What are the possible side effects of influenza virus injectable vaccine?
Influenza virus injectable (killed virus) vaccine will not cause you to become ill with the
flu virus that it contains. However, you may have flu-like symptoms at any time during flu
season that may be caused by other strains of influenza virus.
You should not receive a booster vaccine if you had a
life-threatening allergic
reaction after the first shot.
Keep track of any and all side effects you have after receiving this vaccine. If you
ever have to receive another influenza virus vaccine in the future, you will need to tell the doctor
if the first shot caused any side effects.
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these
signs of an allergic
reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
Less serious side effects may include:
-
low fever, chills;
-
redness, bruising, pain, swelling, or a lump where the
vaccine was injected;
-
headache, tired feeling; or
-
joint or muscle pain.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell
your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.
What other drugs will affect influenza virus injectable vaccine?
Before receiving this vaccine, tell your doctor if you are using phenytoin (Dilantin),
theophylline (Respbid, Slo-Bid, Theodur, Uniphyl), or a blood thinner (warfarin, Coumadin).
Also tell the doctor if you have recently received drugs or treatments that can weaken the
immune system, including:
-
an oral, nasal, inhaled, or injectable steroid medicine;
-
medications to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or
other autoimmune disorders, such as azathioprine (Imuran), efalizumab (Raptiva), etanercept
(Enbrel), leflunomide (Arava), and others; or
-
medicines to treat or prevent organ transplant rejection,
such as basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf), muromonab-CD3
(Orthoclone), mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept), sirolimus (Rapamune), or tacrolimus (Prograf).
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact
with this vaccine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications
you have received. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by
other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
Where can I get more information?
Your doctor or pharmacist may have information about influenza virus vaccine written for
health professionals that you may read. You may also find additional information from your
local health department or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children,
never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
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