topic Re: Shingles Vaccine in Community Chat

Shingles Vaccine

buddylou — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 15:39:50 GMT

I got my shingles vaccine yesterday. So many people I know have had the shingles and suffered so much with them that I talked myself into taking it.

Have you taken the vaccine or at least thought about it?

Re: Shingles Vaccine

VioletEyes — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 15:43:25 GMT

I am relatively ignorant about the shot except that it is 50% effective. I had an acquaintance tell me that she got shingles the day after she received the shot so now I am wary of it. Perhaps, I need to talk to my internist before proceeding with it.

Hope it works for you and you never get shingles again.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

buddylou — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 15:52:27 GMT

On 9/12/2014 SoftRaindrops said:
I am relatively ignorant about the shot except that it is 50% effective. I had an acquaintance tell me that she got shingles the day after she received the shot so now I am wary of it. Perhaps, I need to talk to my internist before proceeding with it.

Hope it works for you and you never get shingles again.

Oh, I've never had the shingles. That's why I took the shot, I saw some friends suffer with shingles.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

Cakers1 — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 15:57:51 GMT

buddylou: The CDC strongly recommends the vaccine starting at age 60. The vaccine doesn't work overnight, so if a person is already in the beginnings of the shingles outbreak (before they see the "rash") it isn't going to stop that outbreak.

I never had chickenpox but DH did and did have shingles, although his outbreak was small but still extremely painful. He has since had the vaccine.

All the best to you.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

Cakers1 — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 15:58:43 GMT

On 9/12/2014 SoftRaindrops said:
I am relatively ignorant about the shot except that it is 50% effective. I had an acquaintance tell me that she got shingles the day after she received the shot so now I am wary of it. Perhaps, I need to talk to my internist before proceeding with it.

Hope it works for you and you never get shingles again.

It doesn't work overnight. Your friend was already in the beginning stages of the outbreak.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

VioletEyes — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 16:01:56 GMT

On 9/12/2014 Cakers1 said:
On 9/12/2014 SoftRaindrops said:
I am relatively ignorant about the shot except that it is 50% effective. I had an acquaintance tell me that she got shingles the day after she received the shot so now I am wary of it. Perhaps, I need to talk to my internist before proceeding with it.

Hope it works for you and you never get shingles again.

It doesn't work overnight. Your friend was already in the beginning stages of the outbreak.

Thanks, because I was wondering about that. You know how some people say that they got the flu from the flu shot? This is probably similar thinking.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

VioletEyes — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 16:02:50 GMT

On 9/12/2014 buddylou said:
On 9/12/2014 SoftRaindrops said:
I am relatively ignorant about the shot except that it is 50% effective. I had an acquaintance tell me that she got shingles the day after she received the shot so now I am wary of it. Perhaps, I need to talk to my internist before proceeding with it.

Hope it works for you and you never get shingles again.

Oh, I've never had the shingles. That's why I took the shot, I saw some friends suffer with shingles.

Sorry, I misread. I know what you mean about the suffering. I had a family member get the shingles and they had residual pain from it for years.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

151949 — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 16:03:24 GMT

You need a Rx to get the shot - when I asked my PCP for a Rx for it he talked me out of it. The shot is only 50% effective at preventing shingles and is a tier 4 drug with my insurance so it will cost me $98. Plus my doctor said that after caring for so many patients with varicella pneumonia who are on vents in ICU I had probably renewed my immunity to the virus that way. I am still uncertain about getting it, now a days they give you antiviral drugs that can really diminish the severity of it.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

Clover29 — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 16:03:41 GMT

I got it at 52, because my insurance paid for it. I was moving house and thought that I might get shingles due to the stress.

I've had allergies for the past ten years, but as soon as I had the shingles shot, all my allergies disappeared. Could be coincidence, I have no proof either way.

I don't think you can get shingles from the shot. That sounds like very unlucky timing, as the shot takes a few days to become effective. You can get a rash as a side effect of the shot, but it's not actual shingles.

It's true that the shot only prevents shingles in about 50% of those vaccinated (aged over 60), but it really cuts down the duration and severity of the illness. I think that makes it worth it.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

Hooty — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 16:12:15 GMT

Yes, got mine last year! My pharmacist told me it doesn't prevent you from getting the shingles, it just helps not to be so bad.

If you had chicken pox as a child, you need this vaccine, I have fever blisters really bad, so the virus is in me!

ETA: You don't need a prescription anymore, because I had one and she said I didn't need it!

Re: Shingles Vaccine

Krimpette — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 16:13:59 GMT

I got my shot a few years ago. No reaction whatever. I believe I might have had to pay about $30 towards the cost. I was prepared to pay the full cost. I've heard horror stories of some who have had shingles.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

Moonlady — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 16:17:58 GMT

I haven't had one, and haven't thought about getting one.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

gidgetgh — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 16:18:07 GMT

I'm 58. I asked my doctor earlier this year about getting the vaccine early and he said no, to wait till I'm 60.

