Vomitting after both flu and pneumonia vaccinations

[Robin311]

Hello, I have a question that I THINK I know the answer to but I want to see if what has happened to me is common. I had a flu shot for the last time 12 years ago. I am a type I diabetic (since I was a child, diagnosed 33 years ago), under tight control, and work in an ambulatory surgery center so it was HIGHLY recommended. I had the shot and the next day experienced projectile vomiting immediately after eating breakfast. The bought of vomiting was very, let's say 'dramatic', to say the least. I didn't think at the time that it was due to the shot but later it gave me cause to wonder. Consequently, I have not had a flu shot in 12 years but today my doctor talked me into a pneumonia shot. About 10 hours after the shot I had sever diarrhea & then downright EXPLOSIVE vomiting. I'd just had low blood sugar even though I ate my dinner but the more juice I drank the more nauseated I felt - until I vomited. Now I feel almost 100% fine but I have never experienced vomiting like that in my life. I am assuming that the reason my blood sugar would not come up (I'd had a LOT of juice AND dinner w/o insulin with it - because I was starting to feel a little nauseous & didn't want to risk a low BS at that time) because everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) in my stomach was indigested. So my question is this: Could there be something in both the flu and pneumonia shots that caused this VERY dramatic bought of vomiting TWO times 12 years apart?

[mkh9]

It does sound suspicious. I am allergic to a couple of topicals. Metrogel makes my face swell and peel and itch badly and also a couple of topical steroids in the same class. It could be the metronidazole or it can be the carrier that can cause the problem. The same with the steroid topcals. I would get patch tested if you want to really know. I need to have that done because I am allergic to almost all topical antibiotics except erythromycin. I know it may be from over use or it could be a common ingredient. The dermatologist told me this, it wasn't my idea. So, I'm not surprised that this could happen. If you really want to find out try getting patch tested. I haven't done it because I don't want to itch. I am sick of itching. But, I will have to go in and do it sometime. So that is my advice to you.
mkh9

[Robin311]

Thank you, mkh9 - I know it sounds crazy or like I am an 'anti vaccine enthusiast' or something, which I never was and truly did not think for a second that the pneumonia vaccine would cause such similar side effects but after those 2 events 12 years apart I am very concerned about what is  in the vaccines other than the 'active ingredients'. I know that some vaccines are preserved with mercury which is supposed to be a 'safe level' but I can honestly say that even though I have a family of people in the medical field, work in healthcare administration myself and generally and not 'anti drugs' (prescription, of course) I do have concerns over some of the preservatives. I know from ordering flu vaccine for the surgery center where I worked at the time that they can get 10 vaccines to 1 if they use the preservative and with the vaccines being in such short supply in the last few years I cannot help but be skeptical. I did research a bit and learned that indeed, the ingredients are not the same but I am also SURE that not ALL ingredients are listed. I think I must have a sensitivity (I can call in that 'casually' now but the night of the pneumonia vaccine it felt a heck of a lot like more than just a sensitivity) to one of the ingredients that is used in both vaccines, and my only guess would be a preservative or something like that. I can't know for sure but it certainly wasn't 'all in my head' as I was NOT even thinking about the possibility of getting so sick from a different vaccine 12 years later. It's a mystery!

[mkh9]

Yes it does sound suspicious.
mkh9

[Robin311]

Hi mkh9. no, I'm not allergic to eggs. I've come to the conclusion that I must have a reaction to something like one of the preservatives in the vaccinations. I can't imagine anything else that could cause nearly the exact same reaction 12 years apart.

[mkh9]

Hi, and sorry I took so long getting to your post. I am not a doctor but can give you advice. Are you allergic to eggs? One of the side effects of the flu vaccine is "occasional vomiting or diarrhea." Obviously, if you are allergic to eggs you probably would have had a more severe reaction but people have different reactions to food allergies. Also, perhaps for you the vaccine seems to give you vomiting as the norm rather than occasionally. The pneumococcal vaccine PCV 13  says you can have vomiting as a side effect as well.  I assume the pneumococcal 23 has the same effect. The ingredients are actually different than the flu vaccine there are no similarities. There is no egg in the pneumococcal vaccine or other ingredients that are similar.
So it may be a side effect or something else going on rather than the ingredients. Hope this helps. I would bring this up with your doctor.
mkh9