Get your Shingles shot!

[Duckiller]

A long time ago I had Chicken pox. In 2010 my wife convinced me to get a shingles shot. Went to the Dr. with pain last Thursday with no noticeable rash. Got Antibiotics and spent a most miserable weekend. Rash developed/ discovered on Saturday. Back to the Dr. on Monday. Took one look at rash (it is mostly on my back) and said shingles. Gave me Antiviral medicine and steroids. Full doses of medicine on Monday and Tuesday and by Wednesday only minor discomfort. I have gotten varing information from medicial profesionals about how effective the shingles shot is in preventing shingle but all agree that it greatly reduces the pain and suffering. The pain I had over the weekend was extreme. I would recommend that any of our older members that have had Chicken pox see their Dr. and get a shingles shot. We do not need to suffer in our declining years.

[Wayne Smith]

I just got mine. I was told that it does not prevent shingles completely, but it does prevent nerve damage from shingles. Well worth it for one shot for the rest of my life.

[Wally]

A long time ago I had Chicken pox. In 2010 my wife convinced me to get a shingles shot. Went to the Dr. with pain last Thursday with no noticeable rash. Got Antibiotics and spent a most miserable weekend. Rash developed/ discovered on Saturday. Back to the Dr. on Monday. Took one look at rash (it is mostly on my back) and said shingles. Gave me Antiviral medicine and steroids. Full doses of medicine on Monday and Tuesday and by Wednesday only minor discomfort. I have gotten varing information from medicial profesionals about how effective the shingles shot is in preventing shingle but all agree that it greatly reduces the pain and suffering. The pain I had over the weekend was extreme. I would recommend that any of our older members that have had Chicken pox see their Dr. and get a shingles shot. We do not need to suffer in our declining years.

I got mine a few years ago...glad that you are doing well. I had thought the vaccine was to prevent what you had. I guess it varies by individual, but that you feel it was better to have had it then not.

[kenyerian]

Yep, Got mine . My brother had them a couple of years ago after seeing how miserable he was I got a shot asap.

[Lead Fred]

Those the get tainted vaccines, get a surprise 10% of the time.

Do you feel lucky? Well do Ya?

[btroj]

I haven't gotten one, still a bit young. I have given a bunch however.

[462]

FYI:
For veterans enrolled in the V. A. system, shingles shots are available. The cost was a pittance compared to my health insurance co-pay.

Also, flu shots are free, and it's getting to be that time of year.

[leeggen]

Sorry but the shot didn't help me. Had it few yr ago and have had shingles twice sense.that makes 3 times, 21 yr old,56 yr old and 59 yr old. All times were major out brakes. If caught in first 7 days med works quickly, otherwise ohhh so painful. Don't want them again EVER!
CD

[MtGun44]

Had shingles once, not too bad, but got the shot last year.

Bill

[blueeyephil]

I had shingles in my late 40's. It started out just below my hairline on my forehead. I had no clue what was going on and didn't go to the Dr. for several days. By then, it was on my eyeball. OMG the pain! I have some scaring on my forehead but my eye was fine. I haven't gotten the shot yet but plan to.

I have been able to diagnose a couple of co-workers and got them to the dr, ASAP. They got on meds and had mild cases.

[opos]

My son had shingles at age 50 and it was a real mess...still got eye scars and facial scars..it's not a nice thing...we are older and my Wife and I both had our shingles shots a couple of years ago..

Going to digress just a bit...my Wife is a 7 year breast cancer survivor...she would have probably died except she was adamant about her annual mamograms and tests...they caught it early and saved her life. It's not so much that they see a cancer..it's that if a woman has mamograms every year they can compare and find even the tiniest of changes...it's simple, quick, not too costly and the only thing I can think of that will help save a woman's life for so little effort on her part...Sorry to deviate but didn't want to start a new thread...I'm glad she survived and just urging the gals to do it or to have the men please ask their wives to do that every year.

[Lloyd Smale]

Im 57 and my doctor said to wait till 60

[Boz330]

Had it when I was 46, not fun. It went around the left side of my chest. At the worst part I looked like I had hamburger smeared around my chest. I believe the meds are a lot better now than then. The only thing they gave me was some very expensive salve to smear on it. Unfortunately I ran out while out of town and couldn't get more till I got back home. They told me then that stress can trigger it and I was under quite a bit at the time.

Bob

[jcwit]

Those the get tainted vaccines, get a surprise 10% of the time.

Do you feel lucky? Well do Ya?

Well yes I do, with modern medicine of course. Cancer survivor now 13 years in remission. 10% is a pretty low number in the grand scheme of life.

BTW, Yes I got the shot.

[jcwit]

FYI:
For veterans enrolled in the V. A. system, shingles shots are available. The cost was a pittance compared to my health insurance co-pay.

Also, flu shots are free, and it's getting to be that time of year.

YES This. Depending the shingles shot may even be free.

[Charley]

Shingles/chickenpox is caused by a virus, antibiotics don't affect them. Might prevent secondary infection in the rash, but won't stop the condition.

[mtnman31]

My shingles experience was similar to yours Duckiller. I had my breakout in 2007 when I was 33. It started out as a sore back and bit of a rash. The doc gave me an antibiotic that didn't do squat. I went back a couple days later and he realized he had misdiagnosed me the first time. He told me that it was far enough along that meds wouldn't help and to just let it run its course. My rash was across the small of my back and very painfull. To add to that misery, this shingles bout happened while I was deployed to Iraq. My wife is convinced it was stress related...

[rmaster14145]

Got them when I was 10. Don't think you have to be 60 to get them.

[Lead Fred]

Well yes I do, with modern medicine of course.

Lets see, 349 folks were kilt by rifles last year

178,000 where kilt by malpractice.

Ill take my chances in a gun free zone.

Modern medicine isnt modern, nor medicine

[Swamp Man]

Never think your to young to get shingles. I was the youngest person my Dr had ever seen with shingles at the ripe old age of 18. It was not fun with them wrapped almost all the way around my back and chest one of the most painful things I'v ever had to deal with.