akathy
What's For Dinner?
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Posts: 4,546
Location: North Dakota
Jun 25, 2014 22:56:55 GMT
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Post by akathy on Oct 17, 2014 19:00:34 GMT
At my DD's (the nurse practitioner) urging I had a shingles vaccine today and am wondering how others feel about it. i really don't know a lot about it but trust my DD enough to do what she thinks is best. (Although I don't always agree with her  ) What's your take on this vaccine and would you or did you get it? |
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Post by krc11 on Oct 17, 2014 19:02:57 GMT
I don't know anything about the vaccine but have know two people (friend and DH) that got shingles. I hear it's horrendous. My DH who has a pretty high pain tolerance felt bad enough to take the medicine which he said was worse than the pain. If that makes sense. I think he was delirious. Thanks for the reminder. I have an appointment next week and I think I'm going to ask. I don't want to go through shingles. I'll be watching this thread.
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Post by ChicagoKTS on Oct 17, 2014 19:03:29 GMT
I got it. I had the shingles about 15 years ago and I don't EVER want that again. It was the most painful and miserable illness I have ever had. If the vaccine even reduces the chance of getting the shingles slightly, I am all for it.
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Post by vicloo on Oct 17, 2014 19:05:12 GMT
My doctor just told me yesterday it was a good idea to get one if I had ever had chicken pox. So I will get the vaccine when I get my annual flu shot. Also time for tetanus shot so may as well get them over at the same time.
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scrappert
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Jul 11, 2014 21:20:09 GMT
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Post by scrappert on Oct 17, 2014 19:20:23 GMT
My dad got it and he says he will get the vaccine from now on. He doesn't ever want that pain again.
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Post by Dictionary on Oct 17, 2014 19:20:38 GMT
Everything I have ever read or heard about it has been positive. It has been around for quite awhile so if there were concerns in regards to side affects or the effectivity of the vaccine they would have been disclosed by now. My mother has been vaccinated and I know I plan to on my next visit to the doctors, there is no way I want to even risk the chance of shingles.
I know when the Hepatitis vaccine first came out my pedi at the time told me to skip it because there was not enough information to determine that it should be routinely administered.
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Post by miss_lizzie on Oct 17, 2014 19:23:02 GMT
I believe it is recommended for people aged 60 and above, but my doctor says that some insurance companies are covering it for people aged 50-59 too.
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Post by cahwoo on Oct 17, 2014 19:25:42 GMT
Do you know if the vaccine is incubated in an egg? I want to get it but can't if it is cause I'm allergic to eggs therefore can not get even the flu shot.
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Post by eebud on Oct 17, 2014 19:31:29 GMT
I believe it is recommended for people aged 60 and above, but my doctor says that some insurance companies are covering it for people aged 50-59 too. I guess I should check with my insurance company to see if they will cover it. I didn't realize some were covering it before 60. I wonder if they are willing to cover it if you end up getting shingles but are not 60 yet. My dad had shingles once and then he had the vaccine to hopefully never get it again. DH had an appointment with his GP recently so I told him to ask about it. His doctor told him that insurance won't cover it until he is 60. He told him the cost if he wanted to pay for it. I think it was $250 but I'm not positive. I plan to get the vaccine when I am 60 or I might even spring for it and get it early. I don't want shingles. |
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 21:32:15 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2014 19:39:53 GMT
I had shingles years ago. I was miserable.
I asked my GP about getting the vaccine as you can get it again and she said it wasn't indicated on people my age. It is a horrible infection. I honestly think your daughter was right.
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quiltz
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Jun 29, 2014 16:13:28 GMT
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Post by quiltz on Oct 17, 2014 19:41:24 GMT
I have had the shingles vaccine. I got the vaccine at age 52. OHIP did not cover it. ($200+).
My mother had a horrible case of shingles just a week after gall-bladder surgery, which was an open surgery. She required to be hospitalized and have an epidural, it was that bad.
My sister had shingles two years ago and it was quite bad. She wishes that she would have had the vaccine.
I have also had then Twin/Vex (?) vaccine - this one is for protection of various 'hep' that you could encounter in southern climates like Dom Republic, and similar. This was expensive and involves several steps of the vaccination process. Again not covered by OHIP.
I haven't had an bad reactions to either vaccination. |
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Dalai Mama
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Jun 26, 2014 0:31:31 GMT
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Post by Dalai Mama on Oct 17, 2014 19:46:10 GMT
I'll be getting it when the time comes. I've had chicken pox twice - once as a child and once as an adult. If I were superstitious, I might think varicella hates me (or loves me, whichever).
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purplebee
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Post by purplebee on Oct 17, 2014 19:48:51 GMT
Dh had shingles about 10 years ago. It was awful. He's pretty tough, and not a complainer, but the only thing that could take the edge off the pain was Oxycodone. He had it in his ear and along the side of his neck, he was down for over 3 weeks. If you have the opportunity to get the vaccine, don't hesitate!
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Post by littlemama on Oct 17, 2014 19:58:41 GMT
I believe it is recommended for people aged 60 and above, but my doctor says that some insurance companies are covering it for people aged 50-59 too. That is what our doctor told my 41 year old DH when he had shingles last fall. He said the pain was terrible, but the anti-viral meds seemed to really help with getting over it fairly quickly.
I do know someone who had the vaccine last year, and got shingles this year, but she said it was really a pretty mild case - her Dr said that was due to her having received the vaccine.
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 21:32:15 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2014 20:00:00 GMT
My doctor is very conservative and she recommended I get it. My good friend had shingles and it was super painful. I guess it's not all that uncommon, either. I had no side effects.
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Post by lindah on Oct 17, 2014 20:03:10 GMT
I got the vaccine. Know for sure that I don't want shingles!
