[MsBrown]

I also had shingles this past year. It is terrible. I had it in my right eye and all over the right side of my face and neck. I also had received the vaccine, but it didn't prevent me from getting shingles. However, the doctor's said it would have been much worse had I not had it. Had it been any worse, or had I not caught it immediately, I probably would have lost my vision. So please, get the vaccine....... it can only help.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by brostholder

I am a pharmacist and perhaps I can help. If someone has ever had chickenpox (varicella), the virus remains in your nerves in a dormant state. If something causes you to have a decrease in what is called your "Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) specific immunity", then the virus reemerges as shingles. The Shingles vaccine Zostavax increases your VZV specific immunity. While it is still possible to get shingles after receiving the vaccine, you are far less likely to get it if you receive the vaccine (I think it was from 2 to 3 times less likely). Hope this helps.

OK, you're the go to guy for shingles questions!

I've had shingles twice. Both times I immediately took medication so The Shingles virus was stopped in a very early stage. OK, here is my question .... If you've had Shingles already, will the Shot still be of value? My family doctor seems unsure.

[uujudy]

Originally Posted by buggyone

. . . When the nerve endings start to regrow, it feels like an army of ants is crawling around under the skin. That feeling lasted for at least a couple of months. . .

Buggyone, there's a word for that feeling; it's formication. With an M!!
Definitions of formication (n)
for·mi·ca·tion [ fàwrmi káysh'n ]
feeling of insects crawling on skin: a neurologically based hallucination in which somebody feels as if insects are crawling on his or her skin.

Originally Posted by Barefoot

. . . OK, here is my question .... If you've had Shingles already, will the Shot still be of value? My family doctor seems unsure.

Thanks for asking, Bare. I want to know, too. Does anybody know for sure?

[bkcunningham1]

Basically, Bare and Judy, the answer as far as I can tell is, who knows.

From Harvard Health Letter "...So there's no easy answer to whether people who have had shingles should get the shingles vaccine. Some pretty good data suggest that the risk of recurrence is quite high and, particularly if you've had a bad case, getting the vaccination would seem to be a prudent precaution. But it's also possible to make a case for the evidence not being all that solid."





http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsle...ingles-vaccine

[brostholder]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

OK, you're the go to guy for shingles questions!

I've had shingles twice. Both times I immediately took medication so The Shingles virus was stopped in a very early stage. OK, here is my question .... If you've had Shingles already, will the Shot still be of value? My family doctor seems unsure.

No real clear answer. It is thought that getting shingles once raises the VZV specific immunity level, just as the vaccine does. But, just as it is possible to get Shingles even with the vaccine, it is obvious that one can also get repeated cases of shingles. My thinking on it is this.....if I had gotten shingles once, I doubt that I would ever want to have it again. If having shingles once (or in your case twice) has raised the level of my VZV specific immune level, and if the vaccine will also raise my VZV immune level, then I would get the vaccine. My thoughts on this are more personal than pharmaceutical because I have not seen conclusive proof of the vaccines benefits after already having shingles. BTW Barefoot, I truly enjoy your thoughtful and kind comments on this site! Good luck with your decision.

[jojo]

Another question - how long is the shingles vaccine effective? I think the pneumonia vaccine is good for 10 years? Realize this is not an exact science.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by brostholder

No real clear answer. It is thought that getting shingles once raises the VZV specific immunity level, just as the vaccine does. But, just as it is possible to get Shingles even with the vaccine, it is obvious that one can also get repeated cases of shingles. My thinking on it is this.....if I had gotten shingles once, I doubt that I would ever want to have it again. If having shingles once (or in your case twice) has raised the level of my VZV specific immune level, and if the vaccine will also raise my VZV immune level, then I would get the vaccine. My thoughts on this are more personal than pharmaceutical because I have not seen conclusive proof of the vaccines benefits after already having shingles. BTW Barefoot, I truly enjoy your thoughtful and kind comments on this site! Good luck with your decision.

Thanks for the great information. I guess when a vaccine is relatively new, there are a lot of unknowns and no definitive answers. My family doctor isn't able to give much guidance. But your thoughts about raising VZV immune levels make me believe that a shingles shot would be a benefit. The two times I got shingles, I treated it immediately, before I even consulted a doctor. I was subsequently told that early treatment is extremely important and can alleviate a very serious outcome.

So if you get an itchy rash, rush yourself to Urgent Care and get it checked out!

[brostholder]

Originally Posted by jojo

Another question - how long is the shingles vaccine effective? I think the pneumonia vaccine is good for 10 years? Realize this is not an exact science.

The vaccine is effective for 6 years. I hear talk that it may be effective for longer but have not found any studies that back it up.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by NotGolfer

Yes...get the shot (he can too when he's over this) but as another poster said it doesn't guarantee that you'll not get shingles. I have one friend who got the shot though, still got shingles but said she didn't hardly know she had them!! Any medical people out there who can explain any of this????

Well, I can tell you that shingles is usually triggered by stress, age and a weakend immune system. We can't help being older but we can live a healthy lifestyle by eating a healthy diet, exercising and practicing stress control. Our immune systems get weaker as we get older so it's more important than ever to get everything right. Above all, we shouldn't continue eating as though we are still teenagers. Eating right will help keep up your immune system.

[jdsl1998]

My husband has post-herpetic neuralgia. He got shingles on Labor Day, 2010, yes, 2010, and still has Post-Herpetic Neuralgia. I went for my shingles shot as soon as I realized how much pain he was in. It has been well over a year and he still is on a lot of pain meds. and he only took Tylenol before he came down with shingles. We have tried pain blockers, burns and spine blocks and he is still in pain. I feel so sorry for him. If anything touches his back or upper front it hurts. He sits sideways to not lean on that side. The meds make him tired but help with the pain. He still works full time but comes home and doesn't do much. I wish we could just move down here full time, at least he could have an easier time of things. We have talked about getting off the meds., seeing how the pain is and perhaps we could file for disability but that is not how we usually do things. Oh well, at least we get to visit regularly. I sure hope you get over these nasty things soon and every one...get your shot!

[Irish Rover]

I had shingles on my left foot and calf. That was 3 months ago and my toes are still numb. The scars are fading slowly. My doc said the shot is not full proof and either way I could contract shingles again. For the first two weeks I thought I had very painful poison ivy. Hope it never happens again.

[skyc6]

I got the vaccine a few weeks ago at the Walgreens on 441 up by Spanish Springs. The pharmacists there were great. My Cigna Ins. Pd for it. You could call them there and ask because they were having a flu/shingles shot clinic that day. Maybe they will again or know where else they might.

[chachacha]

when i had shingles (same place as buggyone, scalp, forehead ouch!) the dermatologist told me that dabbing the sores with listerine could relieve some of the itch and pain. i found it helped... best thing is to have valtrex on hand in case you ever get another breakout to take immediately while waiting for doctor.

[NotGolfer]

A friend of mine, up north, has had shingles multiple times! I know of at least 3....maybe 4 times.

[2BNTV]

I got the Shingles vaccine a couple of years ago when I was at my doctor's for a check-up. Also got the pnuemonia vaccine at another visit.

My 98 year old uncle got the shingles in his left arm and it was very painful and cause to use lose use of the arm. He never complained about anything and for him to say he was in pain, it must have been excrutiating. That was several months ago and he is still in pain but I am not sure it's not from other maladies.

I'm sure am glad I got the shot and hope I never get this painful condition.
I sure hope everyone will not suffer too much from the shingles.