New Shingrx Shingles Vaccine

[Boho]

24 hours later and still practically no bad side effects. A few hours after the vaccine I got slight pain when I raised my arm which I still have but it doesn't prevent me from going anything. Not even work that requires a raised arm. In fact, after a few repetitions of raising my arm just now there was practically no pain. I'm going to do the same things for the second shot in two months. One thing I didn't mention that I did was low weight, high rep arm workouts, which I'd been doing every few days for a while. Hammer curls and sometimes overhead presses and a few bicep curls. I work through the burn just a little bit. It might have built up my blood vessels and helped circulate the vaccine faster.

 

[explanade]

Were you able to brush your teeth?

 

[Born2BRetd]

I never had chicken pox and was very nervous in my second pregnancy since it seemed that all the children at my daughter's preschool had chicken pox. I was tested for antibodies during the pregnancy so it wasn't a case of asymptomatic infection even though my Mom put me in the same room as my brother when he caught the pox.

The chicken pox vaccine came out right around the time my son was born and I lined up quickly for my shot. So, the question is, do I get the Shingrix vaccine? I'm sure the effectiveness of the chicken pox vaccine I got 26 years ago has worn off. I have very little exposure to children currently and, as far as I know, chicken pox outbreaks aren't too common any more due to vaccines. I'm trying to weigh the chance of even catching chicken pox versus possible side effects of the vaccine.

 

[stephenson]

Born2,

Ask your doc.

Me? I’ve seen Shingles - I gladly got the initial version and then Shingrix - gladly.

If there was a chance - even a small one, of getting Shingles, I would GLADLY get the shots.

Did I say gladly enough?

 

[Born2BRetd]

Born2,

Ask your doc.

Me? I’ve seen Shingles - I gladly got the initial version and then Shingrix - gladly.

If there was a chance - even a small one, of getting Shingles, I would GLADLY get the shots.

Did I say gladly enough?

In order for me to have shingles, I would have to get chicken pox first....

I have seen shingles cases, including my husband's, and know how bad they can be so I'm not disputing the need for the Shingles vaccine just the need for it in my particular case.

 

[REWahoo]

In order for me to have shingles, I would have to get chicken pox first....

Sure you haven't?

According to the CDC, “Studies show that more than 99% of Americans 40 years and older have had chickenpox, even if they don’t remember having the disease.”

The shingles vaccine is a much stronger version of the chickenpox vaccine given to kids, so it would also protect against chickenpox.

https://www.berkeleywellness.com/se...gles-vaccine-even-if-you-never-had-chickenpox

 

[Born2BRetd]

Sure you haven't?





https://www.berkeleywellness.com/se...gles-vaccine-even-if-you-never-had-chickenpox

I was tested for antibodies when I was pregnant and shortly afterward was given the chicken pox vaccine.

 

[Koolau]

Born2,

Ask your doc.

Me? I’ve seen Shingles - I gladly got the initial version and then Shingrix - gladly.

If there was a chance - even a small one, of getting Shingles, I would GLADLY get the shots.

Did I say gladly enough?

I completely understand your reluctance to take a vaccine you may not need since you've not experienced chicken pox.

Much as we, here on the forum love sharing our vast (and I mean that sincerely) depth of experience, most of us are not truly subject experts - especially on medical matters. Your physician IS such an expert and should be consulted on such matters. Only s/he (hopefully) keeps up on the latest regarding everyday stuff like vaccinations.

My 2 cents worth would be that we need at LEAST one more "gladly" thrown in. So, I'll say it. I'd GLADLY get the shots and pay a $grand for EACH, having seen my DW suffer with shingles.

GLADLY but YMMV.

 

[Boho]

The following sounds like having had chickenpox makes you immune from the virus that causes shingles, which sounds like if you had chickenpox you can't get shingles. It's not material written for the general public, but it's still available to the general public through a Google search and they should have made it more novice friendly:

Ensuring Immunity to Varicella in Health Care Workers

Evaluate HCW’s varicella immune status
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), with support from the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC), recommends that health care institutions ensure that all HCWs have evidence of immunity to varicella. Evidence of immunity includes any of the following:
▪ Documentation of two doses of varicella vaccine;
▪ Blood tests showing immunity due to a history of disease; or
▪ Documentation of a diagnosis or verified history of varicella (chickenpox) or zoster (shingles) from a health care provider.

I think maybe it's saying that you can't get the virus again once you already have it, so you're technically immune to it even though you can get shingles from it.

Anyway, I still don't have an answer for Born2BRetd.

 

[Koolau]

The following sounds like having had chickenpox makes you immune from the virus that causes shingles, which sounds like if you had chickenpox you can't get shingles. It's not material written for the general public, but it's still available to the general public through a Google search and they should have made it more novice friendly:

Ensuring Immunity to Varicella in Health Care Workers



I think maybe it's saying that you can't get the virus again once you already have it, so you're technically immune to it even though you can get shingles from it.

Anyway, I still don't have an answer for Born2BRetd.

