Pneumonia Vaccine

Sounds interesting, but one must ask " What are the side effects of the penumococcal vaccine?" If one suffers kidney failure, in order to preserve heart function and avoid pneumonia, does the end truly justify the means?

New Haven- I don't have any stats, but I can talk from personal experience. I have had the pneumonia vaccine 3X already, with no untoward effects. This article has some relevent information:

http://www.multiplan.com/healthwell/wellness/pneumonia.cfm

I've always heard pneumonia called "the old folks friend".

In my immediate family I've helped with three slow deaths from incurable cancer and have seen four friends die the same way.

One of the doctors attending my father--when it became obvious that he would never leave the hospital--observed, "He may die from cancer, but pneumonia is always a possibility."

I tried to discuss this with my doctor, but was told that the new vaccine was a boon and a blessing.

I've had the vaccine two times. No side effects.
During my life I've had pneumonia 3 times and 2 of those I had to be hospitalized, once was a collasped-lung. But since the vaccine - zip-zero.

Most people don't seem to suffer any really harmful
side effects from the vaccine, unless you suffer from
an autoimmune disease or connective tissue disease,
like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis - any disease where
your immune system is comprimised in any way - it
could be more likely for you to get sick from the
vaccine than your chances of getting pneumonia among
the general public. This is some interesting news tho,
it makes you wonder doesn't it, if some of the information
they teach in medical school is correct at all - sort of like
in the days when they taught that the world was flat?
Fascinating, that such a vaccine could have positive
effects on the heart. This could lead to a whole new
world of scientific information about the heart. One of
the most interesting things about being a pharmacist
and the study of pharmacy, is that about 50 percent of
the drugs - they have NO IDEA WHY the drug works the
way it does, or how... they just know that it does. So,
we use it without really knowing why. There has always
been an old joke about aspirin, if someone invented
aspirin today and tried to market it - it would be only
sold as a prescription due to its effects as a blood
thinner, not to mention the high possibility of causing
stomach ulcers, etc.