Shingles Vacine

I got mine from and on the advice of the nice folks at the Kansas City VA. I had a sore arm for a couple of days but nowhere near the pain and suffering that comes with shingles.

I would suggest getting the shot if your doctor agrees.
 
Recommended by my doctor. Had shot done at pharmacy, as the insurance company covered it completely, if done at doctors office, I would have had to pay the difference, about 50%.
Several years ago worked around an electrician who was recovering from shingles, he was off work for 2 weeks, and still looked pretty bad, said the pain was not good! :(
 
I watched my father deal with shingles, and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

When the vaccine came out, I was the first one in line in these parts. My BC/BS covered it, but I'd have paid $1000 just on the chance it would work as advertised.

No reactions to it at all. I also nagged my wife into getting it.
 
Insurance would only pay at age 60, so I went on my 60th birthday. They only covered it at some specific contracted pharmacies (not my doc, interesting...).

Don't remember the charge, but being a cancer patient, I always blow out deductible & co-pay by March.

Grandmother suffered agony for years with shingles. 50/50 effectiveness? Beats what I saw her go through.

Here recently a neighbor complained it was too expensive, and skipped it. Then he came down with it from his arse up his back, into his hair. Months later he still can't sit in a normal chair.

Don't even think about not doing it!
 
I got attacked by shingles and it is not fun. I like to describe it as it feels like your skin is on fire and they're using ice picks to put out the fire. I had it on my chest area, but be advised it can go in places that are much worse!

A couple years after my bout, the medical profession said it was ok for me to get the vaccine as it might help. Shingles can return. Of course I got the shot it, was free under my health insurance. After having one run in with shingles the cost was basically not a concern I would been glad to pay any charge required.

Get the shot; it's in your best interest especially if you would like to sleep. The only way I could fall to sleep was by taking a Tylenol 3 at bed time. That drug was prescribed by my doc and it helped out quite well.
 
My doctor won't give a Shingles Vaccine until he's run a Blood Titre for Chicken Pox. Because if you've never had Chicken Pox the Shingles Vaccine can GIVE YOU THE CHICKEN POX[/]. Yeah, it's an attenuated Live Virus vaccine but as we age our immune systems can decline so for some this vaccine can actually cause an infection. Since many of us are now old enough to not have any surviving parents or possibly parents with questionable memories it's something to think about. BTW, German Measles is another Attenuated Live Virus vaccine so keep the same in mind if you are thinking about that vaccine.

BTW, my Annual Physical and Blood Tests are coming up in August so at that time my Dr plans on running some titres on diseases that are now showing up again. That way we can proceed from an informed perspective instead of the latest panic being circulated by the media or drug makers.
 
I got the shot, because I have had the shingles before and would not wish that on anyone and since I have cancer my Dr. suggested the shot since I have a weakened immune system.
Did not have any reaction except for soreness in the area and it was very pricey.
 
My sister told me to get, or I would be very sorry that I hadn't.
At sixty or older you do not want to get it.

Went down to the VA and got the shot for FREE..............
three years ago.

No reaction....
Better safe than sorry.
 
Got the vaccination when I turnned 60. Doctor recommended it when I had my annual physical. Wife got hers, too. Insurance covered it for both of us. We both saw what shingles did to my father. No way either of us wanted to go through that.

Neither of us had any reaction other than a sore spot for a day or two.
 
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I remember very clearly having the chicken pox and most all the other childhood diseases. No vaccines back then. I was ignorant about shingles until a friend and my wife suffered through it. I got the shot but don't remember cost.

I also got the pneumonia vaccination and the annual flu shot. I always disdained the flu shots because I know they only can make vaccines of recent flu viruses. The vaccine can't protect you against the constantly mutating new strains. I seem to get the flu more easily in my 70s than I ever did. I got the most recent flu virus right after my shot last year. I still get the annual shot since Big Brother pays for it.
 
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I know too many people who have had shingles and did NOT want to find out just how painful it is. I paid for mine out of pocket at a pharmacy. I don't recall the price but if I never get shingles it will be worth every cent and much more. Got this and the flu shot the same day. Neither a problem, didn't feel a thing and in fact the pharmacist said the flu shot would hurt worse. Neither did. GET IT!

I was 61 at the time, just last fall.
 
Heard a lot of horror stories about it, so decided to get the shot. In Japan it is not covered by insurance and costs about $400 a pop. I am 63 and the wife 58, and we both got it last spring.

Our doc, who is licensed in both Japan and the US, told me that while the shot was not 100% effective in preventing the shingles rash, it was highly effective in eliminating the pain of shingles.

I don't recall exactly what he said, but it was something like only 60% effective in preventing the rash, but close to 100% in preventing the pain.

(And I ain't worried about the cosmetics here, fellas!)

Neither of us had any reaction at all, beyond very mild soreness where injected for a day or two.
 
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Damn Yankee said:
Have you taken the shot, did you have any reaction and may I ask what did you have to pay? Were you advised by your doctor to get the shot or just do it on your own?
Click to expand...

I got the shot at Walgreen's. Totally covered by my insurance. Doctor recommended. I don't remember my arm being sore or any other ill effects. Wouldn't have cared if my arm had been sore. I do not want shingles, period.

Don't know why anyone wouldn't get the shot. Nothing to lose, and you avoid some very serious misery.

Ditto for the pneumonia vaccine!
http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/z/zostavax/zostavax_pi2.pdf
 
I was at the pharmacy last fall for the flu shot and the Prevnar pneumonia shot, both of which I absolutely must have. The pharmacist kept pushing the shingles shot, a little too heavily, since the doctor had not mentioned it. Frankly, I had never even heard of a shingles vaccination. I passed it up; as I said, the other 2 are absolute musts for me. I'm not getting an injection solely on the insistence of a pharmacist.

One must be wary here in the valley. The medical profession pushes everything to increase their insurance billing, but do little or nothing for the conditions you already have.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
kaaskop49 said:
I was at the pharmacy last fall for the flu shot and the Prevnar pneumonia shot, both of which I absolutely must have. The pharmacist kept pushing the shingles shot, a little too heavily, since the doctor had not mentioned it. Frankly, I had never even heard of a shingles vaccination. I passed it up; as I said, the other 2 are absolute musts for me. I'm not getting an injection solely on the insistence of a pharmacist.

One must be wary here in the valley. The medical profession pushes everything to increase their insurance billing, but do little or nothing for the conditions you already have.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
Click to expand...

You WILL regret that if you get it! Had it as a child. As I am diabetic, my DR approved it when I turned 50 (You were supposed to be 60) Because he approved it early, BC/BS paid for it==woulda been about $250. As others have said==I would pay $1000 or more to get it!
 
BearBio said:
You WILL regret that if you get it! Had it as a child. As I am diabetic, my DR approved it when I turned 50 (You were supposed to be 60) Because he approved it early, BC/BS paid for it==woulda been about $250. As others have said==I would pay $1000 or more to get it!
Click to expand...

If one of our spy agencies could work out a shot that gave someone instant shingles and they had a cure if you cooperated they could extract sensitive info real fast!


Going price in my area is about $200 for the vaccine, that's cheap at 3 times the price!
 
I would have paid a thousand dollars for shingles shots for my wife and myself. In 1962-63, while undergoing treatment for Hodgkins Lymphoma, my father suffered an outbreak of shingles. His were aggravated by his weakened immune system, and were the worst his doctor had ever seen, or even heard of. I would never want to go through that.
 
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