Before getting hepatitis B, tell your health care professional if you are allergic to it; or to other vaccines; or if you have any other allergies.
Before using this vaccine, tell your health care professional your medical history, especially of: bleeding problems (such as hemophilia, low platelets, anticoagulant treatment), current illness with fever.
This vaccine may not respond as well to hemodialysis patients, so they will need to have hepatitis A or B antibody levels checked yearly if you are a. If antibodies drop too low over time, they may be given another dose of vaccine (often called a booster shot).
If you have decreased immune function from other medications (see also Drug Interactions) or other illness (such as HIV, leukemia, lymphoma, other cancer), your body may not make enough antibodies to protect you from hepatitis A or hepatitis B infection. Antibody levels may be checked after the vaccine series.
The elderly may not make as many antibodies to the vaccine. Talk to your doctor for more details.
During pregnancy, this vaccine should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.
It is unknown if this vaccine passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
Interactions
Some products that may interact with this vaccine include:
- chemotherapy
- corticosteroids (such as prednisone, dexamethasone)
- drugs that weaken the immune system (such as cyclosporine, tacrolimus, mycophenolate)
Other vaccines may be given at the same time as hepatitis A/hepatitis B vaccine, but should be given with separate syringes and at different injection sites.
Notes
As with any vaccine, this vaccine may not fully protect everyone who receives it.
Laboratory and/or medical tests (such as hepatitis A or B antibody levels) may be performed periodically for some patients at risk of a poor response to the vaccine. Consult your doctor for more details.
Keep vaccine records for yourself and all of your children, and after your children are grown provide their records to them and their doctors. This will prevent unnecessary re-vaccinations.
Missed Dose
It is important to receive each vaccination as scheduled. Be sure to ask when each dose should be received and make a note on a calendar to help you remember.
Storage
Store in the refrigerator. Do not freeze. Keep all medications away from children and pets.
Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company.