New shingles vaccine

[+ Charlie]

Did you get both shots, several months apart, or only the first one? My doctor reminded me that I need to get both.

I'm just getting over shingles. I was flat on my back with a bad respiratory infection. I was starting to recover when I broke out in shingles. It was a very light case, but I felt absolutely foul for about 3 days. I had had the old vaccine about 5-6 years ago and it must have been wearing off. I then had a relapse with the cold.

[+ Funguy]

Yes - absolutely get both shots.

There are shortages of the vaccine so if and when you have the chance, don't pass it up!

 

Again, for those of you who have had the old vaccine (the new one has been in wide use only about 6-8 months), get the new one!!!

[Rudynate]

Did you get both shots, several months apart, or only the first one? My doctor reminded me that I need to get both.

 

I think I got two shots. Can't remember for sure.

[+ oldNbusted]

I'm on a waitlist for this.

[+ FreshFluff]

The chicken pox vaccine was announced in the spring of 1984 - I know this because I was home from school with it when I saw it on the news. I was in seventh grade and was one of the last people to get it.

 

I had no idea that it came out so early. I had chicken pox at the start of 1985. I remember because it began on my birthday, while we were on vacation. I’d seen my (excellent) pediatrician a few months before and heard nothing about a vaccine.

[BabyBoomer]

I'm on a waitlist for this.

 

I know it was in short supply at the end of last year.

 

I got my first Shingrix dose on 09/26/18. When I went back to the same pharmacy at the end of December they told me they had none in stock and didn't know when they would be receiving their next shipment.

 

After the new year I called three other pharmacies before I found one that had it in stock. Needless to say, I went the same day to get my second dose.

 

Yes, I had the chickpox back in the 50's.

 

Yes, I got the original shingles vaccine back in August 2015.

 

Btw, my regular pharmacy told me they would put me on the waitlist, but that didn't stop me from looking elsewhere.

 

~Boomer~

[+ sniper]

I had no idea that it came out so early. I had chicken pox at the start of 1985. I remember because it began on my birthday, while we were on vacation. I’d seen my (excellent) pediatrician a few months before and heard nothing about a vaccine.

 

It's possible they had announced testing was complete or something, maybe it came to the market a bit later.

[down_to_business]

Got the vaccine last year. 2 doses, 3 months apart. Was fully covered by insurance.

[Chuckball]

I had chicken pox as a kid. A few years ago an older friend came down with shingles. I got the vaccine immediately. Last year my doctor told me about Shingrix. He said there is no certainty how long the original vaccine would last and advised getting 2 doses of shingrix months apart. I did. Unlike many people my arm did not ache or become swollen following the injection although I was warned I might suffer some temporary irritation. Never gave it anymore thought until last week when I saw my doctor again. I developed some bloody lesions on the right side of my nose. No pain or itch, just bloody ugly.

Doctor said it looked like shingles. But I had Shingrix, I protested.

Shingrix doesn't mean you won't get a breakout, it merely prevents a severe attack. The eruption was just on the bridge of my nose. Without Shingrix it could have been the whole side of my face and even infect my eye. The scabs will fall off in a week or two and I should be good as new. I am very glad I got the vaccine when I did.

[+ not2rowdy]

Get the vaccine - the new one.

 

I had chickenpox during my youth.

Years ago, In middle age, I asked but was told I was “too young” to qualify for the shingles vaccine.

You guessed it - I came down with Shingles - in middle age.

 

Shingles was a BITCH - a REAL BITCH! You don’t want to deal with this. Shingles is also contagious. You would only want to pass it on to mortal enemies. It's just damn nasty.

 

I’ve had recurrences of shingles, although much less severe. Still not pleasant.

 

When I age qualified it was recommended that go ahead get the shingles vaccination because it could help reduce recurrence issues. So I did that (this would have been the old Zostavax version). I continued to have recurrences - but they were much more manageable.

