Community Chat

[JustJazzmom]

On 9/13/2014 NoelSeven said:

On 9/13/2014 JustJazzmom said:

On 9/13/2014 adoreqvc said:

Are shingle shots for seniors in their 60's recommended if they don't know if they had or did not have chicken pox......just curious...

Most HCPs will say yes that you should have the vaccine. A blood titer can be ordered by your HCP and drawn at a lab to determine if you had chicken pox or not as a child. If the titer comes back with a certain level, it can be determined if you have immunity or were exposed to the disease (and had it).

I asked last year for my doctor to order a pertussis titer (whooping cough) to see if I still had immunity from those booster shots as a child. I found out to my surprise, that I had NO IMMUNITY against pertussis and I was 57 at that time. When I was given the results, I asked for the tetanus, pertussis, diphtheria booster.

Slightly O/T-- anyone who is a caregiver to someone who is respiratory compromised or a young infant who has not had the complete Pertussis boosters yet is asked to get inoculated so that you do not pass on whooping cough to your loved one or person in your care.

CDC Officials are wondering if the uptick in Pertussis or whooping cough cases is happening due to (1) parents not vaccinating their children until older or (2) that booster immunity is wearing off as we age. CDC seems to be leaning towards #2.

I've read that the pertussis vaccine eventually wears off. The suggestion was that older people around babies should check to see if they need another.

Public service ads where I live last year were saying to get the pertussis vaccine especially if you are a caregiver. I was last inoculated back in my late teens prior nursing school. The University even required us to get a smallpox vaccine too!

Yes, it does wear off and a blood titer is the only way it can be determined if you have a high enough immunity.

[kittymomNC]

Before I retired, I worked with a woman in her late 50's who got shingles. She was fairly miserable part of the time, but apparently it was not a really bad case. Since then I've thought about getting the vaccine, because I'm not totally sure if I had chickenpox - my brother and sister are not sure either. (We do remember ALL having scarlet fever at the same time--my poor mother!)

I was wondering if anyone here has a lot of reactions to medications? I've been having allergic reactions this past year or two to new medications as well as some meds I've taken in the past with no problems, and then when I take them again, I get redness all over my face, neck and shoulders and slight rashes. The doctors say it's an allergic reaction. This has made me hesitant to try new meds, and even afraid to take something I've taken before. So I'm really hesitant to get the shingles shot. I've had flu shots, and the pneumonia shot, but I'm afraid of this one.

Anyone have problems with medication allergies, and have gone ahead with the shingles shot? Any advice or information would be appreciated!

[hennypenny]

Is the shingles vaccine a once and done thing or do you need to take it every year?

[Burnsite]

Kittymom, I have a rather long list of allergies, and I did have a bit of a reaction to a pneumonia shot last year...I won't have another of those, though this reaction was easily treated.

As to your question, I had the shingles shot a few years ago with no reaction. Not even soreness at the injection site. I've definitely had chicken pox, and a friend has suffered severely from shingles, so I was eager to reduce my chances.

According to one internet source, the adult risk of shingles is pretty high: one person in three will have the problem.

Hennypenny, I think it's just one shot and that's it. That was my impression anyhow.

[Poodlepet2]

I am glad I had it. My in-laws lost TWO friends to suicide: they had shingles so bad and suffered so badly....the vaccine is no guarantee that you won't get it, but if you do, your case should be shortened.. I would rather that than run the risk of having a full blown case. Poodlepet

[dooBdoo]

On 9/13/2014 kittymomNC said:

Before I retired, I worked with a woman in her late 50's who got shingles. She was fairly miserable part of the time, but apparently it was not a really bad case. Since then I've thought about getting the vaccine, because I'm not totally sure if I had chickenpox - my brother and sister are not sure either. (We do remember ALL having scarlet fever at the same time--my poor mother!)

I was wondering if anyone here has a lot of reactions to medications? I've been having allergic reactions this past year or two to new medications as well as some meds I've taken in the past with no problems, and then when I take them again, I get redness all over my face, neck and shoulders and slight rashes. The doctors say it's an allergic reaction. This has made me hesitant to try new meds, and even afraid to take something I've taken before. So I'm really hesitant to get the shingles shot. I've had flu shots, and the pneumonia shot, but I'm afraid of this one.

Anyone have problems with medication allergies, and have gone ahead with the shingles shot? Any advice or information would be appreciated!

Hi, kittymomNC! I tend to be sensitive to a number of things, and some are significant (as an example, I have an immediate anaphalactic reaction to even the slightest contact with shellfish, and this extends into certain medications). Once this became evident, my PCP sent me quickly to an allergist so we could be careful about other possible reactions. It can be so specific to the individual, so you might want to ask about doing the same thing to protect yourself. Some allergies begin slowly and mildly, and then one day they become serious.

[kittymomNC]

On 9/13/2014 dooBdoo said:

On 9/13/2014 kittymomNC said:

Before I retired, I worked with a woman in her late 50's who got shingles. She was fairly miserable part of the time, but apparently it was not a <em>really bad case</em>. Since then I've thought about getting the vaccine, because I'm not totally sure if I had chickenpox - my brother and sister are not sure either. (We do remember ALL having scarlet fever at the same time--my poor mother!)

I was wondering if anyone here has a lot of reactions to medications? I've been having allergic reactions this past year or two to new medications as well as some meds I've taken in the past with no problems, and then when I take them again, I get redness all over my face, neck and shoulders and slight rashes. The doctors say it's an allergic reaction. This has made me hesitant to try new meds, and even afraid to take something I've taken before. So I'm really hesitant to get the shingles shot. I've had flu shots, and the pneumonia shot, but I'm afraid of this one.

Anyone have problems with medication allergies, and have gone ahead with the shingles shot? Any advice or information would be appreciated!

Hi, kittymomNC! I tend to be sensitive to a number of things, and some are significant (as an example, I have an immediate anaphalactic reaction to even the slightest contact with shellfish, and this extends into certain medications). Once this became evident, my PCP sent me quickly to an allergist so we could be careful about other possible reactions. It can be so specific to the individual, so you might want to ask about doing the same thing to protect yourself. Some allergies begin slowly and mildly, and then one day they become serious.

Hi dooBdoo, thanks for your response. I started taking allergy shots some years ago, but seemed to be starting to have reactions to those, it scared me into stopping them. In the past I only had reactions to a couple of medications, and no foods or anything that I know of. I don't know what has happened the last couple of years. Did you take allergy shots?

I've had cortisone shots before, in my knee and in my shoulder once. The last one in my knee sent me to the urgent care for the redness and rash. They don't know if it was the cortisone or an additive to the shot. I was stung by a yellow jacket two years ago and it took 3 weeks for it to clear up. Last summer I was stung again on my finger, my whole hand swelled up into my wrist, they put me on the 6 day course of Prednisone, and I had a reaction to that! I had to stop it but it knocked back the reaction to the sting. I had taken the same course of Prednisone before with no problems. The doctor said I might need to get an Epipen in case I get stung again. I have developed a real fear of meds, thinking I could have an anaphalactic reaction.

My body is going crazy! And I don't know why! And the thing is, if you're taking pills, you can stop them. If you get an injection, it's there in your body and what do you do about it?