Shingles vaccine

[David1961]

My doctor wants me to get the vaccine, even though she said there is a chance you will get the shingles even if you get the vaccine. For the folks here, if you got the shot, were there any complications from it - any soreness or other symptoms? Most importantly, if you got the vaccine, have you gotten the shingles?
My father had the shingles in his 80s and he said that was the most pain he ever felt. That made an impression on me.

 

[Meadbh]

We've discussed this numerous times. Here's a thread you might want to read:

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/shingles-vaccination-72789.html

 

[MissMolly]

Both DH and I got the shot almost 2 years ago. I had no reaction whatsoever. DH was red and itchy at the injection site for a couple of days. Neither of us has had shingles. We both had the chicken pox when young.

 

[6miths]

Both DH and I got the shot almost 2 years ago. I had no reaction whatsoever. DH was red and itchy at the injection site for a couple of days. Neither of us has had shingles. We both had the chicken pox when young.

Same except we got it 3 months ago. Me at 53 and DW is 59. DW had a bit of redness and soreness. I had nothing and had my Td booster at the same time in other arm. No issues.

 

[Dreamer]

DH and I both had the shingles shot a few years back. I can't remember us having any problems with it. I did get the Shingles in August 2014. I had such a mild case of the Shingles and was so glad that I had the shot. I would heartily recommend getting the shot.

 

[Telly]

Slight tenderness for a day or so, no complications. Have not had Shingles. Did have Chicken Pox as a kid.

The Shingles shot is administered sub-cutaneous (under the skin), rather than intra-muscle, so it did feel like my arm was being inflated when the shot was given. Which is probably why it was a bit tender later. Regular shots that are into the arm muscle do not create any tenderness in me. A relative got Shingles into an eye (had not gotten the shot). The shot is much nicer!

 

[kramer]

It's the most important vaccination there is because the odds of getting shingles are so high without it (around 1 in 3) and so the probability of reduced suffering is high due both to prevention and attenuated symptoms.

There is a new Shingles vaccine in trials that looks promising and better than the current vaccine:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/29/new-shingles-vaccine-may-offer-improved-protection/?_r=0

New Shingles Vaccine May Offer Improved Protection
By NICHOLAS BAKALAR APRIL 29, 2015 12:08 PM April 29, 2015 12:08 pm 73 Comments
Photo

In a large randomized trial, researchers have found that a newly developed shingles vaccine is about twice as effective as the one currently in use. . . .
Over three years, there were six confirmed cases of shingles in the vaccinated group and 210 among the placebo group. Over all, the vaccine was 97.2 percent effective, with no variation in efficacy by age. The currently used vaccine, Zostavax, made by Merck & Co., is 70 percent effective in people 50 to 59, 64 percent in those 60 to 69 and only 38 percent effective in those 70 and older.

However, I don't know the time frame for that one to become available.

I will say that in my situation I may wait. I am 49 years old and the results of studies on ages 50 and up populations support getting vaccinated as early as age 50. However, with the possible new vaccine, I don't mind waiting an extra year or two for the chance to get it. If I were instead 59, I would probably just get the current vaccine.

 

[braumeister]

Having had shingles in my early 50s, I have to say that it is so painful that anything that might prevent it is worth trying IMHO. I also should mention that I honestly thought I had zero risk of getting shingles because AFAIK I had never had chicken pox as a child. The doc explained to me that it's perfectly possible to have chicken pox without any symptoms, so there went that assumption up in smoke.

I got the vaccine about four years ago, based on the idea that it could prevent a recurrence of the disease. I would do anything to avoid another case of shingles. There was no reaction of any kind to the vaccine.

 

[Corporateburnout]

Had the shot a year ago with no adverse reaction. No shingles so far....

 

[Tandemlovers]

There is another shingles vaccination yet to be released that looks to be more effective:

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/new-shingles-vaccine-works-better-n350566

 

[tmm99]

I am 56 and got vaccinated last year. Zero pain.
I did get a test to see if I ever had chicken pox, since I didn't think I ever did but the test showed I had in fact had chicken pox.



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[Bestwifeever]

I had chicken pox as a kid, and I got the shot last year. Itchy inflammation area around the shot site of about 3" x 5" for a few days after .

I guess I might still get shingles anyway but I didn't see any down side to getting the shot.

