Folks:

Consider this a PSA: Get your shingles vaccination. After seeing what I have been going through for the past month, my wife has set up an appointment with our family doctor to get one.

I have it in the left ear, although this rash can hit you anywhere. And the pain level is Percoset-high, believe me. Ton of fatigue came with it as well.

Mine developed right after a recent lung biopsy (NO CANCER!) and took a while to properly diagnose. Was finally put on Valtrex and pain killers. At one point, I got a shot of dilaudin at the local ER because nothing else was working to lessen the pain. Getting better; down to one Percoset a day.

These shots are available at Walgreens at half the physician's price f you are not covered by your regular insurance. Get one and you'll never fear facing shingles.

Scribe

From what I hear this is GREAT advice...

--
Sincerely,

Hobie

CDC places the efficacy of the Shingles vaccine at 51% in clinical trials.

Supplementing with L-Lysine (an inexpensive essential amino acid) will prove to be at least if not more effective.

Byron

.

--
Sincerely,

Hobie

2 years ago, most God awful experience ever. Base doc wouldn't give me anything for it.

Looks like road rash. When he said shingles I thought he meant a bundle of roofing shingles fell off a roof and hit him in the face because that's what it looks like.

The receptionist asked him, "What do you have?"

"Shingles." he replied.

"Wait in here, please." she told him.

"A while later a nurse walked in and asked him, "What do you have?"

"Shingles." he replied.

"Take your clothes off, put on this robe and wait here." she told him.

A while later the doctor walks in, shines a light in his eye, asks him to stick his tongue out and say "aaaaahhhh" then asks him, "What do you have?"

"Shingles." he replied.

"Where?" asks the doctor.

"In the truck out back. Where do you want me to unload them?"

NM

Got mine AFTER my first outbreak!

With the amount of my body affected the Dr. was amaze I had no pain.

Trust me after seeing what it did to my mother with a very small affected I was GLAD I had no pain itching.

Wife had to take the vaccination also as she never had chickenpox.

Wonder what we lose in older age that triggers it after so many dormant years?

Same for me, and I was lucky. Had a mild case and figured right quick that I didn't want another one. If yer over 50, get the cotton-pickin' vaccine!

I have already, but I was not clear if you are good from now on or does it protect you for a number of years and then you need to get another?

Had a shingles outbreak about five years ago in my sciatic nerve, the darn nerve still hurts. They tried giving me anti-viral meds but they only made me sick and had no effect on the shingles. Have been meaning to ask the Dr next time I go in about the vaccine, but have not been in for a while and don't have the money for a 'what if' visit.

for shingles vaccination. The cost may be nearly free, depending on what program they are using, and your benefits/lack of benefits. The pharmacist is authorized to inject both them and pneumonia vaccine. Won't hurt to check, at any rate. As stated in 'aboves', shingles are no fun, a'tall.

vaccination.

--
Sincerely,

Hobie

I may be mistaken, but the local place told me - I thought - that full price of vaccine is right around 200.00. If so, that double sucks, given the incentives some in-durance companies apparently were giving,

Oh well, at least, you should have no further expenses in that direction.

Having had the shingles - which made a nice Scarlet A on my right shoulder and had all the comfort of an icepick digging into me ... is the vaccine useful for people who have already had the shingles?

I understand it is basically the chickenpox virus, residing in your spine and coming out to play when things get real stressful in life ...