Shingles Shots

[Magicman]

Yes, the latest vaccine is "Shingrix".  Two shots 2-6 months apart.

"Zostavax" is no longer available for use in the United States, as of November 18, 2020.

[petefrom bearswamp]

Linda and I got the shingrix duo several years ago.
Just a little soreness, nothing else.
My dad had it bad when in his late 80s.
I had what was diagnosed as a mild case about 30 years ago, mild rash around my right side about a foot long, just itched a lot, no real pain.
Maybe wasnt shingles Doc?

[doc henderson]

hard to know now, but prob. over the hump.

[Magicman]

I wonder about getting the Shingles booster vaccination which will be in September in the same arm?  My three Covid shots were also in this left arm.

It seems as I have worn this left arm out and should switch to the right arm. ?? 

[RetiredTech]

  We had all 4 rounds of covid shots in the same arm. I don't think it's the shots wearing them out.  Seems to have something to do with how many times the earth spins around. :D

[doc henderson]

I get all my shots and IV sticks for blood donation in my L arm.

[RetiredTech]

  The wife went in for her VA checkup yesterday and they gave her the first dose of the new shot. I guess I need to ask about it next time I see the doctor.

[SwampDonkey]

Mother had an outbreak of shingles over a year ago. Took the meds and got over it quick then the shot a few months later.

[YellowHammer]

I got my first shot on Monday, and there were almost no side effects, (wrong) other than a swollen arm down to my wrist, my other arm hurt from my shoulder to my fingers, my whole upper chest ached, I couldn't sleep the first night and developed a slight fever, but that was offset last night where I had chills all night.  I now feel great, like a switch had been thrown.  

Jeesh

The bad news is the second shot, they say it's the "bad" one. It's scheduled for September.

So why am I doing this??

The funny part was the pharmacist asked they needed to send a note to my employer because I might feel bad for a couple days and may even miss work.  I said, no, my boss is a total *** :D :D and will make me work through it.  Actually, about lunch time yesterday, I was asleep on the couch, note or no note.  

[doc henderson]

my two shots I had no side effects at all.  My wife gave it to me, so maybe it was for something else.  

[Old saw fixer]

I had the earlier one stick shingles vaccine, and two years ago took the Shingrix regimen.

Is the shingles shot like tetanus where we need a booster every so often, or is it one and done?

[YellowHammer]

I don't normally react to vaccines, but this was a memorable one.   

I guess I'm just getting old.  

[doc henderson]

some discomfort is a sign your immune system is fooled and thinks you have the real disease.  Congratulation Robert.   8) 8) 8)

[YellowHammer]

So @doc henderson 

if I am getting a good immune response on the frost shot, is the second shot necessary?

[doc henderson]

who knows!    prob. wait a while.  you can pre-med with ibuprophen.  I had shingles 10 years ago, and the shot did nothing to me, and you would expect a more vigorous response since the disease is usually the best immunizer.

[doc henderson]

as we age we respond less usually.  It will be interesting if you do not feel as bad with the second shot.  maybe had a viral bug at the same time as the first shot.  Or maybe you are not really that old.   smiley_old_guy

[bluthum]

I had my second shot yesterday. The first one was unremarkable and 24 hours into the second I feel fine except for pain at the injection site. Problem was the pharmacy girl stuffed that needle into my arm with great incompetence. I never had such a painful injection, it caught me totally by surprise and I loudly uttered some choice language right there in public. She's apologizing already and backs it out a little, Ow!, more choice language again. She says "I didn't expect there to be muscle there." Any extraordinary amount muscle there was a surprise to me as much strength as I've lost in recent years. Surely they still teach the difference between SC and IM in pharm school?

[doc henderson]

prob. never did.  that was nurses.  now all the Walmart's and Walgreens want the money for the injections, and it is good for those with no doc.  started mostly during covid.  now they are all trying to be a little clinic or something.

[Ed_K]

 Had shingles in 99, there is no pain that's worse. Started at my mid section and went around under my left arm to my backbone. Pain, itch and pealing skin. V.A. gave me one shot last fall, and that was about as bad as a tetanus shot. Rita got hers a yr ago and says it was like a tetanus shot. I have to take acyclovir (an antiviral) for the rest of my life, and also sulfamethoxazole (a bacterial) too. It's nice to live with the thought that anyone can make me sick.

[Magicman]

PatD and I just got our 2nd Shingles Shot.  I am hoping to avoid the arm soreness that I had with the first one.

[SwampDonkey]

Grandfather had shingles in the 80's, no meds for it and no vaccines for it then. Lasted months.

[Raider Bill]

I had the first kind of shingle shots about 2-3 years ago. Do I need to get this new one?

[Magicman]

Google may know or we will have to call @doc henderson and @doctorb to answer that.

I had a miserable night last night.  >:(  DanG arm was sore and my normal tossin' & turnin' sleep habits got interrupted.  I finally rearranged my pillow at 3 so I could turn on my left side and slept until 5.  Took a couple of Advil this morning and not doin' nuttin' today. 

Both of us are OK, just have sore arms to the touch.  My soreness lasted a couple of weeks on the first shot, PatD's about a week.

[doctorb]

By recollection....the old Shingles shot (Zostavax, 2006) was a one shot dose.  The new shingles shot (Shingrix) is a two shot vaccine.  As the efficacy of the new vaccine is far superior to the Zostavax, i believe the recommendations are that the new vaccine be given to provide better protection.  Await confirmation from Doc H.

My wife reminded me that we both were dish rags for a weekend after our Shingrix vaccine.  She had a worse reaction to the second shot than I.  Hang in there Magic!

[rusticretreater]

I've had the two shot vaccine.  I do remember feeling a bit odd after the shot, but I have a stronger disposition than most folks.

In the past I have gotten a flu shot and it worked. It gave me the flu. 

No telling how the body will react to these things.  I guess MagicMan's body heard no shingles? Whats next? No 2x4's?  8)