Speaking of Shingles Vaccine, yeah or ney??

[PR1234]

Dr. says it's about time to get the vaccine. I know Shingles can be VERY painful....any thoughts as why not to get the shot?

[DaleMN]

None whatsoever. Painless injection; no side effects. No one wants to get shingles.

[Villages PL]

Dr. says it's about time to get the vaccine. I know Shingles can be VERY painful....any thoughts as why not to get the shot?

First of all, it's expensive. Second, it only reduces your risk by about 1%. That's the way my doctor explained it to me. Let's see if I remember what he said 3 years ago. Your risk now is about 3 out of 100. And if you get the shot, your risk would be 2 out of 100. Well, that's the way I remember it. In any case, I do remember that the advantage is very very small.

[villages07]

Actually, PL, as an old math major it reduces your risk by a third or 33% if it indeed is the difference between 3% and 2%.

I'd like to see a link to those statistics. I sure seem to run into a lot of people who have suffered with it.

[bonrich]

Having an injection for the shingles vaccine is generally painless. Shingles is not something anyone wants to have but the worst thing that can occur for some people after shingles is neuritis which can last many, many months and is very painful. Not everyone who gets shingles will have neuritis but many will and this is the real problem. My husband and I had the shingles injection.

[keithgerri]

Check with your insurance. We have Tri Care and there is no cost. FREE. Can not even feel the shot and no side effects.

[champion6]

I highly recommend that you the the shingles shot. I got mine shortly after my wife's bout with shingles. In her case, she suffered permanent damage to one eye.

[RichieB]

BIG vote in favor of shingles vaccine. Couple of my mother's friends in their 80's got shingles.

As someone else said, you do NOT want to get shingles. :ohdear:

[rjm1cc]

I have gotten it. I see no reason not to minimize the risk of getting shingles or to reduce the problems associated with it if I do get shingles.

[eremite06]

I have gotten it. I see no reason not to minimize the risk of getting shingles or to reduce the problems associated with it if I do get shingles.

I got the shot.

[Barefoot]

Shingles is not something anyone wants to have but the worst thing that can occur for some people after shingles is neuritis which can last many, many months and is very painful.

I know a lawyer who was blinded by shingles. It can have terrible results. As was pointed out in a previous post, the shingles shot doesn't mean you have 100% protection, but it is better than no protection. I think everyone over the age of 50 should get the shot.

I've had shingles twice, but caught it early. If immediately treated, within hours, the effects of shingles are minimal. However, most people don't seek treatment in the early stages, since it doesn't seem like anything serious. Mine started with a mild rash. I realized it was shingles and started self treatment with steroids and anti viral pills. I'm not recommended self diagnosis or self treatment, all rashes aren't shingles. However if you get an unexplained rash, I suggest that you take yourself to Urgent Care and have it checked out.

[RichieB]

pretty good advice on all counts IMO.

[mgjim]

Check with your insurance. We have Tri Care and there is no cost. FREE. Can not even feel the shot and no side effects.

My wife contracted shingles years ago and she was miserable for many weeks. I've never had shingles and since I was at my annual physical today, I took the plunge. Absolutely painless.

I'm glad to hear that TriCare covers it...I didn't even check ahead of time. I figured this was one illness I could do without.

[fgrider]

Get the shot. My husband and I both had it as I had shingles twice and it is very painful and the pain can last for months. I know that there is still a chance that even with the shot I could get them again but our doctor said that that the chance is only about 2%. Our insurance paid $50.00 for each of us and we paid $200.00 each but we considered it well worth the money. Shingles are something that no one wants to get and any try at protecting yourself is well worth it. Also the doctor told me that if I did get them again it would be a much milder case.

[PaPaLarry]

I'm 100% behind having the shot. Especially for us over 60 crowd. My doctor recommended getting the shot and I did. Had a buddy who didn't want to get the shot, and got the shingles. He said it was very painful, and uncomfortable for a long period of time. Go for it!!!!:agree:

[Villages PL]

Actually, PL, as an old math major it reduces your risk by a third or 33% if it indeed is the difference between 3% and 2%.

I'd like to see a link to those statistics. I sure seem to run into a lot of people who have suffered with it.

That's true. I was thinking of it as 1 less out of a hundred, one being 1% of one hundred. So, if it went from 2 out of 100 to 1 you'd have a 50% reduction in risk. It's a big percentage but 2 out of 100 doesn't seem to be that big of a risk. Perhaps it is.

I can't give a link because I was just repeating what my doctor told me. Perhaps he was basing it on the fact that I told him I didn't remember having chicken pox as a child. Blisters all over my body? I'm sure I would have remembered that. I remember having the mumps.

However, I did do a search: "shingles risk with and without a vaccination"

That search brought me to "About.com" where I found some interesting information.

1) Shingles occurs in about 20% of people who have had chicken pox.

2) Risk for recurrance of shingles: Shingles can recur, but the risk is low (1-5%)

Also it said that most cases of shingles are mild.

