Shingles

Personally, If I had an outbreak of shingles, I would not bother having the vaccine as I would consider my immunity to be re-established. The reason we get shingles in the first place is that our immunity to chicken pox has decreased over the years.. since once we have had chicken pox, the virus lives at the base of our spine just waiting for a chance to erupt. When we age, this becomes possible due to a weakening immune system, which needs re-exposure to again build up the proper antibodies.
 

yet OTOH... I have heard of people having shingles twice. I think some here on this forum reported that. so who really knows.
 

QuickSilver said:
yet OTOH... I have heard of people having shingles twice. I think some here on this forum reported that. so who really knows.
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I have heard of people having it twice, some have it a very long time. My hub's uncle had it near his eyes and that's what scares me into thinking about getting the vaccine.
 
Pappy said:
I asked the Dr. About having the shot now that I've had the shingles and he was leaning against having it. But, I have been on the shingles forum and a lot of folks have had them several times. Who knows what to do? :confused:
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That is the question no doctor has ever been able to answer for me. Should I still get the shot or not??
 
QuickSilver said:
It is my understanding that as a child it would be chicken pox..
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My friend`s daughter had Shingles at age 13. She had had Chicken Pox a few years earlier so they knew it wasn`t that. I think whether or not the child had previously had Chicken Pox would determine whether or not what they now have is Shingles or not,right? Also,Chicken Pox are not painful like Shingles-Chicken Pox just ITCH!
 
Interesting. This doesn't seem to work like other vaccinations. You get those before you get the virus. With this one you already have had the virus. Wonder if it alters itself somewhere in the intervening years. Oh well..... Beyond my pay grade.:)
 
Mrs. Robinson, I had shingles at 13 also, some years after contracting chicken pox. Although shingles is rare among children, my doctor stated that a relapse rarely occurs when the child becomes an adult.
 
Mrs. Robinson said:
My friend`s daughter had Shingles at age 13. She had had Chicken Pox a few years earlier so they knew it wasn`t that. I think whether or not the child had previously had Chicken Pox would determine whether or not what they now have is Shingles or not,right? Also,Chicken Pox are not painful like Shingles-Chicken Pox just ITCH!
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Yes.. it's my understanding that you have had to have chicken pox to get shingles at a latter date. Chicken pox are systemic.. shingles hits the nerve roots and pathways that's why it's so painful
 
QuickSilver said:
Yes.. it's my understanding that you have had to have chicken pox to get shingles at a latter date. Chicken pox are systemic.. shingles hits the nerve roots and pathways that's why it's so painful
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Yes,you have to have had Chicken Pox in order to get Shingles. And if you have Shingles,you are contagious to anyone who has never had Chicken Pox. You can`t infect them with Shingles,but can infect them with Chicken Pox.
 
Mrs. Robinson said:
That is the question no doctor has ever been able to answer for me. Should I still get the shot or not??
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I had shingles. They were just beginning and the MD treated me immediately. He told me I needed to have the shot, after I finished the medication and the symptoms cleared. Perhaps the opinions of various MD's, regarding this, varies?
 
I had a change of heart, like I said I might have, and got the shingles shot a couple of days ago. I really didn't want to get it, but my husband was really pushing me to. I recently saw the doctor for some bloodwork I like to get done every few years, and of course she was reading me the riot act about it too. So far no negative reactions, I'll post if there are..or if I get the shingles. With the Affordable Care Act, my shingles vaccination was free under my Kaiser insurance carrier.
 
I had them in 1981. Bare-chested, a spray of road tar hit me lightly across the upper chest, not a lot, and it was immediately removed with cleaner. several days later, blisters appeared, which spread under my right armpit and across my upper right back shoulder blade. Hurt like hell.

The Dr. gave me two shots in the behind, I asked about the exposure to the tar; he said no way. Never had a recurrence, or vaccine. imp
 
I hadn't talked to a buddy of mine for over a month till yesterday and he told me that he had had shingles for about a month or so and was on medication and that it was very painful.

I ask about a shingles shot when I got my flu and pneumonia shots Oct. 15th and the gal told me that after getting the flu and pneumonia shot that I had to wait 'X' period (I can't recall) before I could get the shingles shot........to be honest I don't know if I ever had chicken pox or not and there is nobody to ask.

I'll find out today what the 'X' period is because my buddy is wanting me to help him hang a couple more lights in his liquor store and if it is contagious I certainly want to be protected before being in close contact with him for 1/2 a day or so.
 
IKE-Shingles is not contagious except to someone who has never had Chicken Pox-and it would appear as Chicken Pox,not Shingles. In other words,if you have never had Chicken Pox,stay away from your friend. But if you have had it,you will not catch Shingles from him.
 
Mrs. Robinson said:
IKE-Shingles is not contagious except to someone who has never had Chicken Pox-and it would appear as Chicken Pox,not Shingles. In other words,if you have never had Chicken Pox,stay away from your friend. But if you have had it,you will not catch Shingles from him.
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I have no idea if I've ever had chicken pox or not and there is nobody to ask.

I did go check this morning and I was told by the gal that the pharmacy that I had to wait a month after the flu shot before I can take the shingles shot (five more days) and she said the shingles shot would have to be in my system for two weeks to be fully effective.

It looks like my buddy will have to wait a miniumu of three weeks if he wants me to help him.
 
SeaBreeze said:
I had a change of heart, like I said I might have, and got the shingles shot a couple of days ago. I really didn't want to get it, but my husband was really pushing me to. I recently saw the doctor for some bloodwork I like to get done every few years, and of course she was reading me the riot act about it too.
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The pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline has come up with a brand new Shingles vaccine that the CDC is advising everyone to get, even if they already got the vaccine. For me, no thanks. More HERE.

On the heels of Friday's Food and Drug Administration approval of Shingrix, a new vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline for the prevention of shingles, a federal committee of immunization experts voted Wednesday to recommend Shingrix for all Americans 50 and older.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which advises the CDC on vaccine usage, also recommended that adults who received Zostavax, a shingles vaccine made by Merck, be revaccinated with Shingrix.

Zostavax is a single-shot vaccine that is given once. Shingrix is also a one-time-only vaccine, yet two shots are given two months apart.
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SeaBreeze said:
The pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline has come up with a brand new Shingles vaccine that the CDC is advising everyone to get, even if they already got the vaccine. For me, no thanks. More HERE.
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I have a prescription on my coffee table to get it at the drug store. Now to remember to do that! :)
 
I had a terrible case of chicken pox when I was 6 and still remember it to this day. My doctor insisted I get the shot and did so a few years back. A couple of years ago I asked if I needed another one and he said there was a big debate about that between health professionals so to lets wait. I do remember that I had to pay quite a bit as I did not have Medicare then. So far no shingles.
 
You all have me thinking. I don't get vaccines as a general rule. I got one when my daughter was pregnant for (?). Can't remember off hand but had to have it to be allowed around baby.
I had chicken pox. My mother had a mild case of shingles but still not fun.
Does anyone know of side effects from the shingles vaccine?
 

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