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I wanted to uodate this. In retrospect, I felt bad for one day or day and a half, and had low energy for 2-4 days after that.
After that I felt my normal self.
If my reaction indicates that my immune system works, then I am OK with that. Just as many of you have posted, I have never had a reaction to any previous vaccine. This was a new experience for me. Perhaps my age has something to do with having the reaction.
Yes, I would absolutely do it again. I know I’ve done the best I could do to prevent getting shingles.
I wanted to uodate this. In retrospect, I felt bad for one day or day and a half, and had low energy for 2-4 days after that.
After that I felt my normal self.
If my reaction indicates that my immune system works, then I am OK with that. Just as many of you have posted, I have never had a reaction to any previous vaccine. This was a new experience for me. Perhaps my age has something to do with having the reaction.
Yes, I would absolutely do it again. I know I’ve done the best I could do to prevent getting shingles.
Thanks for the update as I'm still not sure if I should or not.
I began feeling bad a couple of hours after my first injection—malaise, low grade fever, sore arm—lasting a couple of days. The only symptom after my second was a sore arm for a few days.
l had the Zostavax injection about 3 yrs. ago. Last year, when l asked my physician about Shingrex, she told me to check with my health insurance company to see if Shingrex was on its approved list of vaccinations. As of last fall, it wasn't. So, I would have to pay the full amount of the injection or wait until my company approves it.
Am l protected against shingles with my current vaccination, or should I contact my insurance company to see if Shingrex is now approved?
l had the Zostavax injection about 3 yrs. ago. Last year, when l asked my physician about Shingrex, she told me to check with my health insurance company to see if Shingrex was on its approved list of vaccinations. As of last fall, it wasn't. So, I would have to pay the full amount of the injection or wait until my company approves it.
Am l protected against shingles with my current vaccination, or should I contact my insurance company to see if Shingrex is now approved?
Some people who received the Zostavax have gotten shingles, although I gather not as severely as they might have had they not received the vax. But I have no firsthand knowledge of this. I have heard of people who got Zostavax and got shingles, for sure.
The above article is the best explanation of everything shingles that I have run across. Since it is authored in Canada, I suggest disregarding the last paragraph about whether it is covered by insurance, unless of course you are Canadian. My Medicare Supplemental Insurance paid most of the cost of my vax.
I think we should pay attention to this sentence from the article: While the pain usually subsides after 3-4 weeks, in some people it can turn into a chronic pain syndrome called post-herpetic neuralgia, which you should not wish on your worst enemy.
Some people who received the Zostavax have gotten shingles, although I gather not as severely as they might have had they not received the vax. But I have no firsthand knowledge of this. I have heard of people who got Zostavax and got shingles, for sure.
The above article is the best explanation of everything shingles that I have run across. Since it is authored in Canada, I suggest disregarding the last paragraph about whether it is covered by insurance, unless of course you are Canadian. My Medicare Supplemental Insurance paid most of the cost of my vax.
I think we should pay attention to this sentence from the article: While the pain usually subsides after 3-4 weeks, in some people it can turn into a chronic pain syndrome called post-herpetic neuralgia, which you should not wish on your worst enemy.
Thanks so much for the article. I've given too much reps in 24 hours so am not able to rep anyone.
A few things stick out to me. The vaccine isn't that effective to begin with. They say for every 38 people vaccinated it actually prevents one case and that it's rare for shingles to strike someone twice. I think I'm going to hold off on it because I would be the one that has the lasting side effect because my health is bad to begin with having chronic pain issues. I surely don't need any more chronic pain on top of what I already have. It almost took out my eye, so this is going to be something on my mind but for now I'm go nna hold off...
I'm on medicare and Horizon medigap for insurance, I'll be shocked if neither covers it.
Quote:
Zoster is not generally a fatal condition. However, if it spreads along a nerve leading to the eye it can cause blindness in that eye. Its main medical symptom though is pain. The pain associated with herpes-zoster can be intense and debilitating. While the pain usually subsides after 3-4 weeks, in some people it can turn into a chronic pain syndrome called post-herpetic neuralgia, which you should not wish on your worst enemy.
... With the development of the varicella vaccine, this has changed somewhat. Even people who were vaccinated against varicella as a child have a risk of developing herpes-zoster because traces of the virus remain in the system after vaccination. However, the risk is much lower than people who were infected by the actual varicella-zoster virus.
Now a new vaccine for herpes zoster, called Shingrix, has been approved. Unlike Zostavax it is an inactivated recombinant vaccine. Inactivated vaccines are different than live attenuated vaccines in that they contain killed virus.... Its efficacy is also measurably better than its predecessor. It reduced rates of herpes zoster from 9.1 to 0.3 cases per 1000 people. This means that for every 38 people vaccinated, you prevent one episode of zoster, which is an improvement from before.
Also, because shingles can strike twice, albeit rarely, those who have had a previous episode should also consider getting vaccinated.
... it's rare for shingles to strike someone twice...
Gosh, it cant be that rare. I know three people (neighbors and real-life friends) who've gotten shingles twice. None of them thought they could get it again but, after the second attack for each of them, they all got the vaccine. I saw them in the midst of their attacks and would never want to go through that.
Gosh, it cant be that rare. I know three people (neighbors and real-life friends) who've gotten shingles twice. None of them thought they could get it again but, after the second attack for each of them, they all got the vaccine. I saw them in the midst of their attacks and would never want to go through that.
I also know 2 people in their 70s got it twice...Plus had that first vaccine!!
I also know 2 people in their 70s got it twice...Plus had that first vaccine!!
I’ve heard of people getting shingles after getting the Zostavax too. I don’t know if this was a factor, but apparently the vaccine either loses effectiveness over time, or is not as effective in people aged 70+.
The newer vaccine, Shingrix, is supposed to be more effective.
If I had a compromised immune system, I’d talk this over with my doctor before getting it, I think.
Gosh, it cant be that rare. I know three people (neighbors and real-life friends) who've gotten shingles twice. None of them thought they could get it again but, after the second attack for each of them, they all got the vaccine. I saw them in the midst of their attacks and would never want to go through that.
Me either.
Shingles does seem to be more common now, no?
And younger people won’t ever have to worry about this if they got the chicken pox vaccination.
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