Anyone else get sick after Whooping Cough vaccine?

preggoandglowing · October 2015

I got my shot a week and a half ago and a couple days later I got a sore throat which has now turned into a full on cold. I'm generally pretty healthy and rarely get sick so can't help but want to blame it on the vaccine.

At the same appointment, doctor wanted to give me the flu shot and I refused because I've gotten in the past and got pretty sick every single time (go figure, I got sick anyway). When I told my doctor, she said it's impossible to get sick from a vaccine. So how do you explain this??

keiragann · October 2015

Your lowered immune system could explain it.

VesperLove · October 2015

Side effects.

Both the flu and whooping cough vaccine have side effects that mimic flu symptoms but they aren't actually a sickness (meaning if you were tested for either it would be negative and you aren't able to pass it along to someone else). These side effects happen just like an aspirin might make you nauseous. Merely an effect of the meds being in your system but not an actual flu or cold. These most common side effects are fatigue, fever, body aches, etc.

During pregnancy, your immune system is already weaker so if you add additional fatigue or a fever it isn't unlikely that you might be more susceptible to picking up a cold that you were in contact with around the same time ... but not from the vaccine itself.

FinePlacentaPie · October 2015

*lurking*

You cannot get the flu from a flu vaccine. It is an inactivated virus. The only exception is the nasal mist version, because it contains live virus, but you still would not get the flu itself, rather side effects that mimic a mild case of it.

A cold is very different from whooping cough. It is very likely you already had the cold virus and it was just not manifesting as symptoms at the time you got the vaccine. You may have experienced a minor decrease in immune function after getting the shot, which resulted in a full blown cold.

crisobrewha · October 2015

My husband also felt ill after his whooping cough vaccine. We don't know why (we think he's sensitive to vaccines of any kind), but it went away in a couple of days and now he's just fine. I personally think that some people just react differently than the vast majority of folks to vaccines.

mltarrio · October 2015

As an immunologist I would like to chime in here. The PP are correct, you cannot get the flu from a flu shot, and you cannot get whopping cough from a TDAP vaccine. The side effects from vaccines are your body mounting an immunologic response to the vaccine, which is what ultimately gives you protection. The same way you might get a fever responding to the flu, you could get one responding to the vaccine, but you won't get all the other flu symptoms that come with it because there is no live virus to replicate and cause the other symptoms. So think of the side effects as evidence of your body working correctly to give you protection.

The other possible explanation is that you just got unlucky and you were exposed to a cold at the same time your body was busy mounting a response to the vaccine. Your immune system is not at its best during pregnancy, and colds are rampant this time of year.

In any case, I hope you feel better. Getting sick while pregnant is the WORST because you can't take most medications. I had the cold from hell a few weeks ago and it took a solid 14 days to clear.

kepoole · October 2015

I got super sick for days (high fever and chills/body aches) after the flu shot. But I had a little bit of a cold and my blood work from that same day as the shot showed my wbc was high so it made sense. You can't "get sick" because of a vaccine. However if you already have any sort of cold or something, esp with your lowered immune system because of being pregnant, it can definitely intensify it. That's why the tell you after kids get their vaccines to watch for fevers and things above a certain point because they expect them to run a mild to
Moderate fever after. I waited on getting my TDap because of that until I was better so
I wouldn't react again.

Catherine1021 · October 2015

I got the flu shot and TDap at the same time. About 12 hours later (in the middle of the night) I had body aches and a low fever. It only lasted for one day, so I'm pretty sure it was a side effect of one or both of the vaccines. It is my understanding that side effects from vaccines usually show up within hours, not days, and usually only last for a couple of days at the most. So your illness probably doesn't have anything to do with the vaccinations. I hope you feel better soon.

breezypip · October 2015

Besides the explaination of PPs above of the possible side effects, it can also just be a coincidence. A certain amount of people who get vaccines would have gotten sick, shot or no shot.

I felt fine after both my flu and TDAP shots this year. I've gotten a cold after a flu shot before, but they weren't related - just a coincidence.

preggoandglowing · October 2015

Thanks for the very informative responses. I wish my doctor had taken more time to explain all this since it makes way more sense now. For the record, my symptoms are sneezing, runny nose, congestion, scratchy throat with light cough.

nik6499 · October 2015

Sounds like you caught a cold, coincidentally

garrettnr · October 2015

I caught a cold the day after my shot as well.

