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But if you have never had chicken pox then you can't get shingles. Unfortunately I can and probably will. Many older adults had chicken pox. But some may not have. If you don't know you can get a blood test.
But if you have never had chicken pox then you can't get shingles. Unfortunately I can and probably will. Many older adults had chicken pox. But some may not have. If you don't know you can get a blood test.
I had chicken pox, I'm 79, older right, and no vaccine and no shingles in my life. I've worked with prevention...and reducing reducing stress that could do me in if I let it.
“We predict that laboratory testing of these patients will confirm what is already demonstrated by the evidence at hand: recurrent zoster in the immunocompetent is an extremely uncommon event.” https://escholarship.org/uc/item/91r2g01n
Before the shingles vaccination was available, my 50-year-old male neighbor got it 3 times in 2 years. I saw it each time. It was all around his mid-section -- a 1-2 foot wide area totally circling his waist. It looked terrible and he said it was so painful that he couldnt wear any clothing over it. Luckily, he and his wife owned their own business because he'd have been fired elsewhere since he coudnt go to work for a long time.
“We predict that laboratory testing of these patients will confirm what is already demonstrated by the evidence at hand: recurrent zoster in the immunocompetent is an extremely uncommon event.” https://escholarship.org/uc/item/91r2g01n
News: the Shingrix $160 or so self-pay price people here are quoting is PER SHOT, but you need two shots. I called around today to get the pharmacy price.
Walmart: $167.12 x 2 = $334.24
Costco: $156.00 x 2 = $312.00
I specifically confirmed each shot is a separate price.
Ouch
Doesn't insurance cover it? They covered the old one, as long as you were age 50 or older. It's a lot cheaper to pay for that than the often complicated care required for Shingles.
I had chicken pox, I'm 79, older right, and no vaccine and no shingles in my life. I've worked with prevention...and reducing reducing stress that could do me in if I let it.
That is awesome, but certainly the main reason you haven't gotten it is you haven't been exposed to it while contagious. It's like saying you can prevent getting Measles or Chicken Pox even if you're directly exposed because you have a good immune system. Most times that is not enough for a disease that is contact contagious. I have a good immune system and rarely get sick, but work with patients who have shingles and not taking chances.
That is awesome, but certainly the main reason you haven't gotten it is you haven't been exposed to it while contagious. It's like saying you can prevent getting Measles or Chicken Pox even if you're directly exposed because you have a good immune system. Most times that is not enough for a disease that is contact contagious. I have a good immune system and rarely get sick, but work with patients who have shingles and not taking chances.
Shingles is not contagious. It is only contagious for those who haven't had chicken pox and then ONLY if that person touches the oozing rash. Once the rash crusts over it is not contagious, PERIOD. Shingles is not an air borne disease.
If you have had chicken pox yourself, you can tough the rash and you aren't going to catch shingles, or chicken pox AGAIN. Geesch. Maybe you need to talk to a doctor about this.
Edit: Yes, I have touched my husband's and SIL's (32 year old) shingles rash and I did not catch shingles.
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