Got your flu shot?

[Purron]

DH and I went up to our local Walgreens and got our flu shots today. Our pharmacist, who we like very much, mentioned a possible disruption in the dissemination of flu vaccines due to the Govt shutdown. Something she heard from Walgreen HQ we think.

Might be better to be safe and get your vaccine soon rather than later.

Hoping none of you get the flu this year!

Purron

 

[NoMoreJob]

Got mine a couple of weeks ago. It didn't help last year but I guess that's just the way it goes.

 

[WhoDaresWins]

I got mine at my PCP's office about 2.5 weeks ago (had to make an appointment but the nurse just took me into a side room off the waiting room to administer the vaccine...no paperwork or co-pay). I am amazed by how many of my acquaintances forego the seasonal flu vaccine believing that they can get the flu from it, or that getting vaccines is some massive conspiracy by big pharma to boost profits.

I don't believe I have ever had the flu. Knock wood.

 

[martyb]

Got mine last week at CVS. No charge under my insurance. Last year, for the first time in 36 years, I failed to get one, and then they ran out. I was worried about it all the rest of the season. Not gonna let that happen again! I suppose the next thing I need is the shingles vaccine.

 

[mn54]

Got both the flu shot in one arm and the shingles vaccine in the other. Ins. Covered both so get them both done.

 

[Purron]

Got mine last week at CVS. No charge under my insurance. Last year, for the first time in 36 years, I failed to get one, and then they ran out. I was worried about it all the rest of the season. Not gonna let that happen again! I suppose the next thing I need is the shingles vaccine.

Asked about the shingles vaccine today. It's recommended at 60 so DH and I have a couple of years to go. Will get it then - saw my father in law go through shingles and it was very painful.

BTW, we also got our first pneumonia vaccine today at the advice of our pharmacist. Both this and the flu vaccine were covered by our insurance. No averse reaction thus far from either vaccine - flu or pneumonia.

 

[Gumby]

My flu shot appointment is tomorrow at 0915 sharp. I plan to be there.

I do have a question about shingles. Can you get it if you never had chicken pox as a child?

 

[smurray5991]

Re: shingles vaccine. Although they officially recommend at 60, I just asked my doctor for a prescription which she gave (at age 57). (I don't have any particular risk factor, I just wanted it sooner rather than later. I had also read about recent research saying there were significant benefits for anyone over 50, and FDA has approved it for use in populations 50-59 yo). Anyway, with prescription in hand, they administered in at my local Safeway just like the flu shot -- and without any co-pay.

 

[REWahoo]

I do have a question about shingles. Can you get it if you never had chicken pox as a child?

No. If you never had chickenpox you cannot get shingles.

Unfortunately I understand you can have a very mild case of chickenpox as a child and never really know you had it.

 

[smurray5991]

And of course, if you haven't ever had chicken pox as a child, you can get that as an adult (It's rare for adults, but 80+ year old Barbara Walters got it earlier this year!!!). Fortunately there's a vaccine for that as well, so you might want to check that out.

 

[Gumby]

No. If you never had chickenpox you cannot get shingles.

Unfortunately I understand you can have a very mild case of chickenpox as a child and never really know you had it.

Interesting. Thanks for the info. When I was young, all the mothers in the neighborhood would send their kids to the house of someone with chicken pox, so that their kids would catch it and be done with it. It worked for my brother and sister, but to the best of my knowledge, I never caught it. I wonder if there is a test to determine whether I had an undetectable case. I would think there are some antibodies running around still.

 

[redduck]

Yesterday, I went to Ralphs Grocery Store for bananas and came out with bananas and a flu shot. No line, very easy form to fill out and Medicare paid for it. So, thanks, you guys for kicking in. Also got into a conversation with a fellow shopper wearing a Steelers sweatshirt (Steelers finally won a game earlier in the day). I don't know his name, but he's the big guy on the show, Mike and Molly. I think he's Mike.

 

[REWahoo]

Interesting. Thanks for the info. When I was young, all the mothers in the neighborhood would send their kids to the house of someone with chicken pox, so that their kids would catch it and be done with it. It worked for my brother and sister, but to the best of my knowledge, I never caught it. I wonder if there is a test to determine whether I had an undetectable case. I would think there are some antibodies running around still.