Nothing like having a cold and a sore arm. Haha

kelseyofanne · October 2015

preggoandglowing said:
Thanks for the very informative responses. I wish my doctor had taken more time to explain all this since it makes way more sense now. For the record, my symptoms are sneezing, runny nose, congestion, scratchy throat with light cough.

Yeah that's definitely just a cold and not whooping cough!

BellaM110 · October 2015

I felt very run down the day after I had my TDAP so I thought I was getting sick but then it ended up being nothing. I figured it was just my body responding to the vaccine (pregnant/weakened immune system). I have gotten the tdap vaccine before and I get the flu vaccine every year and I've never gotten gotten "sick" from either.

CArden74 · October 2015

I haven't had mine yet because I actually am recovering from a cold. Blah, but let me tell you this. I will GLADLY get the tdap and take the side effects over Whooping Cough. I got Whooping Cough about 5 years ago and it was the most heinous thing I have ever had (sucked even worse than getting my tonsils out!) I coughed so hard and so often that I bruised my ribs. And the worst part is that it lasted about 5 months!! 5 months of coughing is downright MADDENING and you can't take cough suppressants as that only makes it last longer. The only way to get rid of it is to cough it out. Horrid.

jenbstevens · October 2015

I got sick after TDAP but was fine after flu shot. Felt like I had the flu starting about two days after the TDAP, fever, headache, throwing up etc. Stayed home from work for two days.

ETA I also had pain and weakness in the arm where I got the TDAP for almost a week after. Didn't have any of these issues with the flu shot.

tralalablah · October 2015

CArden74 said:

I haven't had mine yet because I actually am recovering from a cold. Blah, but let me tell you this. I will GLADLY get the tdap and take the side effects over Whooping Cough. I got Whooping Cough about 5 years ago and it was the most heinous thing I have ever had (sucked even worse than getting my tonsils out!) I coughed so hard and so often that I bruised my ribs. And the worst part is that it lasted about 5 months!! 5 months of coughing is downright MADDENING and you can't take cough suppressants as that only makes it last longer. The only way to get rid of it is to cough it out. Horrid.

In theory though, since you have now had the actual disease, you should have lifetime immunity. So why would you get the vaccine now? I'm actually curious about this, since I've had the actual disease too. If I'm not really concerned about diptheria and tetanus right now, I could wait to get boosters for those later, right? Basically, I'm curious to know if getting another vaccine is what gives the baby protection, or do the titer thingies do that the same way the vaccine does?

@mltarrio

redfallon · October 2015

@tralalablah said:

CArden74 said:

I haven't had mine yet because I actually am recovering from a cold. Blah, but let me tell you this. I will GLADLY get the tdap and take the side effects over Whooping Cough. I got Whooping Cough about 5 years ago and it was the most heinous thing I have ever had (sucked even worse than getting my tonsils out!) I coughed so hard and so often that I bruised my ribs. And the worst part is that it lasted about 5 months!! 5 months of coughing is downright MADDENING and you can't take cough suppressants as that only makes it last longer. The only way to get rid of it is to cough it out. Horrid.

In theory though, since you have now had the actual disease, you should have lifetime immunity. So why would you get the vaccine now? I'm actually curious about this, since I've had the actual disease too. If I'm not really concerned about diptheria and tetanus right now, I could wait to get boosters for those later, right? Basically, I'm curious to know if getting another vaccine is what gives the baby protection, or do the titer thingies do that the same way the vaccine does?
@mltarrio

Getting the TDAP in 3rd tri isn't all for you. It's for you to also pass antibodies onto the baby to help them in their first few weeks before they can get their own first round of shots for this. That's why it is recommended for every pregnancy during 3rd tri. I got one 2 years ago while pregnant with DD and will get another one this time around.

