Incredible Hulk actor Lou Ferrigno, 67, hospitalized after ‘botched pneumonia vaccine’ that left him with fluid in his bicep
- Ferrigno, 67, posted a photo of himself in a hospital bed on Twitter on Wednesday
- He said the pneumonia shot left him with fluid in his bicep
- Vaccine injuries can happen when the needle hits a fluid-filled sac, rather than the muscle
The Incredible Hulk actor Lou Ferrigno says he was hospitalized by a botched pneumonia vaccine.
Ferrigno, 67, posted a photo of himself in a hospital bed on Twitter on Wednesday, saying the shot left him with fluid in his bicep.
‘I’ll be ok but it’s important that you keep an eye on who’s giving the shot and make sure they not only swab the spot correctly but that you watch the needle come out of the package,’ he said.
Lou Ferrigno posted this photo on Wednesday, saying: ‘Went in for a pneumonia shot and landed up here with fluid in my bicep’
The Incredible Hulk actor, 67, had gone in for a routine pneumonia shot, which is recommended for over-65s
Vaccine injuries are rare but not unheard of.
The biggest concern doctors warn of is not to administer the shot too high, which can cause something known as SIRVA.
It means that instead of hitting the muscle, they hit a fluid-filled sac (the bursa) higher up.
Symptoms are debilitating, making it hard to lift the arm, with sharp pain, tingling, and difficulty sleeping.
SIRVA (shoulder injuries related to vaccine administration) was first identified a few years ago, prompting the US Court of Federal Claims to establish a specific committee for this sort of thing.
Since 2011, at least 112 patients have received compensation.
Ferrigno, who made his name as a bodybuilder and actor, lost 80 percent of his hearing as a child, which he believes was due to infections as a baby
The Brooklyn-born star has used hearing aids his entire life
Ferrigno, who made his name as a bodybuilder and actor, lost 80 percent of his hearing as a child, which he believes was due to infections as a baby.
He has used hearing aids his entire life.
It’s not clear exactly what flu shot Ferrigno received.
There are two types of FDA-approved pneumonia vaccines that health officials recommend for people over 65: PCV13 and PPSV23.
PCV13 protects against 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria and PPSV23 against 23.
Babies and elderly adults should routinely receive both, but not at the same time.