Vaccines and Brain Injury: There’s No In-Between

Joyce Hoffman

03 Apr, 2025

Joyce Hoffman is one of the world's top 10 stroke bloggers according to the Medical News Today. You can find the original post and other blogs Joyce Wrote in The Tales of a Stroke Survivor. As a site affiliated with Strokefocus, we are authorized to repost blogs from the Tales of A Stroke Patient.

If you really want their honest opinions, the next time you’re with a group of people, begin talking about vaccines. The opinions go from white to black. There’s no in-between. You’re either for vaccines or against them. Hardly nobody cared until the pandemic, and then almost everybody cared.

“Did you get the COVID shot yet?” or “How come you didn’t get it? Do you want to sicken other people?”

For me, it was exhausting.

CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE YOU TAKE ANY VACCINE

And for someone with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or stroke, most vaccines are safe and favorable. However, certain jabs may require extra vigilance due to potential side effects on brain health, blood pressure, and immune system, especially with a brain injury. Here’s what’s up:

Live vaccines (MMR, Varicella, Yellow Fever, Flu nasal spray)

If you are on immunosuppressants for post-stroke inflammation or other conditions, live vaccines may not be safe.
Live vaccines could cause a strong immune system, leading to fatigue, inflammation, or mild fever.

Flu and COVID-19 vaccines may cause inflammation and even lower blood pressure

If you had a stroke and the cause was blood clots, some COVID-19 vaccines had rare blood clot risks.
Some people with brain damage have reported temporary worsening of brain fog, dizziness, or fatigue after flu or COVID-19 shots.
mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have a rare risk of myocarditis/pericarditis (inflammatory conditions that affect the heart), which could affect blood pressure—very important if you already have low blood pressure.

Shingles vaccine (Shingrix)

The Shingles vaccine could cause a strong inflammatory response that may temporarily worsen brain fog or fatigue in people with brain damage.

Tdap for Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tetanus enters the body through cuts or wounds. Diphtheria and Pertussis–whooping cough–spread from person to person.)

If you have a history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS is which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves), talk to your doctor before getting Tdap.
Some people with TBI or other neurological conditions report worsening muscle tightness or nerve pain after the injection.

Even though some vaccines need caution, many are highly recommended to prevent complications:

Pneumococcal (PPSV23, PCV15/20) to reduce the risk of pneumonia, which can lead to stroke complications
Tdap/Td (if needed) to avoid Tetanus and Pertussis which can cause breathing or nervous system issues

Before getting a vaccine, a checklist is in order:

Blood pressure to make sure it’s stable before the vaccination
Low fatigue to delay scheduling a vaccine when you’re extremely tired
Current symptoms to delay the shot if experiencing brain fog, dizziness, or inflammation
Medications to be certain there are no interactions with immunosuppressants or blood thinners
Hydration to drink extra water and rest for a good night’s sleep before the vaccine

Me? I got all the childhood vaccines but only one COVID 19 shot. No, I don’t “want to sicken other people,” but the people in my group were persuasive. There’s no in-between, remember?