The Shingles Vaccine(s)
- Thread starter mandryka
- Start date
Well worth having the eyes checked after a while.
Shingles left a scar on my left retina, which led to me wearing glasses.
Over a period of some 10 years, the scar all but disappeared, but age means I still need glasses now!
The 'ice pick' headaches are debilitating - as is the pain caused by the nerves it attacks, I still have a scar on the top of my nose where it attached itself to my skull.
I never, ever want it again, or the flu!
Will be 65 shortly, so waiting on that invitation, which will be taken.
Joe P
Memory Alpha incarnate | mod; Shatner number = 2
Steve,
You can get shingles again, so there is a point in getting the shingles vaccine even after a previous infection.
edited for accuracy
Joe
You can get shingles again, so there is a point in getting the shingles vaccine even after a previous infection.
edited for accuracy
Joe
kasperhauser
pfm Member
Shingrix kicked my butt – I was down for 2+ days after each dose. But still a better experience than what I've seen friends go through with shingles.
billo
pfm Member
I think the single jab is the 'normal' one here in the UK. As it is a live vaccine some people with supressed immuno systems are offered the two part jab.
My 3 year old Granddaughter got Shingles as she caught Chicken pox in her first few months from her big brother, it was quite upsetting to see her suffering.
kensalriser
pfm Member
You'll see the point of the flu vaccine if you die from flu.
Enfield boy
pfm Member
^^^ Very much.
A few years ago I was late getting my flu jab. My surgery gave me a few days to choose and I couldn't get to any as I was working, I had to wait months. Sods Law that was the last time I caught the flu and it was horrible.
A few years ago I was late getting my flu jab. My surgery gave me a few days to choose and I couldn't get to any as I was working, I had to wait months. Sods Law that was the last time I caught the flu and it was horrible.
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
My thinking was thus: I understand the shingles virus is always there if you’ve had it. It’s like the Herpes virus in that regard. So if you’ve had chicken pox as a kid (as I did) you don’t ‘catch’ Shingles as an adult but, rather, it flares up again (as happened to me). Obviously, if you didn’t have Chicken Pox as a kid, you can indeed catch Shingles as an adult.
So if I’m correct, the vaccine won’t prevent you catching something that is already resident. It might reduce the symptoms of a flare up, but my understanding is that a flare up is often triggered by something, such as being a bit run down or stressed perhaps. And I’m not sure how much help being vaccinated would be in that scenario.
suzywong
Wot, no electrons?
That is in line with the NHS website. My wife & I are both looking into it as she had a bout of shingles about a month ago. She should get the two jabs version on the NHS (for the reason stated), but I will only get it next year….unless I cough up a couple of hundred (which I probably will).
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Joe P
Memory Alpha incarnate | mod; Shatner number = 2
Steve,
The sources I've read say you should get the Shringrix shot regardless as the vaccine can help prevent shingles, but ask your doctor as there may be good reasons why you specifically should not.
For what it's worth, the CDC says the following about getting a Shingrix shot (when you say Shingrix shot, pretend you're Sean Connery*) —
Sounds like the vaccine helps prevent shingles or reduces the severity of shingles.
I know two unvaccinated people who got shingles and it was so painful AF that they did wish it upon their worst enemy. Both are a bit vindictive, but for those less grudge-bearing they may not wish shingles upon their nemesis.
Joe
* If you don't shay it like that, you only have yourshelf to blame.
The sources I've read say you should get the Shringrix shot regardless as the vaccine can help prevent shingles, but ask your doctor as there may be good reasons why you specifically should not.
For what it's worth, the CDC says the following about getting a Shingrix shot (when you say Shingrix shot, pretend you're Sean Connery*) —
If you’re 50 or older, get Shingrix
- Shingrix provides strong protection from shingles and long-term nerve pain.
- Get Shingrix even if you already had shingles, because you can get the disease more than once.
- Your risk of shingles and complications increases as you age.
- You need 2 doses of Shingrix. Get the second dose 2 to 6 months after you get the first dose.
Sounds like the vaccine helps prevent shingles or reduces the severity of shingles.
I know two unvaccinated people who got shingles and it was so painful AF that they did wish it upon their worst enemy. Both are a bit vindictive, but for those less grudge-bearing they may not wish shingles upon their nemesis.
Joe
* If you don't shay it like that, you only have yourshelf to blame.
