Re: Diagnosed with Shingles Today !

TY · ‎03-10-2010

I also want to add on to my earlier post about the Shingles vaccine and vaccines in general: I got all of my Covid vaccines - Pfizer 2 doses and a Pfizer booster, dose 1 in April 2021, dose 2 in June 2021, booster in December 2021.

Getting those vaccines were important to me and as a senior, I looked at what other vaccines I still needed. I started thinking and doing something about it proactively starting last summer. I got a mumps titer as I never had mumps as a child or adult ( my siblings both got mumps as young adults) and I was surprised I had immunity. If I hadn't been immune I would have gotten an MMR vaccine.

I had measles and chickenpox as a child. I got a rubella vaccine in my 30s before I tried to get pregnant as I never had this illness.

I have always gotten a flu vaccine yearly and this past October I also got the Prevnar 13 pneumonia vaccine. The Prevnar 20 pneumonia vaccine is not available in Canada yet but has been approved in the U.S.

I also got the Pneumovax 23 pneumonia vaccine in January 2022 which was 3 months after the Prevnar 13 vaccine.

I am also going to be getting the Twinrix vaccine soon. That is the hepatitis A and B vaccine which is given in 3 doses on a regular schedule. Dose 2 is given 1 month after dose 1 and dose 3 is given 6 months after dose 2.

Sage04 · ‎07-10-2011

@lgfan wrote:
I had the two part shingles vaccine in 2019 before the covid 19 pandemic. My insurance covered the vaccine. I had the second shot two months after the first shot. I was told by the pharmacist that the vaccine needed to be taken only once like the polio vaccine. By the way I am in my 50s maybe that is why my insurance paid for the vaccine.

@lgfan my insurance paid for mine also. Maybe it depends on the insurance company but it's not fair. I don't think there is a vaccine for under 50 years of age yet but there need to be very soon. People under 50 are coming down with shingles also.

Sage04 · ‎07-10-2011

@JustJazzmom wrote:
@Sage04 The 1st dose of Shingrex was the one that gave that reaction to me, but I got through it by saying better a few days than several weeks of nerve pain! The 2nd dose had less severe reaction. DH didn't have the same experience.

I'm of the same mind -- one shot & come back for another shot of whatever vaccine was needed.

Case in point-- CDC said this past fall, a person could get the flu shot & a Covid vaccine shot. I spaced them a few weeks apart because of expected reactions.

Another anecdote: Had to get in December a TDAP because of new grandchild being born in January. In the past, previous TDAPs caused my arm at injection site to really ache for a few days because of the tetanus in the booster. This time around, no reaction. I wonder if this was because I had had a Covid booster a month before? Body's immune system was revved up? Who knows?

@JustJazzmom so far so good with the shingles vaccine. I'm right handed so always get the shot in my left arm in case there is a problem. Got a tetanus shot last year and that hurt for about 2 weeks. Couldn't sleep on my left side. My arm was so sore. So happy that it's good for 10 years.

TY · ‎03-10-2010

@Sage04

I also got the Tdap adult vaccine in early March as I have unvaccinated relatives in the U.S. who likely have also not vaccinated their infant and toddlers for anything. Both sets of these 30 something parents have not been vaccinated for Covid either and I do not trust them to have vaccinated their kids as they have not taken Covid protocols like masking and social distancing seriously.

When I visit my mom in the U.S. this summer I want to take every precaution as she is 95 and lives in an independent long term care home. She is vaccinated and boosted for Covid but she still got a breakthrough infection with Omicron in January. Luckily she had only cold like symptoms as she is healthy, but Omicron spread throughout their care home in January.

I only had a sore shoulder from the Tdap vaccine where I was jabbed, but that was it.

The second dose of Shingrix kicked me more and so did the Pneumovax 23 pneumonia vaccine.

Sage04 · ‎07-10-2011

@TY wrote:
@Sage04

I also got the Tdap adult vaccine in early March as I have unvaccinated relatives in the U.S. who likely have also not vaccinated their infant and toddlers for anything. Both sets of these 30 something parents have not been vaccinated for Covid either and I do not trust them to have vaccinated their kids as they have not taken Covid protocols like masking and social distancing seriously.

When I visit my mom in the U.S. this summer I want to take every precaution as she is 95 and lives in an independent long term care home. She is vaccinated and boosted for Covid but she still got a breakthrough infection with Omicron in January. Luckily she had only cold like symptoms as she is healthy, but Omicron spread throughout their care home in January.

I only had a sore shoulder from the Tdap vaccine where I was jabbed, but that was it.

The second dose of Shingrix kicked me more and so did the Pneumovax 23 pneumonia vaccine.

@TY you have everything covered so far. I know your Mom will be happy to see you.

I might try and avoid the flu shot this year. I haven't had the flu since I was a child and just started taking it maybe 5 years ago. My 6 month check up is in August so I'll try and make it for early August and hope that my Doctor does not mention it.

Enjoy your visit to the US.