By Dr. Thomas W. LaGrelius
Have you ever visited friends in the hospital with pneumonia? I hope they survived. We lose 100,000 Americans a year to pneumonia, close to 10 percent of the million or more hospitalized with such community acquired infections.
Have you ever talked to anyone experiencing the agonizing pain of shingles that can last for months? These dangerous and painful problems, including the flu, are often preventable. We recommend you prevent all you can.
Some people fear immunizations. They fear unintended consequences. I promise you, those fears are unwarranted, but fear of the infections they can prevent is highly warranted. There are uncommon situations where certain shots should not be given. Your physician can tell you if that applies to you.
Here’s a list of very important vaccinations to keep on your list:
Diphtheria and tetanus (DT vaccine)
Seniors should update diphtheria and tetanus shots every 10 years. We still get deaths from those old illnesses. Whooping cough (pertussis) is common and serious. The vaccine is especially important if you are are around newborn infants, so if your children or grandchildren are planning a family addition you should be asked to get that vaccine to protect the infant, unless you’d rather not cuddle the brand new bundle of joy.
Prevnar and Pnuemovax
These are the two vaccines used against the most common cause of pneumonia. Pneumonia is the fourth leading cause of death in seniors. It was the number one cause of all deaths 100 years ago. We are doing better, but most seniors have never had both the vaccines and almost one third have had neither.
Seniors should get the Prevnar vaccine first, and a year later the Pnuemovax vaccine. If you got these vaccines when you your in your 50s or younger, they should be repeated after age 65. They could keep you out of the hospital and save your life.
From 1.5 to 6 million Americans get the flu each year. Some 200,000 of them land in the hospital with flu-induced lung failure. The disease kills 4,000 to 50,000 per year, mostly seniors, but few victims got their flu vaccine. Unfortunately flu shots are only good for one year, so you need one every fall. I have had more than 40 flu shots, and in the past 30 years, though am repeatedly exposed in the office, I have never gotten the flu. By now I’m believe I am immune to about every strain that has ever existed. Be like me. Over immunized.
In California, one common infections is hepatitis A. You can get infected from other people or from food, often seafood, sometimes in restaurants. It’s rarely fatal, it can take you out for a long while. Every Californian should have two hepatitis A vaccines six months apart. Get yours.
If going overseas
There is almost no polio and very little measles, mumps or German measles in the United States, but when outbreaks occur, or if you travel outside the country, these may need to be boosted. Malaria and typhoid protection are needed in many countries. Go to the CDC website to check on the country you want to visit to find out what shots and other protections you need: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list/
Shingles is caused by reactivation of your own hidden chicken pox virus we all got as a children. The virus travels down a sensory nerve from your brain or spinal cord where it hides out, to the skin. The patient experiences severe nerve pain while this is happening, and then breaks out in a band of nasty blisters in a location that depends on which nerve the virus traveled down. The pain is severe, can last for months or in some cases for life. Our old shingles vaccine was about 60 percent effective, but did blunt the severity of the cases it did not prevent. Now we have a new one, Shingrex, that is 90 percent effective. It requires two shots a few months apart. It is so popular right now that all of us have run out of it, so get on a waiting list at your doctor’s office or pharmacy.
We have a patient who refused her shingles vaccine over and over again for years, fearing side effects. Then one day she came in with a horrible case of shingles on her chest. Treating her pain and ugly rash was difficult and it was so painful that she could only stand to wear a light T-shirt. After one visit, she walked out into our non-waiting room where another patient had just come in. They talked and the new arrival said she had also refused her shingles shot. The shingles victim pulled up her T-shirt and uncovered her huge, ghastly rash. The new arrival turned pale and with terror in her eyes said to our secretary, “Quick, give me my shingles shot right now!” So far, that patient has never had shingles, but the first one still has some persistent pain years later.
Get your shots! Live long. Be well.
Dr. Thomas W. LaGrelius, M.D., is a certified specialist in family medicine and geriatric medicine. He is the founder and president of Skypark Preferred Family Care, a primary care/geriatrics practice based in Torrance. He is a staff member at Torrance Memorial Medical Center and Providence Little Company of Mary Torrance Hospital. Email questions to email@example.com or go to www.skyparkpfc.com