Bob McC
Living the life of Riley
No you won’t…
Paul R
pfm Member
You only get shingles if you have already had chicken pox*, it's a reactivation of a virus that lurks in your nervous system for 55 years. I don't think you get chickenpox again, but as shingles is a flair up of an existing condition it makes sense it can reflare. It's not immediately obvious how the vaccine works though.
In the UK the standard vaccine is a single dose Zostavax which is a live vaccine. For the immune compromised the two dose Shingrix would be offered. I'm just reading the NHS web site.
*It's possible you can also get it if you ingest fluid from shingles blisters.
Paul R
pfm Member
Why would I die from flu?
Demonstrations of the efficacy of the flu vaccine are thin on the ground, and it seems that in the UK the range of people to whom it is offered is being reduced to the more vulnerable after an expansion over the last few years. I postulate that if you widely vaccinate with a vaccine that doesn't work very well, or slightly misses the dominant strain of the next season, you can have an evolutionary impact on the virus which further reduces efficacy, and that means the truly vulnerable become more vulnerable.
Joe P
Memory Alpha incarnate | mod; Shatner number = 2
Paul,
Yes, you are right. You can’t get shingles unless you have had chicken pox earlier. I think there’s still good reason to get the vaccine.
From what I’ve seen in others, the only place I’d ever want shingles is on the roof, especially during a deluge. It’s worse than a day in the agony booth in Mirror, Mirror.
Joe
Yes, you are right. You can’t get shingles unless you have had chicken pox earlier. I think there’s still good reason to get the vaccine.
From what I’ve seen in others, the only place I’d ever want shingles is on the roof, especially during a deluge. It’s worse than a day in the agony booth in Mirror, Mirror.
Joe
kensalriser
pfm Member
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/excess-deaths-associated-with-flu-highest-in-5-years
I'm going to guess here that you are not a virologist, epidemiologist or in possession of any associated or relevant professional qualifications or knowledge.
Paul R
pfm Member
That's rather unresponsive to my post.
And you don't need to be a virologist to be able to understand numbers. And you don't seem to understand numbers. You've linked to the wrong document, and the right document tells me nothing about the risks of flu. It does tell me that if I go to A&E with flu symptoms then the probability of being admitted is reduced if I'm vaccinated. Which means the vaccine has already failed, you are so ill you've gone to hospital.
I'd like to know what the risks of flu actually are. The data should be easy to gather, we have a widely vaccinated cohort, the over 65s, and a largely unvaccinated cohort, the under 65s. A bit of correction for age and the numbers should pop out. Perhaps you could find them?
It's personally moot, I don't qualify. Assuming I reach 65 I shall take the most potent shingles offering and decline flu (and SARS-CoV2). Given the current state of the art and data, which is likely to change in the next few years.
And you don't need to be a virologist to be able to understand numbers. And you don't seem to understand numbers. You've linked to the wrong document, and the right document tells me nothing about the risks of flu. It does tell me that if I go to A&E with flu symptoms then the probability of being admitted is reduced if I'm vaccinated. Which means the vaccine has already failed, you are so ill you've gone to hospital.
I'd like to know what the risks of flu actually are. The data should be easy to gather, we have a widely vaccinated cohort, the over 65s, and a largely unvaccinated cohort, the under 65s. A bit of correction for age and the numbers should pop out. Perhaps you could find them?
It's personally moot, I don't qualify. Assuming I reach 65 I shall take the most potent shingles offering and decline flu (and SARS-CoV2). Given the current state of the art and data, which is likely to change in the next few years.
gintonic
50 shades of grey pussy cats
do you mean gone to hospital or taken to hospital. It is one thing being taken to hospital by an ambulance crew who have some expertise and another self-reporting at A&E only to be triaged as a GP case.
The alternatives could be milder symptoms with a vaccine or dead without (or even intensive care or high dependency unit).
The vaccine has been successful if it prevents my death. A vaccine isn't about preventing a disease entirely as you seem to be purporting.
Joe P
Memory Alpha incarnate | mod; Shatner number = 2
The efficacy of the flu vaccine varies from year to year as developing a shot against the exact strains of the influenza virus in circulation when you get your jab is imperfect. And even if the match were more or less perfect, the flu vaccine does not provide 100 percent protection against the flu anyway.
But even with those qualifiers, I’ve yet to meet a public health or medical professional who says getting a flu shot is pointless, especially so among the medically vulnerable.
Joe
But even with those qualifiers, I’ve yet to meet a public health or medical professional who says getting a flu shot is pointless, especially so among the medically vulnerable.
Joe
mandryka
pfm Member
Shingrix?