 

I recently got the new Shingrix 2-dose version. 3 months apart. Shingles can still recur - but I will do whatever I can to keep that nasty virus at bay. I was told the old vaccine was about 50pct effective. The new one is supposedly 90pct effective.

 

So get the Shringix shingles vaccine series - and keep all your immunizations current.

[+ FreshFluff]

It's possible they had announced testing was complete or something, maybe it came to the market a bit later.

 

Per the CDC, it became available in the US in 1995. The FDA moved at a snail’s pace back then. Maybe you took part in the trial?

 

I remember when a friend’s dad got it at age 48. He became really ill.

Edited June 22, 2019 by FreshFluff

[Epigonos]

I developed a case of shingles about twenty five years ago. I had no idea what it was. It was actually my sister who told me what I had contracted. It was a rather severe case. My doctor immediately put me on a drug which was standardly prescribed for genital herpes. I don't have a clue what it was but I do remember that it was very expensive (my insurance covered it). It knocked the hell out of the shingles and I was almost immediately on the road to recovery. I asked by current doctor if I should get the shingles shot. When I told him what my previous physician had proscribed he said I didn't need to take the new shot. His recommendation was based on the fact that the genital herpes drug and worked so well for me that if I happened to contract shingles again he would proscribe the same drug.

[liubit]

I had a bad case of shingles on my face about 15 years ago. It viciously attacked the trigeminal nerve and almost reached my eye: I had to spend 5-6 days in the hospital with a 24 hour Zovirax IV. To this day, I have numbness on my upper lip and part of my cheek, as well as some intermittent itching in the inside of my left nostril, even though I took daily Lyrica for a number of years after the episode. It is a very nasty disease.

[+ Funguy]

I developed a case of shingles about twenty five years ago. I had no idea what it was. It was actually my sister who told me what I had contracted. It was a rather severe case. My doctor immediately put me on a drug which was standardly prescribed for genital herpes. I don't have a clue what it was but I do remember that it was very expensive (my insurance covered it). It knocked the hell out of the shingles and I was almost immediately on the road to recovery. I asked by current doctor if I should get the shingles shot. When I told him what my previous physician had proscribed he said I didn't need to take the new shot. His recommendation was based on the fact that the genital herpes drug and worked so well for me that if I happened to contract shingles again he would proscribe the same drug.

 

If it were me, I would get the shots and then if I got Shingles again go get medication - probably Valtrex.

[+ sniper]

Per the CDC, it became available in the US in 1995. The FDA moved at a snail’s pace back then. Maybe you took part in the trial?

 

I remember when a friend’s dad got it at age 48. He became really ill.

I think you misread. I thought I was one of the last people to get chicken pox, I never had the vaccine. I just remembered disticntly seeing it on the news as I was recovering from it.

[+ Funguy]

It took about 8 years from the time I (my office) participated in the safety arm of the evaluation of the vaccine until it came out for general usage!

[Rudynate]

Get the vaccine - the new one.

 

I had chickenpox during my youth.

Years ago, In middle age, I asked but was told I was “too young” to qualify for the shingles vaccine.

You guessed it - I came down with Shingles - in middle age.

 

Shingles was a BITCH - a REAL BITCH! You don’t want to deal with this. Shingles is also contagious. You would only want to pass it on to mortal enemies. It's just damn nasty.

 

I’ve had recurrences of shingles, although much less severe. Still not pleasant.

 

When I age qualified it was recommended that go ahead get the shingles vaccination because it could help reduce recurrence issues. So I did that (this would have been the old Zostavax version). I continued to have recurrences - but they were much more manageable.

 

I recently got the new Shingrix 2-dose version. 3 months apart. Shingles can still recur - but I will do whatever I can to keep that nasty virus at bay. I was told the old vaccine was about 50pct effective. The new one is supposedly 90pct effective.

 

So get the Shringix shingles vaccine series - and keep all your immunizations current.

 

 

That bout that I just had wasn't fun. The skin rash was minimal, probably because I had the zostavax vaccine 5 or 6 years ago, but I felt rotten. Hoping never to have it again.