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Two of my close friends had shingles. The stories they told are horrifying. Hope you feel better soon @Marilyn.

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If it makes you feel better (at least misery loves company) my arm was so sore I could barely lift it.
Took quite a bit of time to feel better. Probably a week. I dreaded the second shot but don’t want shingles even more. I’ve seen that first hand. I think a week of very sore arm beats months of nerve pain by a long shot. The second shot wasn’t nearly so bad as the first for me.

There is an older thread on here all about Shingrix. And the deltoid muscle of upper arm is specified for a host of reasons. The thigh is not acceptable.

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AMEN!!! After watching my poor dear wife suffer through shingles a few years ago, after the (then) new Shingrix vaccine was suggested by my PCP, I actually stopped at CVS on the way home to get the first dose! Would not wish shingles on my worst enemy, (well, maybe one of them… :wink:)

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Hope you are doing better today.

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Thanks everyone; very slowly doing a bit better today. I did find the old shingles thread and skimmed through. It was interesting to read about the shortages as in the early COVID vaccine days.

And just had a nice long conversation with a nurse who essentially said it wasn’t unusual and to check back if it doesn’t get mostly better in a day or two. She mentioned that vaccines in general have been causing people more issues in the last year - her last flu vaccine was the most painful she’d had. I wonder if our shoulders are getting tired of being shot?

I told the nurse I still couldn’t fasten a bra but I could put on a scrunchie.

So between all of you and the nurse, you’ve talked me off the SIRVA ledge! I can deal with a sore arm; just wanted to make sure there was no actual damage.

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I’m just catching up on this thread now and sending lots of hugs. Any update? It sounds like it was horrid, so hoping for something better for you.

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OMG what happened??

Like @GRITS80 I had a strong sick reaction to Shigrex, I was fevered, chills/shakes, bone aches, all the ways you feel with a high fever. I actually scheduled my second shot when DH was out of town so I could freely moan out loud all night long!

I got the Shigrex a few years ago when it was pretty new. I also recently got Shingles, barely, it was a tiny spot on my nose that seemed like maybe staff infection etc. It was not responding to typical therapies and wouldn’t go away over a few days. The 3rd morning I mentioned a family member (medical) saw it on Facetime and mentioned Hutchinson’s sign. That was it and it also started the common herpetic tingle all over my face that day. I took Valtrex for a week and nothing ever broke out beyond the nose spot.

I assume the Shigrex helped it to be more mild and the early treatment of an antiviral helped. Even with all I know and have read about it, I did not catch the Shingles component, likely because no growth or spreading or tingling until that 3rd day.

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Got my second shingrax shot today. Don’t remember much with the first one except a sore arm, so fingers crossed…

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I was lucky and didn’t have a reaction to the shingles vax. Happy to have it. I actually had shingles in my 20s. It wasn’t too bad then, but I just had it on my torso so not too bad of a location and I was young. A friend just recently had shingles in his eye! Yikes! No thanks!

Whoa! Didn’t know that was a thing.
Sounds terrible :persevere:

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Yup. One of younger S’ HS English teachers had it. She missed almost the entire semester. And since they were on block schedules, he essentially missed the entire year.

4 weeks until I am eligible for mine!!!

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That’s the only plus in the whole scenario! LOL

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Shingrix is the only vax that I really reacted to other than a sore arm. I felt miserable for a couple of days with both shots. My mom was more miserable when she had Shingles, so I put up with the few days with the vax. She’s the one who strongly encouraged us to get it once there was enough in the pipeline for our age group.

I was expecting the same with the Covid vaxxes, but was pleasantly surprised to have nothing from those except a sore arm - just like other vaxxes (for me).

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Day 6 after that first Shingrix and I’m almost recovered. There is still one muscle in my shoulder that’s sore, especially if I rotate it certain ways. At present I am off Tylenol but will probably take it again for sleeping. I’ve been able to do cautious careful laps in the pool, thank goodness, since we’re finally totally out of the June gloom which lasted through much of July.

And thank goodness I enjoy lounging around the house and not running all over doing errands.

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We had a family member who almost lost an eye due to shingles. It attacks nerves, even those in the eyes, apparently.

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A friend told me she knew several people who got shinges after the vaccine. I wonder if this could be a thing? I was all set to get it after hearing how debilitating shingles can be…

Yes my friend has had to wear an eye patch like a pirate. He is a recovering cancer patient also so his immune system is suppressed and he just got over COVID. When it rains, it pours!

Shingles can also cause permanent lingering pain. Not fun.

I had herpes all around and in my eye once. It was horrible, lasted for about six weeks, and left me with one of my eyelids slightly lower than the other. It wasn’t shingles, as far as I know, but it was the first time I ever even had a cold sore. It was all over my mouth, in my throat, up my cheek and in my eye.

Not a fun time.

It’s a few decades ago, but my dad had shingles long term. Years and years. That was before they had any real meds or vaccinations. He was a big tough guy but he was often in agonizing pain. After awhile the pain came and went but it lingered for years

No way would I NOT get the vaccine

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