Shingles vaccines, chickenpox, Shingrix

Thanks @Kitty

The rash i have isn't blistery/crusty. They are just red spots so I thought at first that it might be from rubbing/massaging that area. I don't have any other symptoms and I've been feeling very well in the last week so it's weird.

I'm waiting to get Shingrix vaccines when I turn 65 in 2.5 years because our provincial health insurance pays for them.

Did you get the Shingrix vaccine recently?

@Spartacus I had a look but those pics don't describe the rash I have.

 

Nor were mine, at least the ones I could see on my neck! I'd have ignored them if the GP I was seeing about something else hadn't asked to look at them, then told me it was shingles.

I've had both doses of the shingles vaccine since November. It wasn't a bad reaction, but it made my arm ache like mad and I felt quite tired for a couple of days.

 

I'm over it after only 5 days! The rash has faded and I just have to be careful how I place my arm to avoid the pain. I feel fortunate that it was only a short go. My immune system must be in fantastic working order

So weird. I've been feeling so good and having great sleep this past week with shingles.

I've read that reactivation is only 5% but who knows. I'm still getting vaxxed in 2 years.

 

Very glad that you are recovering well @Mij and that your illness was mild.

My mother had it when in her 80s and only knew about it because the nurse who came to shower her saw the rash and told her.

At the moment I am holding back from the vaccine. I was offered it when I reached 75 I thought ( after the covid vaccine anyway) but the after effects of the covid vaccines were strong at that point so I decided against. My trust in vaccines was shaken.

I have been interested in the discussion on here about the 2 vaccines, Zostavax and Shingrix and wondered if it might be better to go for Shingrix because of efficacy. The side effects concerned me however so I looked at @MSci's link ( thank you)

https://blogs.jwatch.org/hiv-id-obs...he-shingles-vaccine-answered-here/2019/10/14/

I can't seem to copy the part I want but it says " remember that there is a theoretical concern that the adjuvant in the vaccine might stimulate organ rejection or a flare of an underlying autoimmune condition." This hasn't so far turned out to be a legitimate worry.

It does worry me however mostly because there has been no study of the adverse covid vaccine reactions. Many on the vaccine damage group I belong to seem to have autoimmune issues. Without study, how do we know what the real risks are? Before we can study them however, they have to be acknowledged and this isn't happening. I am not against vaccines and have had every one ever offered until shingles but am now I think suffering from a loss of trust as a result of covid.

 

@Binkie4

I spoke too soon. I woke up this morning after a good night sleep and thought the pain was gone for several hours until I started using it at the grocery store. Terrible sharp hot pain when I slightly moved my left arm/shoulder. The rash is gone though. So I will rest for the coming weeks.

My mother had shingles at 70 but her doctor didn't know what she had. I had to call her doctor to tell her that she had shingles. No treatment was given. It took approximately 5 weeks to recover.

I totally understand your concerns. The risk of getting terrible shingles vs adverse vaccine reaction. It's a difficult choice to make. If you decide to pass on the vaccine and develop shingles you could always take Acyclovir within 3 days to lessen the symptoms?

When I was working we had a patient who got shingles in her eye and head, she could not wash her hair for years. I felt so bad for her.

 

@Mij

Hope your severe pain does not recur and you are over it quickly : and thank you for the tip about Acyclovir. I took it for ME for a while and may even have some left. Shingles in the eye sounds dreadful and damaging.
Get well soon.

 

I got my two doses of shingles vaccine last year and had no problems.

I wanted to get them in part because of the research suggesting that there is a slightly lower incidence of dementia in people who have been vaccinated, as well as knowing several people that had suffered badly with shingles.

There does seem to be some confusion here in the UK about when you are entitled to get it on the NHS. I had seen publicity saying you could now get it when you are sixty five, so about six months after my birthday I eventually got round to asking my GP practice for the vaccination, but the receptionist said I had to wait until I was seventy. When I questioned the sixty five info, she seemed to say that was only in the first three months after your birthday. It did not make sense but I didn’t have the umph to question it. Somewhat to my surprise several months later my surgery then invited me to have the shingles vaccinations.

I feel as though I have had so many vaccinations over the last few years, but I have been lucky not have any side effects lasting beyond the first few days after the shots. It is so frustrating that we don’t know more about who with ME/CFS is likely to respond well and who badly.

 

So they don't take into consideration that a person with a weaken immune system could be at higher risk?

 

Just checked up on the NHS website and it seems to say that for here in the UK you can also get the vaccine from fifty if you have a weakened immune system:

 

Does ME count as a severely weakened immune system though? Perhaps it depends in your GP

 

Do you mind if I ask which Covid vaccine was problematic for you? I had my two Astra Zeneca jabs with no problem, then Moderna booster. That one put me into a terrible flare up for about three months, preceded by scary weird cardio symptoms! It's put me right off mRNA vaccines which is unfortunate since they are being touted as the solution to so many things, theoretically. Of course it didn't stop me getting my first COVID infection nine months later. I don't know if you can even get non mRNA boosters in the UK.

 

I had 2 xAZ and 1 Pf.
I reacted badly to both types of vaccine and also made few antibodies to covid from the AZ vaccine. I was sent to a major hospital for the third Pf vaccine and had an immediate anaphylactic type reaction which was very frightening. I did recover but was left with severe joint pain which really is incredibly painful, and not controlled by steroid injections or painkillers. I am relatively lucky. The recent Covid Inquiry's study of those affected by vaccine adverse reactions showed many whose lives have been utterly changed, as well as the inadequacies of the yellow card scheme and VDPS.
I think I've learned that I am reactive to all sorts of substances and need to be careful.

 

Going on week 5 with shingles excruciating pain in my lower shoulder. It takes on a whole life of it's own, some days I'm almost pain-free for 3 days and then it comes back even worse.

My sister and 2 friends have gotten their shingles vaccines just in the last weeks because of my constant complaining about pain.

 

It's painful when I move my shoulder, arm, or turn my head a certain way, so not continuous pain. I almost fainted a few times went it hit. I can't sleep on my side. I've wrapped and tied my left arm to my body with a scarf to prevent movement. Helps a little.

From what I've read is that early treatment with prescription antiviral drugs may speed healing and lower the risk of complications but I didn't call my doctor when maybe I should have. I didn't want to go in to see her because of all the snow we had.

There are non-prescription pain meds but I'm not taking any for now since resting and not moving my arm is helpful, but I will later if it continues.

What I'm really concerned about is the postherpetic neuralgia pain can continue for months, years and forever!

I highly recommend everyone getting the Shingrix which I will do when I'm able because it can come back in a different area.

 

It sounds terrible I hope this will get better for you. And that you’ll find something that helps.

I heard this before and inquired about the vaccine but the costs are very high unfortunately.

 

@Chestnut tree

It's $300 CDN for the 2 jabs and free for us after 65. I'm 2.5 years away from 65 so I called my GP today and booked a phone visit to ask if I should get one soon or wait. I want it documented on my file.

 

They want to make it free for 60 plus but it costs too much in the Netherlands. So it costs about E400. I feel at risk because a relative of mine has a bad case of it.

Such a wrong way to save money. It only leads to more healthcare needed. And people suffering sadly.

 

If you're immune compromised it should be free above the age of 18. They are working here to change it to 18 for certain people.