Community Chat

[Shelbelle]

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@Jordan2 wrote:

@Anonymous032819 I easily got the first shot at CVS, then had trouble getting part two, CVS was always out of it. I tracked down the vaccine at Walgreens and got part two there (if you don't get the second shot within a certain time I think you have to start over). Does anyone know how long your immune from shingles, is it lifetime or a certain number of years?

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How long does the new shingles vaccine last?

We know that for most people, the shingles vaccine protects for at least four years; however, we expect that protection will last much longer. At this time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) doesn't recommend patients receive any booster dose after the first two doses of the new shingles vaccine.

[K9buddy]

I got the first shot 2 weeks ago and the only side effect I got was my arm was sore for 5 days. 

[NEvans2]

Most of you did a heck of a lot better than I did with the Shingrix shot. I got mine on a Tuesday afternoon at Rite Aid the second week of October. The pharmacist explained all the side effects and gave me a pamphlet also. By that evening I had a low grade fever, chills, body aches and a headache. I was also so tired. Those symptoms continued until Friday morning. Then I just had tiredness and headache. On Saturday I called to talk to the pharmacist to ask how long this was going to last. She said it could last up to two weeks, and if it did I should call my PCP. Luckily, I started feeling better on Sunday, but it took until Tuesday for me to feel like myself. I never expected to have that kind of reaction. That has never happened to me before with vaccines. I felt like I lost a week of my life. Oh, and my arm hardly hurt at all. My next dose should be right before Christmas, but I'm waiting until after the holidays. The pharmacist did say the second dose shouldn't be as bad. Woo hoo, I can hardly wait.

[1Snickers]

@Anonymous032819   I had both of mine, just keep moving your arm around. Mine were sore, and they say that helps.

[1Snickers]

@NEvans2  You may want to go ahead with your second shot when it's due. Ask your Dr or pharmacist, I've heard that they need to be on time or may not protect you!

[NEvans2]

@1Snickers  Thank you for your concern. The pharmacist and my doctor both said second dose between 2-6 months. No sooner than 2, no later than 6. I figure if I'm going to be down for the count, may as well be after New Year's. Not that I'm going anywhere, but this year has been so bad, why ruin the holidays any more than they're going to be ruined any way.

[Krimpette]

@1Snickers That's exactly what the pharmacist told me when I got my Shingrix shots.......keep the arm moving.  I did that and, other than soreness in the area of the shot, no other ill effects.

[tototwo]

I hadn't met my Plan D deductible, so I had to pay $170 for each shot.  I got the first one in August and the second one in October this year.  The pharmacist warned me the shot would be painful, and he was right!  Plus my upper arm was sore for a couple days.  Still very glad I got the shots.  I nursed my son and my dad thru serious cases of shingles and do not want that for myself.  

[PINKdogWOOD]

I talked to one of the pharm's about this shot when I got my flu shot. She told me I could do both shots together since both are not live vaccines. I chose to not do that but I will be getting this shingles shot very soon.

I did not know this was a 2-shot vaccine however.

[Anonymous032819]

My arm is a little sore at the injection site, but it isn't anything that I can't handle.

On the pain scale of 1 - 10, I would say that it's about a 2.

In  the literature that I was given when I got my vaccination it says:

Risks of a vaccine reaction

* A sore arm with mild or moderate pain is very common after recombinant shingles vaccine, affecting about 80% of vaccinated people. Redness and swelling can also happen at the sight of the injection.

* Tirednes, muscle pain,  headache, shivering, fever,  stomach pain, and nausea happen after vaccination in  more than half of people who  received recumbent shingles vaccine.

*In clinical trials about 1 out of 6 people who got recombinant zoster vaccine experience side effects that prevented them from doing regular activities. Symptoms usually went away on their own in 2-3 days.

So reactions to the vaccine is normal, and shouldn't prevent anyone from getting the vaccine.

I would rather have the side effects than shingles any day.