I’m due for my second shot after December 2. Its a crazy time to think that I might be sick for a day…or two.
And I do NOT want to have to do this again in another 5 years!
@thumper1 , it must not be a good experience if it’s something you don’t want to do again! Now I’m a little nervous.
I had a minimal reaction to first shot beyond the sore arm and worried about the second shot. No reaction at all other than the sore arm for 2-3 days. It does hurt more to get this shot than others, IMO, but that’s such a short time that I didn’t count that as a significant negative. I thought I was all done forever until reading the last two pages of this thread. I guess I need to talk to my doc at next appointment to get thoughts.
@conmama I had a sore arm and that was it for the first shot. But it took me over a year to get that first shot due to availability.
I just thought it provided better long term immunity than 3-5 years (depending on what site you read).
It’s one thing to get a DT booster every ten years…one shot.
But every five years? Or less? Why wasn’t this more widely publicized?
Shingles immunity from the older Zostavax (ZVL) was thought to wane after a relatively short time – 4-12 years according to https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5812314/ , which also suggests that shingles immunity from Shingrix (RZV) may wane in 19 years.
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/04/how-long-do-vaccines-last-surprising-answers-may-help-protect-people-longer suggests that vaccine-induced immunity against diptheria and tetanus is long lasting, but that for pertussis wanes relatively quickly. So it may be worthwhile to choose the Tdap instead of Td booster every ten years.
So new Shingles vaccine is supposed to last about 5yrs, am I understanding correctly? That is not long!
It’s also important to get the Tdap if you are going to be grandparents.
I used to think you only needed the Tdap once and then get Td every 10 years, but I found out it’s important to get boosters for pertussis as well.
I got my shingles shot a couple weeks ago. I stopped in at CVS to get my flu shot and asked them if they had the shingles vaccine and they said yes, so I had them run it through my insurance and since it was free I told them to stick me again.
I’d like to say it was a piece of cake, but I passed out. In Target. Yay me. I used to pass out a lot getting shots or blood draws but it’s been a loooong time. I was fine for my flu shot, but when he started describing how this second one was going to be “different” and how people described being able to feel the vaccine going in. I freaked out. Made it through the shot, but the next thing I know some cute young pharmacist is holding my head up. It was all psychological though. It did burn going in, kind of like a tetanus shot and my arm hurt for a few days, but not horrible. No sickness or any other reaction. Felt fine the next day at work. I think I’ll be getting the second one in the doctor’s office though!
No, the old one (Zostavax / ZVL) was the one that waned quickly. The new one (Shingrix / RZV) is supposed to last a lot longer.
@ucbalumnus according to the CDC, this shot will have up to 85% immunity after about 4 years.
Where do you see that it provides “a lot longer” coverage?
@thumper1 The CDC says “ at least 4 years” because that’s how long there is long term large data for. As each years goes by efficacy for a longer period may be attested to. The manufacturers initial testing indicates 10 years but for confirmation a year by year rechecking on what the CDC is saying will be necessary.
My mother still suffers from the neuralgia that shingles gave her almost 20 years ago. She had it bad when it happened and will still get a burning sensation in the areas hit. if it is needed every 5 years and hurts some, it is nowhere near as bad as that. I’ll take it.
DH and I received both the flu and first Shingrix shots last month. Both of us experienced sore arms and mild flu-like symptoms (chills and general achiness) the day after but after watching MIL suffer ten days in the hospital with shingles last year and still experiencing intermittent pain, any vaccine inconvenience is moot. Thanks, too, to this thread for all the good information and advice.
Saw Midway last night and was surprised to learn that Bull Halsey got such a bad case of shingles that he was hospitalized before the battle.
What scares me, aside from being very painful, Shingles can possibly cause blindness or hearing loss.
Shingles gave my younger relative migraines pretty much nonstop while he suffered with shingles. He was miserable for weeks and had to stay home from work. I will happily have shingles shots as often as indicated rather than the pain he endured.
I think you have to look at it as the current science will give you 4-5 years of protection from a painful, miserable condition (shingles) as opposed to 0 days/months/years of protection from shingles.
Two shots and a few days (let’s say 2 days for each shot) of discomfort or less than 100% of your best for 4-5 years of protections is progress.
My dad has shingles for years and years and suffered SO much. He was a giant of a man with high pain tolerance and he was miserable for years. Couldn’t wear a shirt much of the time. His shingles were around half his trunk - even the lightest weight shirt would irritate them.
It’s a no-brainer- sort of like colonoscopy. No, it isn’t pleasant and we don’t look forward to it, but the value is huge and you just have to do it.
Just had new patient routine physical with new dr in our retirement town.
He’s an internist specializing in gerontology,looks to be 40ish.
Figure he could be the last primary care I need to find!
Got the flu shot in the office. I asked for a script for the Shingrix shot and was surprised I didnt need one.
He did wish me luck finding it in stock at a pharmacy. Gee thanks.
So today, day after Thanksgiving, I decided to call around for availability.
Hit the jackpot at local Acme pharmacy.
It’s not my usual pharmacy but it’s in network for my retire pharmacy plan and the vaccine cost me nothing. Was quite surprised at that. I’ll have to speak better of my ex-employer going forward.
Took advice here and swallowed two ibuprofen just in case.
When you have obligations like young kids where it’s really hard to take a “ down day” I at least understand the reluctance of getting a shot that may make you feel unwell for a day or so. For the rest of us who are empty nesters or have kids old enough to fend for themselves: embrace those days. Plan for a down day and enjoy it! Binge watching, bubble bath, lazy day! Hey I planned the day before my colonoscopies like this ( have them every 3 years) and actually kind of enjoy them!