^^^ I can certainly empathize with you. Hopefully you have a short go of it. Good luck to you and heal up quickly.

Shot didn't bother me at all.

My wife's mom had horrible case of shingles and couldn't even wear certain clothes because it hurt her skin so bad.

Wife and I both got the newest version (shingrix ?) when we found out insurance would pay for it even though we are only mid-50s in age.

I was one of those guys who rarely called in sick. Then in '03 (IIRC). I got the shingles.

Started off in the night with an itch in my left eye. woke me up a couple of times,. and,finally, I thought it was a stye. Hadn't has one since I was a kid, but couldn't think of anything else it could be.

Went to work that morning, called the ophthalmologist about 10 and they said they'd see me right away. Went out, the doc took one look and everyone but the doc high stepped it out of the room. "You got the shingles, boy, go see your primary, right now!"

Primary gave me a couple of meds and I went back to the eye doc several times after that. I was out of work for two weeks, pain in my eye and on the left side where the little "shingles" were eating on me and puked every time I tried to go to the docs in a car. Luckily, I managed to puke outside the vehicle.

Fairly miserable time, but my eye was okay when it was over and, later, I got the first shingles vaccine, then, a couple years ago, the new shingrix.

I'd get the vaccine if I was you.

Bob

One of my most vivid memories from my third year of med school was an ED trauma bay. An individual about 60 had gotten shingles that was in two distributions on his head, his ear and encroaching on his eye. The pain and suffering that he was going through made him attempt suicide. He did not succeed and there was incredible amounts of suffering that were had from shingles, as well as after his attempt to take his life.

Other individuals that I've treated with shingles and the post-herpetic neuralgias and pains have told me that they would pay 10x the price out of pocket for the vaccine should they have been able to tell their former self.

Ask all of your questions to your PCP and work to understand what your own individual risks are, but if you qualify for the vaccine, I would take it.

I had the Shingrix shot and I had virtually ALL the side-effects later that evening. I thought I had malaria I was shaking so badly.

However, from the shingles horror stories folks I knew told me, a few hours of discomfort was a small price to pay so I'm glad I got vaccinated.

I had chicken pox back in the 1940s (yeah, I'm old)--it was rampant in my grade school. In the late 1970s I had a fairly mild case of Shingles--at the rib cage and around one side. Itched like crazy and sharp pains. Went away after a few days, thankfully. Have not had a recurrence. Also have not had the shot.

FWIW, I had 2 kinds of measles, whooping cough, and mumps (both cheeks) as a child. There were no shots for them back then. I gave the mumps to my dad and it nearly killed him.

ETA: I just checked and my Tricare For Life coverage (USAF retiree) does cover the Shingrix shot--completely if administered at a Tricare Network Pharmacy (local Walgreen's qualifies). I'll probably arrange to get a shot there soon.

flashguy

My understanding is that unless you are 100 sure you never were exposed to the chicken pox it is highly recommended.

My arm was sore and I felt the symptoms after the second shot but all discomfort was gone in 24 hours.