I’m an ahem senior citizen, and I plan on getting my flu shot in the next couple of weeks. My doc also wants me to get a tetanus booster and a shingles vaccine. A friend is looking at tetanus and a pneumonia vaccine in addition to the flu shot.
Is is okay to get all of those at the same time? What do y’all think/do?
I would ask your doctor. But…I went in last week for the shingles shot as well as the flu shot - the Drs office did not have the flu shot yet but I got the shingles one. There were no concerns mentioned from the nurse about getting both at the same time, other than maybe one in each arm to avoid soreness. The nurse said she’d call me once they had the flu vaccine and I can just drop in without an appointment for that.
A friend has his PhD in Computational Biology, works in the sciences, and has two kids. I, OTOH, suffered a serious adverse reaction (Brachial Plexus Neuropathy) to a DPT vaccine – ‘causality is accepted’ (ie, it’s a known reaction to that vaccine, rare though it is).
My friend asked me what I would do vis-a-vis the vaccination schedule and his kids.
I told him that I’d try very hard never to let them give more than one vaccination at a time, and that I would try very hard to stretch out the schedule – more time between jabs – if I could.
I’m not sure how much is known on the subject, but … reasonably and intuitively … is taking more meds at the same time safer than taking fewer meds ?
These things torque the immune system … by design. The immune system is really one of the last great black boxes of medicine. The young and the old are particularly vulnerable … all things being equal.
I’m nobody’s idea of an anti-vaxxer, but I’m more aware than many of the harm they can cause. As such … I err to the side of caution.
Good luck !
I’m mid 50’s. I just had my first dose of shingrix in left arm and this years flu shot in the right. A little soreness at injection site in the left arm for two days none in the right.
My dpt booster last year hurt much more iircc.
I had a doctor’s appointment last week and got the flu shot, the pneumonia shot, and the first of a combined hepatitis A and B vaccine. My doctor didn’t see any reason to wait, though I wasn’t sure that I really needed the hepatitis vaccine.
I’ve never had a reaction to a vaccine, except for the Shingles one, which knocked me down for a day. I’m just happy that vaccines are no longer given as they were in my 1960s childhood: you lined up in the lunchroom/gym and watched as your classmates took their medicine. Woe to the child who cried, as he would be mercilessly taunted on the playground afterwards.
Because of a lumpectomy on my left side and the removal of some lymph nodes, I’m not supposed to have any shots on that side (or have blood pressure taken on that side either). So I’d need all on the same side.
I’m not concerned about pain, but more about drug interaction.
Since you asked, here’s what I would do:
Get the flu shot and the first one of the shingles shots (the Shingrix is a set of two and is considered to be more effective against shingles and shingles be something I don’t never want to get. Nope. Never.)
Then after however many weeks they suggest waiting, get the tetanus and second Shingrix. Tetanus is important to have a booster of every 10 years and protects against a lot more nasties than just the proverbial stepping on a rusty nail.
Each time get one shot in the right arm, one in the left arm. Then you can be done in two sessions. I’d hold for two lollipops at each session. It’s only fair.
Including an interesting bit about taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen when receiving vaccines.
Boo
I’ve had it. No fun.
Didn’t see the second part of your question. Vaccines aren’t drugs per se and wouldn’t have untoward interactions with each other, particularly since the provider is suggesting getting them together. I’m not sure if there may be a few tropical disease vaccines where that might be the case but not common ones like here.
IIRC I have more of a reaction (soreness) to the shingles and tetanus than the flu.
Go get ‘em girl!! (That was a cheer, not an admonition)
Didn’t see the lumpectomy note either. Important to watch out for, agreed. Then go for the two and two over two sessions, in the same arm if they are willing. Otherwise, if four sessions are needed, it may be less aggravation to jump into a Walgreens or CVS for some of them, as long as other shoppers are mask and distance cooperative. Four trips to the doctor’s office would wear me out. And at Walgreens or CVS you can grab yourself some deluxe chocolate instead of lollipops. Heck, get yourself both!
It was mentioned in another thread earlier (by BBB I think?) that we should skip out on the Tylenol and NSAIDS for a while when getting the flu jab.
I emailed my doctor on this question, specifically asking: If so, then for how long?
He answered, agreeing that one should abstain from APAP and NSAIDS. He suggested for two days before the flu shot and ten days afterward.
The reason isn’t beause of a “drug interaction” exactly. These pain relievers have an additional effect of inhibiting, somewhat, the immune system. But the whole idea of a vaccination is that your immune system reacts, kicks into gear, and produces antibodies. If your immune system is running in low gear due to the drugs you’re taking, this becomes less effective.
My story, to date: I’m planning to get a flu shot tomorrow. I’ve quit all the APAP I’ve been taking since last Friday, and I expect to stay off it for another week or so. I’ve been fairly sore lately because of this, but tolerable (barely).
@BippityBoppityBoo We posted at the same time. 
For many years I’ve gotten my vaccines and local prescriptions at the pharmacy in my fancy-schmancy, gourmet grocery store. (HEB Central Market)
My San Antonio son (hey, I send nothing but the very best) has told me lovely things about your HEB stores. Gourmet and all means you can get really good chocolate and artisanal lollipops when you go in for your vaccines.
All this big talk-I should go in and get my 2nd Shingrix and high dose flu shots this week too. Practice whaat I preach and all.
Boo
Two years ago I got my flu and first Shingrix shot at the same time. I did get hives as a result, my immune system is kind of funky like that, but no additional problems. My allergist wasn’t surprised or alarmed, she just said to take my anti-histamines.
In the past for trips overseas I’ve had 3 or 4 vaccines at the same time, with no problems. No doctor has ever questioned the process.
This is timely as I just got both my 2nd shingrix shot and my flu shot recently (I’m 60). I spaced them apart by a week. I did this because I was one of those “lucky” souls who had a terrible reaction to the 1st shingrix shot. I’ve had the flu in the past and that’s what it felt like, like a two day bout of the nastiest flu. Shakes, body aches, weakness, fever. Just lovely. I suspected that my 2nd shot reaction would be similar, and I was correct. There was no way I was going to add a 2nd vaccine on top of it the same day.
I’m getting my flu shot the day after tomorrow. Do you need a doctor’s prescription to get the Shingrix? If not, I’ll get the first of those at the same time.
I just walked in to Walgreens and asked for the Shingrix.
It appears that Shingrix coverage is based on age. At a certain point my insurance covered it, no questions asked. No prescription needed.
IIRC getting multiple vaccines at the same time may have been a cause of Gulf War Syndrome. Though no conclusive evidence has arisen, the introduction of unusual substances (cholera, yellow fever, etc.) has been linked to the symptoms that many soldiers experienced. The reason that it is not definite is that everyone got these shots with deployment and there was no control group.
I think you could have left out the word “conclusive”.
If they are offering it, grab it. According to my (deceased) father, a liver doctor, they are both highly effective vaccines that are quite safe, and rarely provoke unpleasant reactions. So there’s little downside. It’s easy to catch Hep A from food. And while Hep B is mostly spread via sex and drugs, the virus is tough, and can persist up to 7 days on surfaces, and you can pick it up from a scratch. So everyone has at least a small risk of contracting it.