Frosty Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 I would've if I had a choice but the Shingles had me and it sure felt like nails at times. The worst was the sensation a rotary brush was working on my head and face. Sometimes it felt like hot needles poking through my skin from the inside. Sometimes like a chemical burn, sometimes I don't know what but I felt like screaming often. If any of you have had the Chicken pox, get the shingles shot even if you have to pay out of pocket. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 And to second what Frosty said...get the shingles shot! My wife and I got the Zostavax shingles shot several years ago. We thought we were protected. She developed a mild case of shingles rash in her scalp. It progressed to a small lesion on the left side of her nose where it then moved to her left eye. She is now about 90-95% blind in that eye. Her ophthalmologist said it is common for the shingles to go into an eye, so if you do develop shingles anywhere in your upper torso or head, be super aware of any symptoms near your face! Since that time, it has been determined that the Zostavax is not nearly as effective as it was promoted to be. In the older generations, it is only, as I recall, about 60-70% effective. The newer generation of shingles vaccine, Shingrix, is MUCH more effective, up to I believe 90-95% effective. It comes in two doses, the second one is a booster and is required to maintain the effectiveness. We both have gotten the Shingrix vaccine, BTW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 Mr. Arkie, Doctors and the C.D.C. strongly recommend that people who have had the "Zostavax" vaccine get the "Shingrix " vaccine as soon as possible. Most insurance providers cover the cost. Regards to all, SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 What they don't tell you is if you have had or are currently undergoing treatment for Lymphoma, you should not get either shingles vaccine. I had to dig deep in the literature to find that out and the only doctor (Oncologist) I have knew about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 Mr. SLAG, We had been on a wait list for over a year for the Shingrix. It seems as though the manufacturer over-advertised it and there was such a demand that it was nearly impossible to obtain it. Our PCP does not administer the Shingrix since it is so expensive, has to be refrigerated and had a low demand in his office. Instead we had to wait for our local pharmacy to obtain some. When we got the call that some had come in, we were there in 30 minutes to get vaccinated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 Mr. Arkie, I am surprised that you and your spouse had to wait a year for your pharmacy to get the Shingrix vaccine. It is vastly superior to Zostavax. Shingrix vaccine was hard to get after it was approved in 2017. but the wait time in our pharmacy , (in Saint Louis), was about one month, in the year 2018. Most medical insurance companies cover the cost as costs for shingles cases and post herpetic syndrome are dramatically higher. After a little digging, SLAG discovered reports stated that 51% had effective immunization with zostavax and 90% for shingrix. (in people 60 years old and older). It is unfortunate that the cost is so high in the U.S.A. It is much lower in most other countries in the developed world. Cheers, SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 Mr. SLAG To make a short story long, we only have one major pharmacy in the town near us. All but two of the small, privately owned were absorbed by Walgreen's (I won't go there in this post). Commensurate with the dates you mentioned, some of them said they would get in a few doses, but they were quickly dispensed and to keep calling to see when some more had come in. That went on as the local pharms were slowly going out of business (M&A's). The last one standing that could "assure" they could get an allocation was Walgreen's. Of course, each time I called, they were out. The pharmacist suggested I get on a wait list, to be called when we could get vaccinated. That went on for quite a while until I confronted them and found out that my name had never been put on the list!!! Was I mad!!! I really went on a rampage at that point. Well, by this time the supply chain had relaxed and more doses were becoming available. I got called and as I mentioned earlier, we were able to get the Shingrix shots. I don't recall if our insurance paid the cost in full or partial, but if it had a copay, it was not that expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 Mr. Arkie, I admire your patience with the pharmacy that failed to add your name to the list and jerked you around. I would have warned them that I would file an action to request a court positive injunction to supply the vaccine "tout de suite". But I have much less patience. I am glad that you and your spouse get the vaccine with a minimum of bloodshed. Regards, and happy July 4. SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 Slag: Having had Shingles in 2011 and still enjoying post herpatic mialgia, the left side of my head feels sunburned and crinkly as I type. They wouldn't give me the vaccine at the time and I just discovered I've never been vaccinated. Without expecting a diagnosis, is it "safe" to get the Shingrix vaccination? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 Frosty, anyone over 50 years old, with no medical problems, can get the Shingrix (if it's available!!!) CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 My PCP did a chicken pox antibody test on me and confirmed that I did have them as a child, which I didn't know for sure. It's my understanding, you only need the shingles vaccine if you have had the chicken pox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 I'm not finished reading articles yet but it looks like it's no use if you've already had singles and enjoy Post Herpatic Neuralgia. Neuralgia, not Mialgia, stupid memory! I'll talk to my edocrinologist but it doesn't look likely to do me any good. <sigh> Deb on the other hand is a prime candidate. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 Messrs. Frost, Dragon, Arkie et al., This thread is very useful and, also, interesting. So I did some research and came up with a good article from the Center For Disease Control. (C.D.C.) Try, https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/shingles/public/shingrix/index.html which states among other information, "if you had shingles in the past, you can get Shingrix to help prevent future occurrences of the disease. There is no specific length of time that you need to wait after having shingles before you can receive Shingrix, but generally you should make sure the shingles rash has gone away before getting vaccinated." People can contract shingles two or more times. So getting the vaccine is still a prudent step to take. Regards to all, and please have a happy and safe, Independence Day! SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 Thanks for putting up the post link. That should answer questions for a lot of folks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 Thank you Slag, that covers any concerns I had. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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