New Shingrx Shingles Vaccine

[Firedafter30]

I had my 2nd shot yesterday - about 2 months after the first. Sore arm again, but does not seem as bad as the first shot. BUT, did have a 101 fever and chills last night and generally feeling unwell. Did not have that with the 1st shot. Feeling totally fine today.

[gerntz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ls99 Most places around here (SW PA) have a 4 to 5 page waiting list. None know when the stuff will show up.

Clearly the shortage didn't clear out in July. Still better than not having it at all for some/most people.

[Canoeboy]

Speaking from experience, shingles is not fun to get. Beyond the intense pain and disfiguring scabs for a good month or so, there is the possibility of long term complications. Specifically, 1) post herpatic neuralgia (nerve pain) can last months, years, even decades. 2) if you are unlucky to get shingles on the face, there is the possibility of nerve damage to teeth roots - eventual need for root canals, implants, etc. From my perspective (4 decades post shingles), the vaccine is a bargain.

[NoMoreJob]

We got our first shots two months ago and second a couple of days ago. I was a little tired the day following my first shot. I felt like a truck hit me the night and day following my second. This is the second day. I slept 11 hours straight last night and I feel much better today. My wife wasn't affected much, just a little tired.

[NoMoreJob]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoMoreJob We got our first shots two months ago and second a couple of days ago. I was a little tired the day following my first shot. I felt like a truck hit me the night and day following my second. This is the second day. I slept 11 hours straight last night and I feel much better today. My wife wasn't affected much, just a little tired.

Another few hours has now passed and my wife has developed a large red itchy painful hot blister about 3" in diameter just below the injection site. Hopefully this is the worst of it for her.

[GTFan]

Still not available at my Dr's for second shot, but I have plenty of time.

[timo2]

I finally was able to get my first shot a few weeks ago. What happened is my local Costco has a waiting list. They called me and I arranged a time to go. Before that time, Costco called back and said they wanted to rescind that offer, as they were just informed that they were not going to get any more vaccine until January and that that was too long to wait for the second shot. Thanks to this thread I was able to question that, and when they still resisted, I asked them to give me the old vaccine (it has been 5 yrs. since my original old vaccine). After being on hold for a while, they relented and I was able to get the first shot.

DW (only just 60)was still on the waiting list, and her Dr. said it was OK for her to wait until January since her immune systems was in good shape. I'm glad he told her that because it was a little tricky explaining why I ran off to get a shot without waiting for her.

[GTFan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTFan Still not available at my Dr's for second shot, but I have plenty of time.

Called back this week and found that they had saved some shots for folks needing the second one so I got it today. Arm doesn't seem as sore tonight, we'll see tomorrow (IIRC it was worse the next day for the first one).

[Rascal]

My insurance covers Shingrix, my cost $0. Because I have chronic CLL (in remission) my oncologist told me not to get Zostex. I'm going to ask him about Shingrix next time I see him in October.

[timo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rascal My insurance covers Shingrix, my cost $0. Because I have chronic CLL (in remission) my oncologist told me not to get Zostex. I'm going to ask him about Shingrix next time I see him in October.

My insurance also covers Shingrix. However, COSTCO charged me a copay. So I had to send in a reimbursement form to my insurance company.

The medical industrial complex has really fouled up the release of the Shingrix vaccine, IMO>

[stephenson]

Wife and I got Shingrix 1 and then Shingrix 2, along with quadrivalent flu at local Walgreens. Pharmacists do the injections.

Cost 0. (retired military Tricare)

Side effects same for Shingrix 1 and 2:
Wife - sore arm for 24 hours
Me - very sore arm for 48 hours with red area about 1.5" x 3" ...

[NoMoreJob]

Quote:

Originally Posted by timo2 My insurance also covers Shingrix. However, COSTCO charged me a copay. So I had to send in a reimbursement form to my insurance company. The medical industrial complex has really fouled up the release of the Shingrix vaccine, IMO>

For us the social media hype about problems (i.e. limited availability) turned out to be much worse than the actual situation. We walked in and got our first injection. Eight weeks later we checked and there was no supply so the pharmacy (WalMart) put us on a waitlist. We received a call one week later saying to come in for our second injection.

There was some confusion whether my wife's ACA policy would cover Shingrix. The insurance company told her "no" but the pharmacy CS person said that she was running the insurance anyway and sure enough, both shots were covered!

It's early for Shingrix. I'm sure the bumps will smooth out before too long.

[travelover]

I'm at almost 6 months since shot #1 and on Costco's waiting list - I hope. The pharm tech took my name and number on a piece of scrap paper.

[timo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover I'm at almost 6 months since shot #1 and on Costco's waiting list - I hope. The pharm tech took my name and number on a piece of scrap paper.

My Costco said new doses would not be in for them until January. They do seem to have an actual list that they can find people on, however.

[NoMoreJob]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover I'm at almost 6 months since shot #1 and on Costco's waiting list - I hope. The pharm tech took my name and number on a piece of scrap paper.

I would recommend checking back in person to make sure you are on the list. It also can't hurt to be a bit of a squeaky wheel. We had planned to check back with our pharmacy about a week after being put on their waitlist but were called to come in for our second shot before we had the chance to. Good luck!!

[Ally]

I got both mine, but my husband was on a Walgreens wait list. I called some small independent pharmacies and they had it and no wait list, so he went to one last week.

[Dreamer]

My DH received his first shot a few months ago. He went to Sam's Club last week and was put on a wait list. They called him the next day and he received the second shot. I still need to get mine.

[Potstickers]

Was at the doctor's for a checkup yesterday and learned that they'd just received a batch. Had my first shot and today I feel like a truck hit me. Ache everywhere. Headache. The arm is red hot with a big lump around the injection site. I was smart enough to get it in my left arm since I sleep on my right side.

Still, after watching two friends end up hospitalized with shingles pain and post-herpetic neuralgia, I'm glad I got it.

[ls99]

Got message from Walgreens, have vaccine, showed up and got the first jab. Along with a high dose of flushot. And coughed up $165, as my prescription plan has not reached the out of pocket the minimum this year. Medicare covered the flu jab.

[Lakedog]

Got 2nd dose almost exactly two months after the first at a local Kroger. Asked about availability, the pharmacist indicated that they have not had an issue over the last month or so.

With first shot had only very minor arm soreness , 2nd shot had flu-like symptoms for about 24 hours.