There are no residual effects but it is extremely painful when you have it.

That the same as what my doctor told me when I got shingles a number of years ago.

Bill :)

I've had shingles twice. No problem. Both times I realized immediately what it was, and raced to the doctor. If you get treatment within 24 hours, you're usually home free. So if you get an unexplained itchy rash, check it out immediately with your doctor!! I know people that have ignored their symptoms and they have suffered with pain for years.

I do plan on having the shingles shot, but in Canada the supply is limited. Since the serum has to be refrigeratered under special conditions, not all clinics offer it.

I am going on what my MD told me on several occasions. That from a live vaccine you can get the thing you are being vaccinated for but at a reduced severity. I sent and email to the Cleveland Clinic and Center for disease control for clarification. I will let you know what they respond.

Thanks for taking the time to clarify this for us. I've certainly heard of people getting "minor" flu from a flu shot. So it makes sense what you're saying. Could you also ask them whether you can have a shingles shot if you've already had shingles twice? My family doctor says you can, but she's not an expert in that field.

County Health Dept in Wildwood lists the shot as being about $175.

I got this response so far.

No, shingles is not spread from the vaccine. Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus stays in the body in a dormant (inactive) state. For reasons that are not fully known, the virus can reactivate years later, causing shingles.


Duane Kilgus, MPH, RS
Captain, US Public Health Service
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institute of Allergy and infectious Diseases
 

This has a slightly different take on live vaccines. Who do you listen to?:shrug:

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VaccinesTypes of Vaccines
Scientists take many approaches to designing vaccines against a microbe. These choices are typically based on fundamental information about the microbe, such as how it infects cells and how the immune system responds to it, as well as practical considerations, such as regions of the world where the vaccine would be used. The following are some of the options that researchers might pursue:

•Live, attenuated vaccines
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•Subunit vaccines
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•Conjugate vaccines
•DNA vaccines
•Recombinant vector vaccines
Live, Attenuated Vaccines
Live, attenuated vaccines contain a version of the living microbe that has been weakened in the lab so it can’t cause disease. Because a live, attenuated vaccine is the closest thing to a natural infection, these vaccines are good “teachers” of the immune system: They elicit strong cellular and antibody responses and often confer lifelong immunity with only one or two doses.

Despite the advantages of live, attenuated vaccines, there are some downsides. It is the nature of living things to change, or mutate, and the organisms used in live, attenuated vaccines are no different. The remote possibility exists that an attenuated microbe in the vaccine could revert to a virulent form and cause disease. Also, not everyone can safely receive live, attenuated vaccines. For their own protection, people who have damaged or weakened immune systems— because they’ve undergone chemotherapy or have HIV, for example—cannot be given live vaccines.

Shingles
 

I have had the shingles twice and the first time I was under 60 and I couldn't get the shot and then was foolish and put off getting it and after getting it a second time when the doctor gave me the okay I got the shot. My husband who never had them also received the shot after seeing what I went thru. We heard that there was a 6 month wait and then found out theatRite Aid was having a clinic and called and we were the last two to get on the list. They only receive a limited number of the vacine so we were very lucky as they didn't know when they would be having another clinic. Our insurace paid for the administration of the shot ($50.00) and we each paid $200.00 but well worth it between what you would spend on medication and the discomfort.

I would advise anyone over 60 to get the shingles vaccine. I had shingles in July. I made it to to my doctor the third day and was given an antibiotic which helped to some degree. My shingles lasted 3 weeks. Afterwards, I was given the shingles vaccine to prevent another outbreak in the future. You can get shingles more than once, but if you have taken the vaccine, it will help to lessen the severity of another outbreak. Yes, they are very painful.

Shingles
 

Want all to know that even with the shot you might still come down with shingles as I have. Got shot two years ago and last Monday noticed the rash. It has not been too painful though so the shot might have lessened the effects.