1/6/2016 11:30 AM (GMT 0)
I didn't know there was a pneumonia vaccine. I ended up (in the emergency room) with pneumonia while on Remicade. They gave me an IV with antibiotics and Remicade quit working after that. I wish I had been told there was a vaccine.

Pneumonia is awful, I don't think I have ever felt that bad. Mary
Posted 1/6/2016 2:37 PM (GMT 0)
I'm not so sure about all this information on the vaccines...

I've been on Simponi now for almost 2 years, and have received TDAP, 2 flu shots, Prevnar 13 (pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine) and the regular pneumonia vaccine throughout the course of my treatment without ever having to stop taking my regimen...with no side effects or problems ever because they are dead vaccines. I have has full immunity and never got sick from any of these diseases after taking the vaccines.

But that's just me.

However..the chicken pox/shingles vaccine is a different story since its a LIVE vaccine...I believe we aren't able to get that......just adding my two cents.
Posted 1/6/2016 3:04 PM (GMT 0)

Bacon Girl said...
sure, no problem. i haven't had any GI side effects from my immune system being stimulated again but vaccines can mess you up if you are flaring. i was terrified to get the shot because i've been suppressing it for so many years! my doctor said it takes two weeks for my vaccine to reach maximum effect so taking the simponi before that would hinder my body's abilities to make antibodies and the vaccine might not work at all. i assume the same could be said for the pneumonia vaccine.

That makes sense. This whole disease is such a catch 22.
Posted 1/6/2016 3:08 PM (GMT 0)

notsosicklygirl said...
My infectious disease doctor said i should get it because I was compromised. Now I had surgery and I am no longer compromised... I never got the shot anyway. I hate shots and I actually developed a terrible pneumonia a week after getting a flu shot so I've felt uncomfortable with unnecessary shots since. I think it's smart to protect yourself as much as possible while on these drugs, I do not believe all strains of pneumonia are covered with the shot. The pneumonia i got wouldn't have been stopped by the vaccine anyway I don't think.

That must have been miserable! Yeah, these shots never protect you against all possible strains, which is unfortunate, but I like knowing I'm more protected than I would be without it.
Posted 1/6/2016 3:12 PM (GMT 0)

Chrissysoul said...
Yeah with what notsosicklygirl said, my problem with shots is there are so many strains of these viruses etc :((. I have contemplated getting flu shot etc but just unsure. A lot of my coworkers were sick lately, I didn't get it? Not sure why maybe luck of draw

Right, they don't cover all strains. I get the flu shot every year-it always gives me at least some peace of mind.
Posted 1/6/2016 3:18 PM (GMT 0)

Kulinarykidz said...
I started remicade in the hospital and they required the following scheduled before I could get my 2nd dose:
1) flu
2) pneumonia-the one that covers 20 strains
3) hep b 3 series
4) skin cancer baseline screening
5) chicken pox vaccine since I never had chicken pox and my vaccine was an outdated version

Oh, interesting. I wonder if they would have liked you to get all those before the remicade but by then it was too late? I wish my doctor had been as thorough.
Posted 1/6/2016 3:33 PM (GMT 0)

Scarecrow said...
I didn't know there was a pneumonia vaccine. I ended up (in the emergency room) with pneumonia while on Remicade. They gave me an IV with antibiotics and Remicade quit working after that. I wish I had been told there was a vaccine.

Pneumonia is awful, I don't think I have ever felt that bad. Mary

That is so scary. shakehead My mom had it and she said she thought she was going to die. I'm so scared I'm gonna get it. It really sounds like my doctor should have had me get vaccinated before going on Humira.
Posted 1/6/2016 3:40 PM (GMT 0)

Scott Z said...
I'm not so sure about all this information on the vaccines...

I've been on Simponi now for almost 2 years, and have received TDAP, 2 flu shots, Prevnar 13 (pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine) and the regular pneumonia vaccine throughout the course of my treatment without ever having to stop taking my regimen...with no side effects or problems ever because they are dead vaccines. I have has full immunity and never got sick from any of these diseases after taking the vaccines.

But that's just me.

However..the chicken pox/shingles vaccine is a different story since its a LIVE vaccine...I believe we aren't able to get that......just adding my two cents.

You just never know. A lot of this condition is about taking risks and just seeing what happens! Oh yeah, that's a good point, if I get it I have to make sure to ask for the dead vaccine.
Posted 1/6/2016 3:49 PM (GMT 0)
I'm seeing my primary care physician tomorrow to ask about the pneumonia vaccine. Also about a bone density test (I did a continuous year of prednisone a while back). Both have been on my nice to do list for 6 months or more lol
Posted 1/6/2016 4:06 PM (GMT 0)

iPoop said...
I'm seeing my primary care physician tomorrow to ask about the pneumonia vaccine. Also about a bone density test (I did a continuous year of prednisone a while back). Both have been on my nice to do list for 6 months or more lol

Let me know what they say!
Posted 1/6/2016 6:22 PM (GMT 0)
The really only LIVE vaccines out there are Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), and Chickenpox/Shingle (which is really nothing more than a double dose of the chickenpox vaccine). There is a live flu vaccine but a lot of doctors don't use it...you can ask for the non-live version. Inactivated polio virus is available as well.

Again, I have been on TNF blockers with a compromised immune system for 2 years and have all my vaccines with no problems or illnesses whatsoever....check with your primary care, they usually know more about this than your GI or nurse that may give you the Humira/Simponi..they are just administering it/reading literature versus actually treating patients with these diseases and administering the vaccines. Your PCP really has the most experience with this.
Posted 1/9/2016 6:43 PM (GMT 0)

GloGirl504 said...

iPoop said...
I'm seeing my primary care physician tomorrow to ask about the pneumonia vaccine. Also about a bone density test (I did a continuous year of prednisone a while back). Both have been on my nice to do list for 6 months or more lol

Let me know what they say!

My primary care said he has other uc and ra patients who have got the pneumonia shot. My insurance said it should be covered. Doc said I can go ahead and make an apt with his nurse practitioner to get the shot done whenever.

He wondered aloud how effective the vaccine would be given I'm on two immunosuppressive drugs (6mp and remicade) concurrently. I see what the doc is getting at, a vaccine requires an immune system response (that is to make antibodies to the dead pneumonia vaccine before it's flushed out of my system) otherwise it's a wasted effort/in vain. And given my current suppression it might be less effective. Since I'm currently tapering off of 6mp, I plan to wait a month or so, and then I'll likely get that shot (I'll be on only remicade then).

The bone density scan (dexa) requires an insurance pre-approval. I guess they're done at local women's health centers (specialist centers that do mammograms also do osteoporosis screenings), not available in my area hospitals. I got the name of a close one. See if I can get insurance approval first.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply