Thread: Vaccines and aging

So, we all think of vaccines primarily as a kids issue, but a lot of vaccinations are now recommended for those 60 and older.

Although not quite 60, a medic friend suggested that I get vaccinated as a result of my heart attack. The annual flu vaccine has a well documented protective effect in those who have had heart attacks - something like 30% (which is a big advantage). He also suggested two others, namely a zoster vaccine (protects against shingles) and a pneumococcal vaccine (pneumococcal disease).

Had a scheduled appointment with my cardiologist today, and before I could ask him about vaccination he said -OK, now lets talk abut vaccines. I laughed and showed him my friends recommendations. He agreed to all, and set it up. So, three vaccinations today, feeling like a pin cushion. One or two need a booster in a few months.

So, if you are over 60, OR under 60 with a dicky heart, maybe time to talk to your doc on checking you have the recommended vaccines.


(and just to make clear - this is a thread about vaccines for those of us getting on, or with other health issues, so if you are a staunch anti-vaxxer - fuck off and start your own thread).

Originally Posted by nidhogg

The annual flu vaccine has a well documented protective effect in those who have had heart attacks - something like 30% (which is a big advantage). He also suggested two others, namely a zoster vaccine (protects against shingles) and a pneumococcal vaccine (pneumococcal disease).

Yep +1

Mates wife got shingles. Painfull as. Easily stopped the vaccine.

The flu and the pneumococcal vaccine.

Yep +1 to all three.

Originally Posted by nidhogg

this is a thread about vaccines for those of us getting on, or with other health issues, so if you are a staunch anti-vaxxer - fuck off and start your own thread

Any side effects to these vaccines apart from grumpiness?
I've heard the flu one can knock you about a bit.

I get a flu injection every year. Last year I got the pneumonia and shingles vaccines for the first time.

The shingles vaccine I had was a new one, Shingrix, which is supposed to be more effective and longer lasting than Zostavax. It was two injections a month apart.

Originally Posted by nidhogg

pneumococcal vaccine

I have been fortunate health wise but the above looks interesting. Will look into it. Thanks Nid.

https://www.uptodate.com/contents/pn...tion-in-adults

Originally Posted by Dillinger

Any side effects to these vaccines apart from grumpiness?
I've heard the flu one can knock you about a bit.

LOL. No side effects other than that yet, but early. Will see over the next day or so. With three vaccines at the same time I am expecting to be off color for a day or so. Will update as needed.

Firm believer in prophylactics. Keep mine, and my wife's shot cards up to date at Mahidol University - they have a Tropical Medicine division, travel medicine. So every year go there and get updated. Few weeks back, got influenza, Hep A&B and Japanese Encephalitis. Typhoid due next year, Doc talked about the new shingles (already have the old one) but didn't prescribe it. JE, rare but devastating, he said something along the lines that I need a third shot for lifetime immunity, already had one a few years back. Don't know - 'tis a pretty large subject and you have to let the professionals keep up on it. Reason I started with Mahidol is you can trust your getting "up to date" info.

A difficult task doing your "due diligence" in Thailand.

Are there best times for vaccines? In the States, flu shots are generally available before "flu season" (winter, i suppose). But, can flu shots and any other vaccinations be had anytime or is there a better time for one or the other?

Not quite in my age bracket relevance but interesting info nevertheless.

Never really knew what Shingles was either until now.

Originally Posted by LEGENDARY

Are there best times for vaccines? In the States, flu shots are generally available before "flu season" (winter, i suppose). But, can flu shots and any other vaccinations be had anytime or is there a better time for one or the other?

There is definitely a time for flu vaccine in most countries -but it depends on which country of course.

For other vaccines (shingles etc) any time is fine.

My sister had shingles in her forties.

Saw a picture of it at the docs on Wednesday ( not my sister’s )

Yeah, that looks like one to avoid.

Coworker just comedown with shingles, it isn't much fun by the sounds of it

A quick GOOGLE brought up this.


https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedul...imz/adult.html


I must be due for a Tetanus update, no idea when my last one was.


I'm 59, my brother is 62.
I've never had a flu shot, he gets one every year. He still gets far more colds and flu than I ever do.

I've had shingles twice, once as a teenager and again in my 30s. It sure isn't fun.

Sort of related ... does anyone had/see the benefit of rabies shots.

We have heaps of dogs around and some of them are mad as cut snakes.

Originally Posted by David48atTD

Sort of related ... does anyone had/see the benefit of rabies shots.

We have heaps of dogs around and some of them are mad as cut snakes.

Pre-exposure shot are only really recommended if you are highly likely to get bitten frequently. People like vets in rabies endemic areas etc.

For everyone else post-exposure shots do the trick. And its not like 20 years ago where a bite from an infected animal was a death sentence. There is a quite good post-exposure vaccine nowadays.

(small clarification: rabies is fairly guaranteed death sentence if you get bitten by a rabid animal and do not seek help until you start to show symptoms. Then you is a 99.999% gonner).

Rabies: Doc in America said I (we) should get the "pre-rabies" vaccinations as we were retiring to Thailand and Thailand does have "a lot" of rabies.
Doc at Mahidol said no. Only folk who work with animals should get the pre-rabies shots. If you get bit, immediately go to the hospital and get the rabies shots. Even if you do get the pre-rabies shot, and you do get bit, you're going to get the post rabies shots too.

Originally Posted by nidhogg

(small clarification: rabies is fairly guaranteed death sentence if you get bitten by a rabid animal and do not seek help until you start to show symptoms. Then you is a 99.999% gonner).

Mahidol Doc said pretty much the same thing. If you do get bit - do not hesitate, get your butt to the hospital and get treated.

flu is brutal for old people, definitely a must here in Europe, not an option to miss

I got hit by a nasty flu in Thailand, 3 weeks stuck in bed, didn't want to take crappy anti-biotics from Thailand the first week

^^ ^^^ Thanks for the Rabies advice.

Noted