Have You Had a Shingles Vaccine?

[Carol Dee]

Since the insurance company will not pay the bill I have not gotten one. And hope If I get it I recognize the rash/pain immediately and get medical help a.s.a.p. as I know the window for treatment is small. YEP, I had all the childhood illness in a 1 year span. My poor Mom, because of course, then my younger siblings also got them.

 

[canesisters]

I've been thinking about it. I had chicken pox twice as a kid so now I'm wondering if I'm more susceptible to shingles ... or maybe I'm somehow 'immune' now.

 

[so lucky]

It would be interesting to see some real statistics on the percent of people who get it, and the percent of people who only get a mild case, and how many have bad, recurring cases.
I knew a gal who got it repeatedly on her rear. But she was a wreck emotionally, and I think the stress and alcohol and pills she took all made things worse.

 

[canesisters]

I believe that stress, alcohol and pills generally make EVERYTHING worse.

 

[Nyboy]

I believe that stress, alcohol and pills generally make EVERYTHING worse.

so true so true!

 

[Ridgerunner]

My insurance will pay for it when you are over 60 so yes, I got the vaccination. My son and my father in law had severe cases. It is something you want to avoid if you can.

I've done a little checking on it. Supposedly abut 99% of Americans over 40 have had chicken pox, whether they know it or not. About 1 in 3 people over 60 will get shingles without the vaccine. About 1 in 6 of those will have severe pain. So yes, as you would expect, those ads on TV are greatly misleading. About 1 in 18 people over 60 will have a severe case of shingles. They'd make you think it was half the population.

You are supposed to be most likely to get shingles in your 60's. I did not just say you only get it in your 60's, just that is when it often strikes. My son had it in his late 30's, my father-in-law in his late 80's. He really suffered. From what I read the vaccination is only good for 5 years though it can reduce symptoms after that. That's why they recommend taking it after 60, when it is most likely to do the most good.

Annette, I did not see anything about being able to take it again and getting relief. Have you discussed that with your doctor?

The vaccination reduces the risk of shingles by 51% and the risk of post-herpetic neuralgia by 67%. According to the Mayo Clinic, Postherpetic neuralgia is a complication of shingles, which is caused by the chickenpox (herpes zoster) virus. Post-herpetic neuralgia affects nerve fibers and skin, causing burning pain that lasts long after the rash and blisters of shingles disappear. The way I read this 2/3 of the people that get shingles will have this, not 2/3 of the population.

Let's translate that into numbers. Since 1 in 18 over 60 would have a severe case of the shingles and the vaccine prevents shingles about half the time, the vaccine will greatly help about 1 in 36 people. It will not greatly help the 1 in 36 that will get a severe case of the shingles, but in these people it will help about 2/3 from having those lingering effects.

So Lucky, is this the kind of thing you were looking for?

Gardening with Rabbits, the vaccine is not 100% effective. Whether or not the lady at church got any benefit from reduced pain because of the vaccine is and forever will remain unknown.

Sometimes when I sow seeds or transplant plants, some seeds don't sprout and some plants die. I don't take that to mean I should never sow another seed or never transplant a plant because it wasn't 100% effective. Sometimes things aren't perfect, but if you never sow a seed you get zero germination.

 

[thistlebloom]

I've been thinking about it. I had chicken pox twice as a kid so now I'm wondering if I'm more susceptible to shingles ... or maybe I'm somehow 'immune' now.

Cane, the rule of double negatives apply here. Of course I'm assuming both experiences were negative. So naturally, you're good.
~Dr. Thistle~

 

[so lucky]

So we just need to stay calm, keep our immune system up, and cross our fingers. That could be a new T-shirt slogan:

Keep Calm and Take Your Turmeric

 

[canesisters]

Keep Calm & eat REAL Food"... dude

 

[Beekissed]

Very interesting article on it....

http://blindedbythelightt.blogspot.com/2012/04/chickenpox-vaccine-strain-virus.html

I used to give flu vaccines by the hundreds...probably thousands in my career. But, I've only had a one or two early on in my life until I learned better, so no more for many, many years. Nor will I ever get one again, nor the pneumonia vaccine. Nor would I get this "shingles" vaccine.

Rather, I work on maintaining a good immune system as my first line of defense and let my body develop immunity towards such things naturally for as long as it's able...and that's quite a long time if my parents are any example to judge by.