Shingles vaccination ?

IKE

IKE

Well-known Member
Location
Oklahoma....U.S.A.
I don't use the VA for medical care but go once a year for a general checkup.

Anyway, when I was in about a month ago I was told that I could get the two part shingles vaccination if I wanted to and that it would be free which is a pretty good deal because I believe it normally costs over $300.00 for both shots and from what I understand, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, it's not covered under Medicare so it would be 100% out of pocket.

I know shingles can be pretty painful if you get it because I had a buddy that passed last Aug. and he hurt so bad that they surgically put some sort of pain management thing under his skin to help him deal with the discomfort.

Shingles vaccination......yey or nay ?
 

I just got my two shots this year. I didn’t really have any bad side effects. Just a little bit of soreness around the injection spot. Shingles would be much more scary. of course it’s your decision, so do what’s right for you.
 
I've had my first shot, when I went for my 6 months checkup a couple of weeks ago I received a prescription for a tetanus shot, so around the first of May I'll go back and get the tetanus and 2nd shingles shot.....so glad I don't have to pay for either.
 
Several years ago when my insurance was paying for it, I considered getting the vaccine. But I wanted to know what was in it, particularly if any pork byproducts were in there but no one could give me an answer. Also, according to what I read, the efficacy wasn't that great. I felt I could keep my immune system boosted and have just as good a chance at not getting shingles. I know it's no joke though. One of my nieces got it at a fairly young age (may late 40s or early 50s) and she was out of work for months, I've also heard stories from online senior friends of the pain that comes with it.

By the time I reconsidered, my insurance had stopped paying for it. I'm still on the fence. Since @Alligatorob pointed out that Medicare is paying again, I'll talk with my doctor about it and go from there. He will literally read the paper that comes with the vaccine for me to see if it contains something I should not have.
 
A number of years ago I got the Zostavax shingles vaccine. That was before the Shingrix vaccine was approved. During the past year, I got the Shingrix vaccine.

Zostavax required only one injection and was about 50% effective in preventing shingles. Shingrix requires two injections, two to six months apart, and is 97% effective. I don't typically have much of any reaction to vaccinations. After each Shingrix shot, however, I had about one day of feeling tired and a bit achy.

Stiill, from what I've heard about this disease, I think it was well worth it. :)
 
Mama and I went to the grocery store pharmacy close to home and got our 1st (of two) shingles vaccinations about an hour ago.

The vaccinations cost $216.54 each and they are not covered by Medicare but they were covered 100% by our Humana 'D' prescription drug supplement.

The second vaccination has to be taken within six months of the first but you've got to wait at least two months before getting the second dose.
 
my friend was adamant about getting the shingles shot(s). Lectured all of us. She ended up getting a severe case of shingles a year after she got the shots. yah let me rush right out and get that. I had the shingles when I was in college on my face. not fun. My eye twitched for 8 months. Saw an eye doctor who said shingles was a blessing in disguise and diagnosed glaucoma. yay me
 
My wife got hers last week. I will be getting my first one this week. Had been holding off because of the price, but I'm sure the part D insurers will be more than making it up in raised rates. Just how are pay to play, slight of hand system works.
 
Geezer Garage said:
My wife got hers last week. I will be getting my first one this week. Had been holding off because of the price, but I'm sure the part D insurers will be more than making it up in raised rates. Just how are pay to play, slight of hand system works.
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I had shingles about two years ago. The pain was excruciating, and I finally needed a spinal epidural to deaden the nerve which gave me relief from the pain. after I recovered (took about six months) I did get the two shingles shots as you can get it more than once. I never want to go thru that again and preached to all of my relatives and friends to please get vaccinated!
 
My brother had chicken pox. Had a lot of pox and was miserable. I was sick with a fever from something and since my brother recently had had chicken pox doc said it's probably what I had. Didn't have any pox. Welcome present day and my doc kept bugging me to get the shingles vax. I kept telling her I don't think I ever had chicken pox, why would I get a shot? I even lied once and said I did so she'd let me alone. She secretly texted the nurse to check as I sat there in the office. Nurse poked her head in and said she checked and, no, I didn't get the vaccine. I laughed and said I couldn't believe she went so far as to check. Oh I must be a bad girl now. Haha.
 
IKE said:
Shingles vaccination......yey or nay ?
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Yes! Absolutely! Shingles is no joke. Not only can it result in severe pain, but it can in some cases cause blindness. BTW Just because you don‘t believe you had Chicken Pox is no excuse. You may have had it as a very young child and not be aware.
 
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I had shingles 2 times in 2 years. I had it on my back the first time and the second time I had it in my eye. I itched so bad on my head the second time I cried. I still itch a little. I take a maintenance dose of valtrex every couple of days. I was told by a nurse friend that she has patients that took the shingle shot and they got rebound shingles and I have had it twice so I have the antibodies so no I am not taking it even though medicare does cover it.I sure don't won't it again but I am more afraid of the shots.
 
IKE said:
I don't use the VA for medical care but go once a year for a general checkup.

Anyway, when I was in about a month ago I was told that I could get the two part shingles vaccination if I wanted to and that it would be free which is a pretty good deal because I believe it normally costs over $300.00 for both shots and from what I understand, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, it's not covered under Medicare so it would be 100% out of pocket.

I know shingles can be pretty painful if you get it because I had a buddy that passed last Aug. and he hurt so bad that they surgically put some sort of pain management thing under his skin to help him deal with the discomfort.

Shingles vaccination......yey or nay ?
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I've been vaccinated against shingles. Anyone who had chicken pox as a child should consider it.
 
I had a boss in his 50's who got shingles and was out of the office for an extended period of time. He said it was incredibly painful. I got both Shingrex shots a few years ago and had no side effects.
 

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