Shingles

[willowsnn3]

Just had my second Shingrix today.

 

[klmall]

Got both of the different vaccines and still got a mild case of Shingles anyway!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Got both of the different vaccines and still got a mild case of Shingles anyway!

But just be aware, it's likely you wouldn't have had a mild case if you hadn't received the shots.

 

[pirate33]

But just be aware, it's likely you wouldn't have had a mild case if you hadn't received the shots.

That's my view. To my surprise, I just had shingles. I had the new Shingrix vaccine about 4-5 years ago, which was an ordeal (at least for the first shot; the second one was not so bad). My doctor reminded me that even the new Shingrix vaccine is only about 50% effective.

My bout started in my left ear for a few days and then progressed to my left temple. Thankfully all I experienced was pain, sometimes bordering on excruciating, but I had no effects on my hearing. I'm still thankful for the vaccine and believe it protected me from permanent harm. I can deal with some pain but losing eyesight or hearing would be really catastrophic.

 

[pirate33]

That's my view. To my surprise, I just had shingles. I had the new Shingrix vaccine about 4-5 years ago, which was an ordeal (at least for the first shot; the second one was not so bad). My doctor reminded me that even the new Shingrix vaccine is only about 50% effective.

My bout started in my left ear for a few days and then progressed to my left temple. Thankfully all I experienced was pain, sometimes bordering on excruciating, but I had no effects on my hearing. I'm still thankful for the vaccine and believe it protected me from permanent harm. I can deal with some pain but losing eyesight or hearing would be really catastrophic.

P.S. A reminder to seek medical help right away if you have pain. My doctor gave me an antiviral, which also I am sure helped the symptoms abate and avoided them progressing into causing irreversible harm. Shingles is a really horrible condition.

 

[klmall]

But just be aware, it's likely you wouldn't have had a mild case if you hadn't received the shots.

Agreed! It also happened at a time my entire immune system seemed down and I had my first case of hives ever, ear infections and later an acute episode of colitis. Thankfully all this happened in the fall of 2019 before Covid and my health has been much better since.

 

[piglet1979]

I had it when I was 28 with a 1 and 2 year old and just started a new job with no PTO yet (though they said they would work something out if I needed it). I was put on antivirals so it stayed at my waist. I didn't miss any work as I at the mind set of "I could be at home in pain doing nothing or at work with pain and doing something that might help distract me some. I did keep it coved because my 1 year old (just turned 1 a few days earlier) hadn't had the chicken pox vaccine yet. Thankfully she didn't get it. It was the worst pain I have ever had.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

My doctor reminded me that even the new Shingrix vaccine is only about 50% effective.

If you only got one dose, the effectiveness is about that. I found this online:
According to a study involving almost two million people, published online Jan. 9, 2024, by Annals of Internal Medicine, the two-dose vaccine was still 73% effective four years later. However, in those adults who received only one dose instead of the recommended two, the effectiveness dropped rapidly after the first year and only offered 52% protection against shingles after three years.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/stay...ne-is-still-highly-effective-after-four-years