Interesting question. Meadbh probably has a boatload of information to share on this subject.

Chickenpox/shingles is an interesting disease. Apparently once you've had chickenpox, repeated exposure to someone with the disease increases your immunity to coming down with shingles.

 

[Meadbh]

No. If you never had chickenpox you cannot get shingles.

Unfortunately I understand you can have a very mild case of chickenpox as a child and never really know you had it.

+1

 

[Meadbh]

I wonder if there is a test to determine whether I had an undetectable case. I would think there are some antibodies running around still.

You betcha.

 

[Meadbh]

Interesting question. Meadbh probably has a boatload of information to share on this subject.

LOL! Don't you know about brain atrophy after ER?

Chickenpox/shingles is an interesting disease. Apparently once you've had chickenpox, repeated exposure to someone with the disease increases your immunity to coming down with shingles.

Depressed immunity due to stress and other illness is probably more important.

 

[braumeister]

Case in point.
I'm certain I never had chicken pox. Yet I got a horrible case of shingles in my mid-50s. Asked my doc and he said that it's not uncommon to have chicken pox with no symptoms.

Needless to say, I got the vaccine to prevent a recurrence. It's a VERY painful disease.

 

[Gumby]

Thank you, Meadbh. I may raise this issue with my physician when I see him next, since I do not relish the prospect of either chicken pox or shingles.

 

[Alan]

I got my flu shot a couple of weeks while in the Doc's for something else. Need to remind DW to go get hers. In our circle of friends here we will probably be in the minority again. Lots of fear of vaccine side effects

 

[seraphim]

Never get a flu shot. Never been a problem.

 

[6miths]

No flu shot yet. We'll see.

The estimate is that 90% of people reporting that they have not had chicken pox will prove to have antibodies to the virus (they actually did have an infection at some point). Getting the vaccine could still reduce the risk of getting shingles in those who are 'immune'.

 

[Rambler]

DW and I got the flu shot at costco last week...$15 each. They also have the shingles shot, and I mentioned that DW should get it because she's had it. Pharmacist said that if you've had shingles, the vaccine doesn't help against future episodes. Anyone have info/advice on that?

R

 

[Meadbh]

DW and I got the flu shot at costco last week...$15 each. They also have the shingles shot, and I mentioned that DW should get it because she's had it. Pharmacist said that if you've had shingles, the vaccine doesn't help against future episodes. Anyone have info/advice on that?

R

To quote the Harvard Health Study,

The shingles vaccine - Harvard Health Publications

"No study has been done that shows the vaccine prevents second episodes". In other words, we just don't know, yet.

 

[kramer]

Yes, you can get shingles twice and you should still get the vaccine if you have already had shingles. I would certainly get it in that situation.

To address someone else's comment, the shingles vaccine does not prevent shingles, but it attenuates the probability and attenuates the symptoms.

Another question about age: the CDC was going to change recommendation to 50 and over instead of 60 and over, but they waited due to shortage of the vaccine. But there is benefit for 50 and over. The latest studies that came in for the vaccine (including large Kaiser study) were very encouraging.

You can google the CDC shingles vaccine web page.

It is probably the most important vaccine you can get as an adult because the probability of getting shingles is so high (perhaps 30% of adults will get it) and the consequences can be so devastating.

 

[kramer]

On recurrent shingles and the vaccine, this is what the CDC seems to say (not entirely committal, similarly to what MeadBH posted). I would add that there is a dearth of studies about recurrent shingles. I suspect that future studies will show a palliative effect from the vaccine.


Vaccines: VPD-VAC/Shingles/Shingles (Herpes zoster) Vaccination: What You Need to Know

Even if you have had shingles, you can still receive the shingles vaccine to help prevent future occurrences of the disease. There is no specific time that you must wait after having shingles before receiving the shingles vaccine. The decision on when to get vaccinated should be made with your health care provider. Generally, a person should make sure that the shingles rash has disappeared before getting vaccinated.