This May makes 7 years since my GBS. During my hospital stay, I developed pneumonia from my period of intubation. I’m 63 years old and concerned what the critical effects could have if I came down with the virus. Many if not most of the fatalities from the coronavirus is from Pneumonia. Wondering if taking the vaccine would put me in danger of a relapse of GBS? Anybody know?
Spencer, pneumonia is a bacterial infection, which you probably got from your intubation because it wasn’t sterilized properly or the pneumococcal bacteria got into your tubing.
The Coronavirus is, like the name, a virus, not bacterial. So is the flu.
If someone were to die from pneumonia when having caught the Coronavirus, it’s because they’re susceptible to catching pneumonia as their immune system has been severely compromised by the Coronavirus.
With a GBS history, don’t get any vaccines without approval of a neurologist. End of story. Really, don’t do it.
I talked to my doctors about this very subject and they told me there is no risk. Last year I got the Prevnar vaccine and this year the pneumovax, no issues with either except a sore arm. All of my doctors firmly tell me NOT to get the flu shot.
My son had GBS 5 years ago and did have small relapses for about 2 more years. From weakness to double or just numbness in some areas of his feet, hands and face…
After this the hematologist has said NO to vaccines. So he is paranoid of rusty nails and viruses due to missed tetanus, measles, chicken pocks and meningitis boosters at age 12. We continue to monitor him and who knows, maybe in the future he will be able to get them. Forget the flu vaccine, we don’t even think about it. We just pray he doesn’t get sick and if he does, that his immune system doesn’t go crazy.
So we feel your pain and your anxiety every time there’s something going around.
I’m guessing it all depends on how over reactive your immune system is at the moment. If you haven’t had any strange reactions you might consider vaccines, but your doctors have to monitor you and weigh benefits vs dangers.
I keep you all in my prayers!
3250 have died worldwide from the coronavirus. 650,000 will die from the flu. I am 4 years out and I get all my vaccines every year, including the flu shot. I volounteer at a gbs/cidp center of excellence. Here is what some of the leading neurologist have to say about vaccines. If you got gbs from the flu shot then it is recommended to never get it. If you did not get gbs from the flu shot then it is fine. You have a better chance of a relapse from the flu than the flu shot. All should avoid live vaccines. The pneumonia shot is not a live vaccine. Of course, you should always get medical advice from your neurologist and not a support group. The misinformation about vaccines, coronavirus and gbs is rampant. Many doctors are misleading their gbs patients. The real information is out there just pick your sources carefully. I survived gbs with one working lung and pneumonia would be deadly. Any vaccine is scary to a gbs survivor. In the end it’s your body and you choose what goes in it. Good luck to you.
I decided to get the Pneumonia shot. Now my arm hurt like hell.