Actually I believe Born2BRetd is pointing out you only get shingles IF you've had chicken pox. The virus never leaves your body and resides in (IIRC) the sympathetic ganglia of the nervous system - at the base of the spine? Whoa! I'm going back a long way for that, so Do NOT trust me. BUT the principal is that without chicken pox you aren't going to get shingles. SO why would you get the vaccine? As always (ask your doc) and YMMV.

 

[stephenson]

I’d get vaccination JIC ... to avoid ANY chance, however remote.

 

[explanade]

I don’t know if I had smallpox but got shingrix anyways.

 

[Bob_Walter]

I had Shingles over 20 years ago, from my reading it's pretty rare if I get it again.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

I don’t know if I had smallpox but got shingrix anyways.

I'm no Dr. but I don't think you had smallpox either.

 

[harllee]

I had Shingles over 20 years ago, from my reading it's pretty rare if I get it again.

I had a very bad case of Shingles when I was 50, before the vaccine. I got the old vaccine and then got shingles twice again, not as bad as the first time but still pretty awful. I got the Shingrix vaccines as soon as it was available and have not had Shingles since. You can definitely get Shingles more than once. With a very effective vaccine (Shingrix) available, why wouldn't you get the vaccine and eliminate the risk of getting Shingles again?

 

[Boho]

So, the question is, do I get the Shingrix vaccine?

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/shingles/public/shingrix/index.html

Who Should Not Get Shingrix?

You should not get Shingrix if you...tested negative for immunity to varicella zoster virus. If you test negative, you should get chickenpox vaccine.

A complicating factor from a different webpage, on the duration of protection you get from the chickenpox vaccine:

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/varicella/hcp-effective-duration.htm

A case-control study conducted from 1997 to 2003 showed that 1 dose of varicella vaccine was 97% effective in the first year after vaccination and 86% effective in the second year. From the second to eighth year after vaccination, the vaccine effectiveness remained stable at 81 to 86%. Most vaccinated children who developed varicella during the 8 years after vaccination had mild disease.

 

[stephenson]

Don’t even need doctors - who have been trained for 15 years ...

 

[Koolau]

Don’t even need doctors - who have been trained for 15 years ...

Especially now that we have the internet! YMMV

 

[Boho]

oh boy that was a long needle.

Someone else said they were told something like "we use one inch needles now" in a brag about how painless it is, but I can't find that post. I mentioned needle size to the person giving me the vaccine and she said "I've been doing this a long time. I wouldn't use anything over an inch." People may want to question the vaccine giver about needle size. Some places are allotted a variety of needle sizes and even if they know which is best for the recipient they may just use what they have left.

 

[gayl]

I'm scheduled for tomorrow at CVS. "Drink at least 16 ounces of water 1 hour before your appointment to help prevent side effects." I will and I'll take water with me too. But if I knew about that I might have scheduled at the CVS in Target so I could use their bathroom.

CVS has toilets too.

 

[athena53]

I got Zostavax in 2014. When Shingrix first came out there were so many stories here of people who got the first dose and couldn't find anywhere to get the second dose so I waited... and then COVID came and I didn't want side effects that might make me paranoid that I had COVID. Later I didn't want to get COVID and Shingrix vaccines too close together even though apparently it's not a problem.

So... FINALLY got the first dose in May. I got the second yesterday on the spur of the moment since I was at CVS anyway for a COVID test. (Returned Friday from a cruise with 2 positive cases, tested negative myself but then passed through a few airports and planes on the way home and wanted to be sure.)

No symptoms either time except a sore arm- this time the muscle pain seems to be a little more widespread and persistent. Happy to have it over with.

My youngest brother was still in diapers when all of us got chickenpox and he gets attacks of shingles every once in awhile- which reminds me I need to tell DS (age 35) to get immunized eventually. The chickenpox vaccine wasn't widely available back then.

 

[bmcgonig]

Got my first shot of shingrix yesterday. No symptoms except for a sore arm. Actually the pneumonia shot that I got two weeks ago was more sore.

 

[buckskinbowman]

Got my 2nd shot on Wednesday. Shoulder was pretty sore on yesterday, but pain is just about gone this morning. Supposedly 90% protected now. One less thing to worry about!

 

[Koolau]

I got Zostavax in 2014.

<SNIP>

I also had the early (Zostavax) shot before getting my two Shingrix shots. I wonder if having both offers any greater immunity?

 

[jollystomper]

I cannot remember if I ever had the chicken pox. I can remember getting one rashy inflection as a kid, but I cannot remember if it was measles or the chicken pox. In any case, after discussing this at my last annual physical, I am taking the "better safe than sorry" approach and just received my first Shingrix shot today. No side effect symptoms so far, and I feel zero soreness in my shoulder.

I was more concerned when they check my temperature with a forehead gun and it reed 99.1 - uh oh, potential low grade fever.... could it be...? But they took it again with a mouth thermometer and it was 98.1. I will chalk it up to a going for a brisk walk on a hot sunny morning before entering the doctors office and being seen right away.