OT: second Shingrix shot today :(

My wife and I had both shots and both felt not mildly sick for a few days after each one. But given the alternative I'll take a few days of mildly sick.

Jack, I get it. I'm willing to put up with this short term misery to avoid worse misery. It's going to hit 90 tomorrow...so sitting inside next to the AC sounds like a good plan.

i was sick with flu-like symptoms lasting 48 hours with both shots. i have the opportunity to get a free pneumonia vaccination now but i'm gun shy

PDL17 said...
Ed,

The pneumonia vaccine is painless without symptoms for most. The Shingles shots are among the worst.

Paul

that's what the girl at the drug store told me but I was gun shy and heading out on a road trip. I couldn't afford to be sick. you think it's worthwhile?

DjinTonic said...

F8 said...

PDL17 said...


that's what the girl at the drug store told me but I was gun shy and heading out on a road trip. I couldn't afford to be sick. you think it's worthwhile?

When we leave this life because of disease, it's often the complications of pneumonia that seal the deal.

Djin

ok i'll get it done

Because I had chemotherapy, my oncologist recommended I get the ZOSTAVAX vaccine (single dose shot) a few years ago, to potentially ward off a case of shingles.

When the SHINGRIX vaccine (double dose shot) became available in more recent times, he showed me how its effectiveness SIGNIFICANTLY exceeded the effectiveness of ZOSTAVAX in potentially preventing shingles, so I got the new double dose shot.

The two SHINGRIX shots are given many weeks or even a few months apart.

For those of you that work full-time, consider getting your SHINGRIX vaccine on a Friday afternoon.

That way, you will have the weekend to rest, because you might feel lethargic for a day or two, after the shot.

I felt lethargic the next day after receiving the vaccine. The second day I felt much better.

Honestly, getting the SHINGRIX vaccine was peace of mind!

Here's why I felt getting the shingles vaccine was important ...

My dad got acute leukemia 25 years ago, and was hospitalized for 100 days. He had endless rounds of chemotherapy infusions, but survived.

Shortly thereafter, he got a wicked case of shingles, due to compromised immunity from chemotherapy.

His case of shingles painfully attacked, ulcerated, and discolored the bottoms of both his feet.

The bottoms and soles of both of his feet turned "beet red" and "wine stain purple" --- the visual image is ingrained in my mind.

Even today, 25 years later, he still has discomfort when walking, from painful nerve & residual damage, caused by shingles.

Besides leukemia, Dad also stands alongside all of us here as a prostate cancer patient. In fact, we have the same oncologist.

Getting a vaccine is a personal decision, but if you talked to my dad, and if you had seen what shingles did to his feet ... you would probably want to stop by the clinic or pharmacy and get a SHINGRIX vaccine.

It should be something you discuss soon with your doctor ... many of us here are at increased risk for contracting shingles ---- being past 50, and having gone through treatments, past and present, that leave many of us with compromised immune systems.

Being a public school teacher, my oncologist recommended I get the pneumonia vaccine, as others have wisely recommended here, as well.

Because I am a teacher, I also received the whooping cough vaccine and was tested for measles immunity, because of outbreaks in recent years.

Needless to say, I also get an annual flu shot, the first part of October.

These are the proactive steps my oncologist has recommended for me.

Dad's experience with shingles made my decision to get the SHINGRIX vaccine an easy decision. Perhaps something in Dad's story will help others.

We all learn from each other here, in incredible ways ~~~
CYCLONE --- # Iowa State University

Yes, leuprolide chemotherapy (Firmagon, Lupron, Eligard) impairs immune system function such that it cannot stop Shingles outbreaks. I got Zostavax before going on the first round of Eligard, but got the nasty, bloody belt around my middle anyways. That lasted months and left me with that burning nerve damage (neuralgia). Before I went back on leuprolide chemo the second time I got the 2 Shingrix shots 3 months apart. A week or so after the first leuprolide chemo injection last Nov I got a Shingles outbreak on the back of my calves. Wasn't as bad as the first round though, but was still rough. Gratefully that has faded away. Since the Xtandi also comes with warnings of a compromised immune system I hope not to get Shingles back and am trying my very best not to pick op C-19. Also got the pneumonia shots, still need to get the whooping cough shot.

Reminder: we here are an "at risk" group. 'ADT' is chemotherapy and has some serious side effects regardless of the marketing PR.

My wife and I both got our two shots.
Looks like we were lucky. No major problems.
Slightly sore arms. Only a tad worse than the flu shot.
As I said, after reading these answers, we were lucky

Mel

mattam said...
Well, I guess the big question is how effective is the vaccine?

I'm seeing "at least 85% for the first 4 yrs."

Djin

mattam said...
Thanks for reminding me that my insurance pays for the vaccine at age 60, which I recently turned. Sigh...Another one of those things that would be wise to do. Maybe it won't be much worse than a prostate biopsy

they pay for the new vaccine?

Pain with both shots and some flu-like symptoms but I had shingles once and it was way worse.

my shingrex shots were covered but my doctor said the insurance company later reneged saying they approved the older vaccination. the older vaccination was not covered, previously so the whole thing is confusing but I didn't have to pay.

the pneumonia vaccination is covered. my pharmacist solicited me the last time I picked my my BP medication