VesperLove · October 2015

What @redfallon said ... my doc explained that baby gets the vaccine but it's three shots over the length of a year ... and all baby's antibodies before that come from mom. So, he recommends all moms to get it during third tri just to ensure that baby has some extra antibodies in those first few months.

nik6499 · October 2015

I had whooping cough in high school, worst 6 months of my life. I still choose to get the vaccines because I don't want to find out whether or not the disease left lasting antibodies or if the effects are similar to vaccine and diminish over time. I'll take anything over getting that again.

acanfield18 · October 2015

I had mine last week, not only is my arm still really sore, I've felt like I'm getting sick all week. I'm tired, achy, sore throat and headache. all this on top of being huge and swollen is annoying and discouraging.

sbodman82 · October 2015

Is it wrong im super nervous and am waiting until after i give birth to get the vaccines?

redfallon · October 2015

@sbodman82 said:

Is it wrong im super nervous and am waiting until after i give birth to get the vaccines?

You certainly don't have to do anything, but it is highly recommended that you get the vaccine during your third trimester of pregnancy to help protect your unborn baby before the baby can get his/her own shots.

https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/pregnant/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/pregnant/mom/get-vaccinated.html

mltarrio · October 2015

tralalablah Anyone who has previously had the disease or been vaccinated has some antibodies to fight the infection, but these wane over time, which is why booster vaccinations are recommended. The reason they time the TDAP toward the end of pregnancy, and recommend getting it even if you have been previously infected or immunized, is because you are passing the protective antibodies on to the baby, and the peak of your antibody response to the vaccine is several weeks after the shot. So even if you have immunity, you won't pass on optimal protection without a booster vaccine.

sbodman82 I understand being nervous about vaccines, given all the bad information that is out there about their safety. But if you wait until after the baby is born to get your vaccines you are offering the baby no protection whatsoever. You might as well not get them at all if you are going to wait until after birth. Not to scare you, but the flu and pertussis are both minor illnesses for adults, but can be life-threatening for a baby, so any protection you can give them is a huge advantage.

Overall, I am super impressed by this group and the level of understanding about vaccines here. You all are some well-informed ladies!

tralalablah · October 2015

mltarrio said:

tralalablah Anyone who has previously had the disease or been vaccinated has some antibodies to fight the infection, but these wane over time, which is why booster vaccinations are recommended. The reason they time the TDAP toward the end of pregnancy, and recommend getting it even if you have been previously infected or immunized, is because you are passing the protective antibodies on to the baby, and the peak of your antibody response to the vaccine is several weeks after the shot. So even if you have immunity, you won't pass on optimal protection without a booster vaccine.

@mltarrio

Ok, thank you!! -- one last question though. Does it matter at all that I had it while pregnant this time? It was around the end of the first trimester. I'm curious if baby got the antibodies since my body was actively fighting the infection around weeks 11-13. I know it seems nitpicky, and I realize it would not give baby any permanent immunity since their immune systems aren't fully developed, but it seems like it should function similarly to getting the vaccine as far as some immunity. Also, I didn't realize that antibodies against the actual disease wane over time like those in a vaccine. Is that how titers work? When you get your titers checked, does it know the difference between vaccine immunity and post-disease immunity? Like could my doc know the difference with a blood test? I guess I should have paid attention in my biology classes, but those were twenty years ago and Dr. Google isn't coming up with any very clear answers on any of this.

maryleffue · October 2015

I didn't get sick at all but man was my arm sore for days!!!!!

mltarrio · October 2015

Wow @tralalablah you are breaking out the big guns with these questions!

There is no way to distinguish between natural immunity and vaccine immunity by measuring titers. The half-life of maternal antibodies to pertussis is estimated at 6 weeks, so even though your baby got natural antibodies from you at ~12 weeks, your baby would have less than 1/32 of those original antibodies remaining in circulation at delivery. So timing the TDAP vaccine at 32 weeks is an effort to give the baby the highest possible circulating levels of antibody, because it takes ~2 weeks for optimal titers, and these are reduced by half in the 6 weeks following the peak.

I am so sorry you had to go through whooping cough during your pregnancy - that must have been terrible! I would recommend asking your doc or midwife what they suggest. I am guessing your doctor would still recommend a booster at the end of your pregnancy, but every doctor is different.

CArden74 · October 2015

Basically, what @tralalablah said. Also, I am not sure how long having the disease once protects me. I am don't think it is a forever sort of thing. I am just figuring better safe than sorry.

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