 

[Nodak]

I had the shot 2 years ago and had no reaction to it.

 

[easysurfer]

Once you get shingles, can you get that again? Just wondering as I had a shingles outbreak back in college. Had that on parts of my chest and back. For me, the outbreak was more itchy than painful.

 

[REWahoo]

Once you get shingles, can you get that again?

Most definitely.

 

[wrigley]

Once you get shingles, can you get that again? Just wondering as I had a shingles outbreak back in college. Had that on parts of my chest and back. For me, the outbreak was more itchy than painful.

My wife had something similar. She started having what appeared to be a rash of some sort (extremely dry skinned looking) on her elbow and her upper thigh. She treated it with over the counter anti-fungal cream until it got to the point that the itching was driving her crazy. She called me from the doctor's office and told me it was shingles. I though she was %$#@&*# with me. They gave her some pills and in about 5 days it was gone.

Mike

 

[AllDone]

I meant to get a shingles shot last fall when I went to get my flu shot. Somehow I forgot and you can guess what happened about a month later. My case was quite mild -- very, very itchy rather than painful -- but I would still recommend a shingles vaccine. I've seen post-herpetic neuralgia and it stinks.

The CDC recommends waiting 6-12 months after a case of shingles to get the vaccine and I'm going to get the vaccine this year.

 

[Alan]

Once you get shingles, can you get that again? Just wondering as I had a shingles outbreak back in college. Had that on parts of my chest and back. For me, the outbreak was more itchy than painful.

My sister has had chickenpox as a child and shingles twice as an adult.

I had my shingles vaccine in February, along with a Tetanus (and other stuff) booster. The Tetanus shot hurt enough to mask any pain from the shingles shot. Sore shoulder for several days but no other symptoms.

 

[easysurfer]

My sister has had chickenpox as a child and shingles twice as an adult.

I had my shingles vaccine in February, along with a Tetanus (and other stuff) booster. The Tetanus shot hurt enough to mask any pain from the shingles shot. Sore shoulder for several days but no other symptoms.

The Tetanus shot gets you pretty good .

 

[marko]

Got my shot a few years ago. No issues at all.

Funny though: When I went, (local pharmacy) they told me that my insurance wouldn't pay because I was under 59 yo. I told them I was 60 and there must be a mistake. Then I figured if it was like $25, I'd just pay it. They said the shot was $250!!

So I called insurance and sure enough, they had made a mistake and I was ok for them to pay for it.

The pharmacy guy told me that of maybe 40 or 50 people, I was the first one to NOT pay directly and instead force insurance to pay.

 

[HFWR]

No pain from the shingles vaccine, but it did itch some and there was some swelling at the injection site. Guess it took me longer than some to absorb, as there was a bump present for a few weeks.

 

[braumeister]

Once you get shingles, can you get that again?

My understanding is that once the virus is in your system (and it's in practically everyone), it stays there forever with no way to ever eradicate it.

Most of the time, it's dormant, but when it decides to become active, it's shingles time and you're hosed. What the vaccine does is to strengthen your own immune system to deal with the virus.

 

[Ian S]

Got the shot last year and it was paid by my individual insurance policy. Don't remember any reaction to it but then I rarely do have a problem with shots. I have not had the shingles. I don't remember if I had chicken pox as a kid but my mother thought I might have had a mild case.

 

[unclemick]

Both DH and I got the shot almost 2 years ago. I had no reaction whatsoever. DH was red and itchy at the injection site for a couple of days. Neither of us has had shingles. We both had the chicken pox when young.

2 years ago - no itch no twitch but I did have to part with about $200 at the drug store. DW was covered by her retirement health plan.

heh heh heh - years ago I took Mom to the ER Mardis Gras day. In her 80's it started near her nose and cheek headed toward the left eye. Spent a week in the hospital.

 

[Bamaman]

My wife and I both got the vaccine a year ago. When we went to Hawaii for the month of February, my wife was itching all over. She had medicine for neuropathy (legs and feet), and that medicine stopped her itching immediately.
On our last week there, she broke out around her neck. The rash was itchy and uncomfortable but not exactly painful.
Her rash peeled upon our getting home. It was only then that we realized that she had a very mild set of shingles, and had she not had that vaccine she'd have been in severe pain.
Get the shot.