My wife recently suffered from shingles outbreak. It was the most dreadful thing to witness. She was out on medical leave and had to extend the leave twice as the symptoms and suffering wouldn’t subside. After being out for two months, she’s recently returned to work but the headache is continuing, just not as intensely.
How was your experience with shingles? Have you taken the new vaccine? After watching my wife suffer so much, I took the new vaccine, and I found the shot to be unlike any other shots. It left a painful and sore arm for at least three days. I’m not looking forward to the second shot that’s required.
I had the first new shingles shot in Feb, I had a small rash by injection site for a week and my arm hurt very much for about 5 days. The second shot I remembered to take an Aleve prior and had it on other shoulder. I only felt the sting the first few minutes. I did move / use arm more the second time. I really did dread the 2 nd shot - it was fine. Good luck. My husband had mild case of shingles last year but I did see a facial case once and it scared me into considering the vaccine.
I had a bout of shingles about ten years ago, doctor said it was brought on by stress (with my then teen son no doubt). It appeared on my scalp and my sister/hairdresser noticed the bumps prior to applying hair color thank goodness. Neither of us had any idea what it was but decided to wait and see a doctor that week. By the time I got to the doctor it had spread down my neck and was becoming very painful. I did not miss work but did have “ghost pain” for nearly six months after.
My mother, at a very healthy, active age 89-90, developed shingles. She had had the vaccine. She was told that hers was a “mild” case, but she was in active pain with rash for 6 - 8 weeks and still had lingering effects 6 months later. She is not a complainer, I suspect her suffering was worse than she let on.
Thank you for the mention of the “new” vaccine which I need to research. I have had the “old” vaccine which is what my mom had. Upcoming MDs appointment. I will mention my concerns and ask about getting the new one.
I had a fairly mild case down my arm and into my ring and pinky finger in January. I’m 55. Even a mild case hurt like the dickins. I got retroviral drugs before it was fully broken out, and I think it helped. Only lasted a month, thankfully. My doc recommended I get the new vaccine, which I’ll probably do later this year. We have another thread on this someplace… we talked about getting the new shot on a day when you can plan a couple of sick days if needed because of side effects.
This is a timely thread for me as I just had a physical this week and my doctor wrote me a prescription for the new Shingrix vaccine (I’m 58). The pharmacy happens to be out of it right now but hopefully I’ll be able to get it within the month. She did warn me that “this one hurts” and that it would be optimal to get the first one on a Friday just in case, so I have the weekend to recover if I need it. I will report back…
Both D and H had “ mild cases” but both are non-complainers. Both NEEDED a narcotic to get the pain bearable so they could sleep at night. Both thankfully had “ short” courses that lasted about 2 months or so.
I had 2 small eruptions and H and D got me seen by a dermatologist on a Sunday who said it might be shingles so she started me on an anti-viral that day which I took as directed and never had a full-blown case.
My younger brother had shingles and had a constant migraine from it. His case was under 2 months, I think. He was miserable.
H and I and my folks got both original and new shingles vaccines. The 2nd had some pain in arm near injection site for a few days but nothing like pain of shingles. I paid for the original shot $185 at Costco because my insurer wouldn’t.
Insurer and Medicare covered new shots 100% for all of us.
Shingles is really painful and can re-erupt and cause pain for a long time—years.
My wife’s shingles started in her right eye and the right side of scalp. We had to go see an eye doctor to make sure that she wouldn’t become blind. Although she went back to work after two months of dreadful suffering, she had a similar eruption in her right eye again the other day. That scared us, so she took a medication before she went to sleep and she’s now back to “normal.” I’m afraid that this thing will linger on for months if not years for her.
Thanks @lamom for reminding me to take Aleve before the next shot. I didn’t think of that prior to my first shot because it never had occurred to me that it was going to hurt for good 3 days. I couldn’t roll onto that side of my arm when sleeping during those days and couldn’t raise that arm above my shoulder level, either.
For those who haven’t heard of the new vaccine, you have to take two shots with two months interval. Don’t be surprised if your pharmacy is out of them. When I took mine, it was the last one at the pharmacy. Also, my insurance covered for the shots since they’re “preventive.” If you don’t have an insurance, I believe it’s somewhere between $150 to $200 for the shots. My wife told me that she’d have gladly paid over $1K if she had known it was going to be this bad.
My DH had shingles about 2 years ago on his scalp, face and, unfortunately, in his eye. He’s still battling it on the eye front - sees his opthamologist about every 2 months. Just an awful experience.
I turn 50 in the next year and I “look forward” to getting the vaccine … not sure if it or the colonoscopy will be worse.
There’s no comparison between shingles and colonoscopy! I’ve had two colonoscopies and the only unpleasant part is having to drink that absolutely yucky liquid. At the hospital, you don’t know what took place and it’s already time to go home.
The original shingles vaccine has been available widely for at least a decade now. I know because we got H’s first and then I got mine 10+ years ago. His was done at Safeway and mine at Costco.
It can save you some time if you call the pharmacy or whenever you plan to get the shot and they can confirm whether they gave vaccine in stock and can set aside a dose for you. They can do some paperwork ahead of time, leaving less paperwork when you get there.
Be sure to let your provider know if you do get the shots so your record can be accurate.
Ugh. I had it about 3 years ago, while still in my 40’s on my face, in my ear, eye and into my mouth. Really hurt. Narcotic did not work just anti-inflamatory. About 2 months into it I had kidney stones, several one right after another. Had surgery with a stent and was really miserable. Couldn’t tell which was worse. Have not had another bout of shingles but still have those pesky stones. Love it when the xray comes back and the doc says “wow, there are so many in there!” Great.
My FP recommends it for age 65 since he knows Medicare covers it. Of course, I came down with shingles a few months shy of that date. Fortunately, it was a mild case. Able to function just with advil and the like.
To clarify, Shingrix is a new shingles vaccine just approved by the FDA October 2017. It appears to be more effective and longer lasting than the “old” vaccine (Zostavax - in use since 2006).
CDC recommends that you get Shingrix even if you previously had Zostavax. They recommend Shingrix for ages 50 and up, two doses 2 to 6 months apart.
I’m no expert on which vaccine is better, but I have seen a case of shingles that developed into encephalitis, and was life threatening. It turned out ok, but it was attention getting.
Its worth noting that some shingles cases don’t present themselves with the typical rash or lesions and are misdiagnosed. That was the case in the instance I’m familiar with.
What @alooknac stated in post #15 is worth repeating:
"To clarify, Shingrix is a new shingles vaccine just approved by the FDA October 2017. It appears to be more effective and longer lasting than the “old” vaccine (Zostavax - in use since 2006).
CDC recommends that you get Shingrix even if you previously had Zostavax. They recommend Shingrix for ages 50 and up, two doses 2 to 6 months apart."
Ironically, my wife who just had that awful shingles experience is a pharmacist. She contracted shingles while waiting for the new vaccine and kinda got lazy getting the shots. It can hit you when totally unexpected. She said the most people who are coming in to get the shots are those who have had the old vaccine. Don’t wait if you’re over 50!
Had it about five years ago. Some of the worst pain of my life. It was around my chest, wrapping around to my back, on one side. The pain was deep and tearing, like my organs were being raked. At the time, vaccine was covered at 60, so i haven’t got it, but I have an annual coming up for sixty this summer, and will definitely get it. I had the antiviral, but still, it was awful for several months.