Boostrix Side Effects

Commonly reported Boostrix side effects include pain, headaches, and fatigue. However, most people tolerate the vaccination well and, in most cases, the side effects are mild and easily treated. If you experience more serious problems, such as a high fever, difficulty breathing, or paralysis, you should report them immediately to your healthcare provider.

An Introduction to Boostrix Side Effects

Like all vaccines, Boostrix® (Tdap vaccine) can cause side effects. However, not everyone who receives it will have problems. In fact, most people tolerate the medication quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or are easily treated by you or your healthcare provider.
 
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Boostrix. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Boostrix side effects with you.)
 

Common Side Effects of Boostrix

Boostrix has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials. In these studies, side effects that occurred in a group of people who received Boostrix were documented and then compared to those that occurred in a similar group of people who were given a similar vaccine that did not have the pertussis component (the traditional "Td" vaccine that has been given to adults for years). As a result, it was possible to see what side effects occurred, how often they appeared, and how they compared to the group given the Td vaccine.
 
In these studies, the most common side effects of Boostrix included:
 
  • Pain -- in up to 75.3 percent of people
  • Redness -- up to 47.7 percent
  • Headaches -- up to 43.1 percent
  • Swelling -- up to 38.9 percent
  • Fatigue -- up to 37 percent
  • Gastrointestinal symptoms (such as stomach upset) -- up to 26 percent
  • Fever -- up to 13.5 percent.
     
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD
 
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