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scrapnnana
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Post by scrapnnana on Oct 17, 2014 20:06:02 GMT
I got the vaccine about a year ago.
When my mother got Shingles, she had the worst case the doctor had ever seen. She had to be put on strong narcotics to deal with the pain, and my mom had a very high tolerance for pain normally. After she got over the Shingles, she had to go through withdrawal, because she had become addicted to the prescribed narcotic.
No way did I want to go through a fraction of what she did.
FWIW, it's not just a disease that older people get. My DDIL has had Shingles twice now. She didn't get it as bad as my mother did, but I still felt pretty sorry for what she had to go through. It was after DDIL got Shingles the second time that I decided to get the Shingles shot without further delay.
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Post by 5peanutsnana on Oct 17, 2014 20:06:42 GMT
Got mine in July. It is not a effective % wise as a flu shot, but if you do get Shingles, it won't be as severe, or so I was told. Was lucky it only cost $35. Without insurance it's over $250.
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Post by lucyg on Oct 17, 2014 20:07:57 GMT
I'm going to get it next week when I see my doctor.
My aunt had the vaccine and did end up getting shingles later on. It was a long-lasting, difficult case of shingles, but she says it would have been a lot worse if she hadn't had the vaccine. So I guess it's pretty important to get that shot.
My mom and both of my sisters have already had shingles, too, so I figure I'm a sitting duck.
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Post by Eddie-n-Harley on Oct 17, 2014 20:55:20 GMT
Do you know if the vaccine is incubated in an egg? I want to get it but can't if it is cause I'm allergic to eggs therefore can not get even the flu shot. Can you get the mist? |
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marianne
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Jun 25, 2014 21:08:26 GMT
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Post by marianne on Oct 17, 2014 20:56:04 GMT
My husband and I both got the shot earlier this year. My FIL had shingles in his 80's and the poor man was just miserable. There's no way I wanted us to risk getting it. I'm pretty sure medicare covered most, if not all, of ours.
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 21:32:15 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2014 20:59:43 GMT
Do you know if the vaccine is incubated in an egg? I want to get it but can't if it is cause I'm allergic to eggs therefore can not get even the flu shot. Newer studies say that even those with egg allergies can get flu shots. It contains minuscule amounts of egg protein. Of course talk to your doctor or look into the mist. www.m.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20130123/people-with-egg-allergy-can-safely-get-flu-shot-expertsThe shingles vaccine is not grown in an egg. My mom has an egg allergy and got both this year. |
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Post by femalebusiness on Oct 17, 2014 21:33:08 GMT
I don't get flu shots and won't take any meds unless I absolutely have to...but I got the Shingles vaccine. I've known too many people who have had shingles and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. I hope it works.
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Post by cadoodlebug on Oct 17, 2014 22:09:59 GMT
Both DH and I got the vaccine when we turned 60. It was in short supply for some reason back then but we asked our Kaiser GP about it and he had the nurse bring the shot in and give it to us.
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Post by mcscrapper on Oct 17, 2014 22:30:47 GMT
I had the Shingles earlier this year at 42. I caught it very early on and got some meds on board pretty quickly but I can honestly say this was, hands down, the most miserable illness I've ever had. It was very painful and I just could not get comfortable with it. I was cold but clothes felt awful touching me.
I am an ER nurse in NP school and I highly recommend getting the vaccine. I've seen the virus get on patient's faces and if it goes into the eye, it can cause blindness. No thank you!
meredith
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vanmama
Shy Member
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Post by vanmama on Oct 17, 2014 22:31:41 GMT
I got the Shingles vaccine two years ago at age 56. I knew of FIVE people that had shingles, all at the same time, and they all said it was so painful. My insurance paid it in full with no questions. I was willing to pay out of pocket, if I needed to, based on everything they were saying.
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Post by sincity2003 on Oct 17, 2014 22:33:48 GMT
I got shingles when I was 4 years old. I was in an isolation tent in PICU for 5 days. I don't remember the pain, but my mom said it was really painful for me. I would recommend that everyone get one if they can
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melissa
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Post by melissa on Oct 17, 2014 22:49:12 GMT
Do you know if the vaccine is incubated in an egg? I want to get it but can't if it is cause I'm allergic to eggs therefore can not get even the flu shot. You CAN get the flu shot! There are 4 different versions of immunization for the flu now (including the mist). I just got the egg free version this week for the first time. I have the same allergy and have had to get the flu shot due to my own health risks and work despite the allergy. We've followed a protocol from my allergist involving steroids and benadryl for the last few years. I have not had the flu, but did still have local reactions. However, this year, with the egg free version, I had NO reaction for the first time ever! It's called Flublok. It is also thimerosol, antibiotic, gelatin, latex and entirely animal free. Call your internist's office for advice on where to get it. Some allergists have been stocking it as have hospitals. A small physician's office is less likely to have it. Additionally, the prohibition of the flu shot for those with egg allergies is limited to those with severe allergic reactions. Unfortunately, I did have a moderate to severe reaction with my first flu shot (done without pre-meds) so I did not take it for a few years. Oh.. and the shingles vaccine is not contraindicated for egg allergy and has no egg components.  |
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oaksong
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Jun 27, 2014 6:24:29 GMT
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Post by oaksong on Oct 17, 2014 23:06:43 GMT
I had a mild case of shingles last December and will definitely be getting the vaccine in the future. My doctor said the age limit for insurance coverage is now 52.
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Post by Leone on Oct 17, 2014 23:26:13 GMT
Without insurance, it's over $200. Two of my friends have gotten shingles even tho they had gotten the shot. But both have had shingles multiple times prior to getting the shot. I had shingles at 23 when chicken pox went thru my second grade classroom. I'd had chicken pox as a child.
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