I had Shingles when I was 28. I'd like to hopefully never repeat that experience.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

Clover29 — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 16:21:53 GMT

On 9/12/2014 Hooty said:
Yes, got mine last year! My pharmacist told me it doesn't prevent you from getting the shingles, it just helps not to be so bad.

If you had chicken pox as a child, you need this vaccine, I have fever blisters really bad, so the virus is in me!

ETA: You don't need a prescription anymore, because I had one and she said I didn't need it!

I had a big fight about that with my pharmacy/insurance company. The insurance were totally willing to pay, no prescription needed on their account, anyone over 50 was good to go, they said. The pharmacy refused to do the shot for anyone under 60 without a prescription. My doctor was caught in the middle, she said I didn't need it but wrote one anyway just to sort out the mess. For me at least, age was the issue with regard to whether I needed the Rx.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

Marp2 — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 16:22:34 GMT

Something else to think about in regard to the shingles vaccine, especially if you are around very young children:

Shingles cannot be passed from one person to another. However, the virus that causes shingles, the varicella zoster virus, can be spread from a person with active shingles to another person who has never had chickenpox. In such cases, the person exposed to the virus might develop chickenpox, but they would not develop shingles.

The virus is spread through direct contact with fluid from the rash blisters caused by shingles.

A person with active shingles can spread the virus when the rash is in the blister-phase. A person is not infectious before the blisters appear. Once the rash has developed crusts, the person is no longer contagious.

Shingles is less contagious than chickenpox and the risk of a person with shingles spreading the virus is low if the rash is covered.

http://www.cdc.gov/shingles/about/transmission.html

Re: Shingles Vaccine

Cakers1 — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 16:46:11 GMT

On 9/12/2014 Marp2 said:
Something else to think about in regard to the shingles vaccine, especially if you are around very young children:

Shingles cannot be passed from one person to another. However, the virus that causes shingles, the varicella zoster virus, can be spread from a person with active shingles to another person who has never had chickenpox. In such cases, the person exposed to the virus might develop chickenpox, but they would not develop shingles.

The virus is spread through direct contact with fluid from the rash blisters caused by shingles.

A person with active shingles can spread the virus when the rash is in the blister-phase. A person is not infectious before the blisters appear. Once the rash has developed crusts, the person is no longer contagious.

Shingles is less contagious than chickenpox and the risk of a person with shingles spreading the virus is low if the rash is covered.

http://www.cdc.gov/shingles/about/transmission.html

Important points because I never had chickenpox but DH did have shingles.

Of course common hygiene sense is needed. I had no problem with his having shingles nor was I afraid of it; the only thing that bothered me was the pain he was in.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

151949 — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 17:01:00 GMT

On 9/12/2014 Marp2 said:
Something else to think about in regard to the shingles vaccine, especially if you are around very young children:

Shingles cannot be passed from one person to another. However, the virus that causes shingles, the varicella zoster virus, can be spread from a person with active shingles to another person who has never had chickenpox. In such cases, the person exposed to the virus might develop chickenpox, but they would not develop shingles.

The virus is spread through direct contact with fluid from the rash blisters caused by shingles.

A person with active shingles can spread the virus when the rash is in the blister-phase. A person is not infectious before the blisters appear. Once the rash has developed crusts, the person is no longer contagious.

Shingles is less contagious than chickenpox and the risk of a person with shingles spreading the virus is low if the rash is covered.

http://www.cdc.gov/shingles/about/transmission.html

yes, sadly, I know a woman who got in the pool with her shingles then mentioned she had them. Someone who was there and was immunosuppressed due to a medication got chicken pox and ended up in ICU on a ventilator because that first woman either was not properly instructed by her doctor or just chose to not listen. When the rash is in the blister stage you should stay at home - that is when they are contagious. And after getting the shot for a specific amount of time or if you have shingles you should avoid being around anyone who is pregnant or has never had chicken pox. Giving an adult the chicken pox is very serious - frequently turns into a very very potent viral pneumonia. people do things like going shopping or to church - out in the public - they have no idea when they are exposing a pregnant person who is not showing as yet or an immunosuppressed person to this disease. Just a little common sense needed.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

RedTop — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 17:06:07 GMT

I had been after my Mom to take the shingles vaccine, and while she was agreeable to it, she kept putting it off. Then she got shingles; a really bad case of shingles with hepatic nerve pain that lasted about 10 months after the rash disappeared. Within a month after Mom was diagnosed, my husband and I made arrangements to get our shots, and Mom took hers as soon as she was able. My husbands shot was covered thru the VA. My insurance didn't fully cover the cost before age 60, so I had to pay for mine, which was about $150 if I remember correctly. That is still cheaper than medical treatment with a diagnosis of shingles.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

AngusandBuddhasMom — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 17:10:08 GMT

I have had shingles for ten years now and I am not going to get the vaccine for various reasons.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

Madisson — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 17:14:01 GMT

I had shingles, and I got the shingles vaccine. Hopefully, I am good and protected since I have some antibodies from having it...but it's not 100%.