What's up with shingles?
 

It is not a rumor if you have or have had a neurological condition (or certain other conditions). Please be careful about making blanket statements. My wife has been categorically told not to have the shingles shot. And she is an RN to boot.

There may be conditiions that do not allow a shingles shot to begin with.....I was not and cannot address that specific issue. If a person is healthy and gets shingles....they can get shingles again. My whole point is GET a shingles shot especially if your Dr advised you to do so. Highly suggest YOU bring it up with your Dr............be proactivite on this issue.

I agree 100%

My sweetie had shingles a number of years ago, and it was awful. Once he recovered, he got the shot and encouraged me to get it, too. I was dragging my feet until he told me that you can even get it on your face and in your eyes. Got the shot!

Dbussone, thanks for your concern.
I checked with two doctors and my Neurologist before I had the vaccination last year.
They all assured me the vaccine might not prevent a third episode, but if I did get Shingles for a third time,
the vaccination would at least lessen the severity.

Has anyone noticed that shingles can occur as a response to stress? I knew someone who got shingles after a stressful episode as caregiver. It seems possible because stress is likely to weaken one's immune system.

Another person I knew got shingles after being diagnosed with cancer and getting chemotherapy.

I would think it depends on the immune system because people usually don't get it when they're young. As we age, our immune system gradually gets weaker.

Stress is the main reason that people get shingles.

What was first diagnosed as pink eye, was later diagnosed as shingles in my husband. We had never heard of it in the eye, but he caught it early enough. We made several trips to an eye specialist checking the pressure levels in his eye and after much medication and eye drops, it finally went away after a few weeks. I immediately went to my doctor when we got back to Michigan to have the shot. They are very expensive and you need to make sure your insurance covers them.

I concur. Most people I know that have had shingles had a stressful incident preceding it. In my case, it was physical stress, I had been sick the 2 months prior - first with a stomach virus, then the next month with an upper respiratory infection. The third month I ended up with shingles - on Christmas eve no less!! Others I have known have been either physically, mentally, and/or emotionally distressed prior to coming down with shingles. I think it is a strong factor. For those who can get the vaccine, I think it is a very good idea.