I finally made the decision to get the vaccine and find out it will be at least a couple of months before it is available.

First shot for me just hurt for a few days on my arm. The second one hit me like a truck, aches and flu like symptoms. Had to leave work one day and go to bed.

I know many people who've had shingles including my wife and want no part of it. Got on the waitlist at my doctor's mid-June. Was given the first shot end of August. Second shot scheduled for early November.

I had no swelling but a very sore and weak left arm the next day and 24 hours after. My brother was lucky after the first shot, but after the second, had a persistent low grade headache and other flu symptoms for a couple of days.

I am going through Shingles right now (first time), and was prescribed Valacyclovir. I have one more dose to take tomorrow. It is working very well.

So, should I get the shot when the symptoms go away? Or do I need to wait a while? I don't see the doctor for a while, unless it flairs up again.

Thanks for this timely thread!

quote:

Originally posted by ridgerat:
I am going through Shingles right now (first time), and was prescribed Valacyclovir.

Glad to hear the meds are working for you.

When my wife had it she was in a lot of pain. Someone recommended accupunture and that worked for her. Saved her from missing a trip to Italy with her sisters and niece.

quote:

So, should I get the shot when the symptoms go away? Or do I need to wait a while? I don't see the doctor for a while, unless it flairs up again.

You should wait a while. After it goes away completely, I would phone your doctor and see when it would be advisable to get the vaccine.

Bumping this thread to post about my second shot.I got it about 11A yesterday. The side effects started about 12 hours later; very sore left arm, headache, congestion and widespread low grade muscle ache. Others getting the second shot tell me this might last a day or two. It will be worth it if the shot keeps me from getting shingles.

I was scheduled to get part two of the vaccine last Friday, however they were out of it, the doctor told me that I have up to a year to get the follow up shot, they may have some available when I go back for a checkup in three months.

I did get my flu shot while I was there, so there is that, I suppose.

I thought Shingrix was the name of some up-and-coming rapper.

Went in to the dr. for something else and got a flu shot and also a pneumonia shot. I asked about the new shingles vaccine but, like in June, was told that supplies are still limited, and to check back in March.

I've had shingles and both the doc and I were concerned about losing sight in my left eye if it got any worse. I definitely want this new vaccine because I don't ever want to get shingles again.

Shingrix ... I seriously expected this to be another thread about a "famous" rapper shot dead.

quote:

Originally posted by airsoft guy:
I thought Shingrix was the name of some up-and-coming rapper.

Opps ... beat me to it!

quote:

Originally posted by clubleaf206:
the doctor told me that I have up to a year to get the follow up shot

Two to six months is the recommended window for the second, we were told around here. Get it at Safeway and you get a 10% coupon off a grocery purchase. I hold onto it until a larger purchase is in the offing.

My lovely wife and I both got the two shots. One of the two shots probably will give more trouble than the other one. We both had sore arms for a few days after the first shot and almost no reaction after the second shot. Reading all the comments so far, there is practically total agreement that the shots are far less painful than the disease if you get it. Pay a little now or possibly pay a lot later-your choice.

quote:

Originally posted by Woodman:
Shingrix ... I seriously expected this to be another thread about a "famous" rapper shot dead.

quote:

Originally posted by airsoft guy:
I thought Shingrix was the name of some up-and-coming rapper.

Opps ... beat me to it!

I had the same thought.

I had a relatively mild case of Shingles back in the 1970s. Haven't bothered with a shot.

flashguy

I received the vaccination last year, and just remember a slight discomfort at the site of the injection.

There is a shortage of the vaccine for the second shot. I am on the waiting list for the second one and the pharmacy tells me they will call when it is in stock. I didn't have any more reaction to the first shingrix shot than I normally get with the flu shot.

My wife got her 2nd shot on Tuesday and it made her sick as a dog. She could barely get out of bed Wednesday and is slowly recovering now. She was better yesterday but still feels washed out and exhausted. Her arm is still sore and she says it still feels hot and swollen. The first shot made her a little queasy and her arm was sore the next day but this one really did a number on her.

quote:

My wife got her 2nd shot on Tuesday and it made her sick as a dog. She could barely get out of bed Wednesday and is slowly recovering now. She was better yesterday but still feels washed out and exhausted. Her arm is still sore and she says it still feels hot and swollen. The first shot made her a little queasy and her arm was sore the next day but this one really did a number on her.

My dermatologist explained that the stronger your immune system, the stronger the reaction. She explained people in their seventies experience few side effects because their immune system is not as strong.

Got my first shot last month. Baseball size red/swelled/bruised/sore area accompanied by total body aches and nasty headache. The headache went away after 2 days, the body aches lasted a couple more, and swelling finally went down about 5 days later. I am not looking forward to the second shot in January.

Our daughter is our pharmacist! She is the Pharmacist in Charge at a local CVS and had to work a 13 hour shift this past Thursday. So she asked us to bring her supper and in exchange she would give my wife and I (we're both aged 57) our Shingles vaccine as well as our Pneumonia vaccine. Our insurance paid for both.
I didn't even feel her injecting my right arm with the Pnuemonia shot and would not have thought that she injected me at all if I wasn't watching her do it. But the Shingles shot was a whole different ballgame. I definitely felt the needle going in and felt every single burning/stinging CC that she injected into my left arm with it. Later that night as I rolled over in my sleep, the pain was so bad it woke me up.
The next day (yesterday) I was scheduled for 9 hours at the gunshop working the range counter. I worked the whole day (and it was very busy as every jack leg with a rifle came in to "sight in my deer rifle" on our 25 yard indoor range as Today is opening day) with the chills and feeling like I had been used as a tackling dummy by the Crimson Tide or Clemson Tigers the day before! When I got home a little after 6:00 and took my temperature it was 101.5. I fixed myself some Campbell's Chunky Clam Chowder and ate it with a huge quilt wrapped around me. Then I threw that extra quilt on the bed and went to sleep. I didn't even object when my 95 lb. Black Lab jumped on the bed with me. The extra body heat was welcome as my wife is out of town with her mother that is in the hospital. Other than the golf ball sized knot on my left arm I think I'm back to normal today. All in all a small price to pay to keep the Shingles at bay!