My grandparents didn't get shingles and my parents didn't either. None of my aunts, uncles and their spouces had it (a total of 22). The only two I can remember having it is my cousin's wife. I think she got it after having chemotherapy because her immune system was impaired. And there was one blood relative who got shingles. I believe it was brought on by the stress of being a caregiver.

[Barefoot]

That's true. I was thinking of it as 1 less out of a hundred, one being 1% of one hundred. So, if it went from 2 out of 100 to 1 you'd have a 50% reduction in risk. It's a big percentage but 2 out of 100 doesn't seem to be that big of a risk, in my opinion.


Shingles is most common in older people. With the shot, there is a 50% chance of prevention for those over 60. (source foxnews.com) Having known someone who lost their eyesight because of this disease, I really encourage people to have the shot. The rash can be hard to diagnose and unless it is immediately treated, shingles can have severe side effects.

[mgm4444]

Is the shot "good for life" - or do you have to get it every couple of years?

[JohnStansbury]

Is the shot "good for life" - or do you have to get it every couple of years?
As a recently retired dermatologist I highly advise anyone over about 55 years of age who has not had shingles to be vaccinated for it. Absolutely no question about that. The disease is more likely to be severe in older age groups. There are authoritative recommendations that people who have already had shingles should also be vaccinated, but I haven't pushed that nearly as hard. As far as "remembering having had chicken pox", or NOT remembering it, that disease is highly communicable and could easily have occurred before age 4, and I recommend that everyone proceed as if he or she has had chicken pox. In answer to the specific question above, regarding the need for a second vaccination, I do not at this time plan to obtain a second vaccination.

[hulahips]

i took a class in skin care and the derm told us if you learn one thing in this class learn this: Get the shingles vaccine around age 60. Very important he said. I'm not quite 60 yet but when I get there I will probably have it. Heard shingles is very painful so why take chance?

[Finallyfree]

Absolutely get the shot. Painless, covered by most insurance and at worst it would make shingles milder if you got them. Without the shot you can suffer eye damage (as one person indicated), my mother n law lose use of one eye, had permanent stroke like paralysis in her face. As soon as we were eligible hubby and I both got the shot!

[teachnmo]

My doctor had encouraged me to get the Shingles shot when I turned 60. So about two months ago I called my health insurance, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and ask if they covered the shot. They said they did.

I went to Wal-Greens on the appointed day to get my shot. The insurance card wouldn't go through. I went ahead and paid for it. I then called my insurance company and he said unless it was a regular clinic in a drugstore they don't cover the cost. In other words the doctor offices want their fair share of the amount for an office call to get it.

My Mom suffered with it for about two months from head to knees on the right side. I determined it was worth the $220 to get the shot.

[asianthree]

We have to pay and its still worth it.

[Retired2]

I waited to get the shot. Instead, I ended up with the shingles last July. My advice would be to get the shot. My doctor recommended getting the vaccine 3 weeks after I had the shingles. The vaccine will not prevent a second outbreak, but can help lesson the severity of another outbreak. It is very painful and can lead to blindness if you have them in your eyes.

[Whatever]

In three words, YES,YES,YES!

[NotGolfer]

Yes get the shot! What everyone else said on this thread. I got the shot mainly because I have rhuematory disease and some other issues...wanted the protection! Shot is painless and most insurances now cover it all or part of it!

[Mimivillager]

I have had shingles twice. Do I need the shot or should I get it?

[Finallyfree]

Get the shot! If you get shingles again, the shot will lessen the impact.

[zcaveman]

I am going through the shingles now. How much less of an impact with the shot? Are you talking from experience?

Mine is on my right side and around to the middle of the front with a few rash spots on my back. I went to Urgent Care and they gave me a pill prescription to ease the symptoms. I never had any itching and the tenderness is gone and now if feels like someone kicked me in the ribs. Hopefully that feeling will go away next week.

[Nipper]

I got the shingles shot in 2007. Last Friday, I was diagnosed with shingles. However, because I got the shot and went to urgent care within 72 hours, it is a mild case. Had very minor pain for a couple of days --- a canker sore is worse. The rash is minimal. I have not missed any work. I have friends who have had shingles who could not move for weeks and years later, still have pain. That is why I got the shot. So, I say GET THE SHOT.

[Pturner]

I also have had shingles twice, both mild cases. I've heard conflicting reports on whether the vaccine would do any good in my case. However, if it can't do any harm, I plan to get it.

I'm not sure why anyone who never had chickenpox would get the shingles vaccine though. If you've never had the chickenpox, it's not possible to get shingles. Those who have never had chickenpox can contract chickenpox though via physical contact with someone who has shingles.

[BarryRX]

As a pharmacist, let me say that it is a great idea to get the shot! Even though it is not 100% protection, it will reduce the terrible effects of the infection even if you do get it. I would also highly recommend the pneumonia vaccine for those over 65 and also recommend Tdap (tetanus, diptheria, pertussis) for any of you who have children who are pregnant and about to have children of their own. Pertussis (whooping cough) is epidemic in some parts of the country so you want to make sure that you have had a booster.