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Should I get shingles vaccine after having had shingles?

Posted , 4 users are following.

jacueline13063
jacueline13063

I had shingles last July and had to use Lidocaine patches until January. I still suffer from severe itch over scar tissue, but am so much better than I was.

I will be 70 in September and am wondering whether I should get the free NHS Zostavax vaccine.

Can I get shingles again from the vaccine? Does having had shingles act like a vaccine?

I know many people on this site have had shingles numerous times and that idea terrifies me. It is an awful illness and I hope I do not suffer with it again.

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • sandi149
    sandi149 jacueline13063

    Posted

    Hi,

    I had shingles a little over a year ago so I know what you went through and how horrible it is. I highly recommend you getting the Shingrix shot as it's more effective than the older one Zostavax. Here is the info for it. https://www.shingrix.com/index.html

    Nope you can't get shingles from the vaccine but having had the shingles doesn't protect you from getting it again. There are people who have had it several times. I got mine this past January. It's a 2 part shot and the 2nd one has to be taken 2-6 months after the first. What you could experience are some flu like side effects but after a day or two they go away. I had side effects after the first shot but very mild side effects with the 2nd. The side effects are nothing compared to actually having the shingles.

    Talk to your doctor about getting Shingrix.

    • jacueline13063
      jacueline13063 sandi149

      Posted

      Thanks for your help.

      I have read that the Shingrix vaccine is best, but also that some people have bad reactions to it.

      I will try to decide what to do.

    • sandi149
      sandi149 jacueline13063

      Posted

      Yes, there could be reactions but also might not be. Everyone is different. My husband had no reaction with the first dose, but had flu like symptoms with the 2nd. As I said, I had flu like symptoms with the first and very mild symptoms with the 2nd. The reaction only lasted a day and a half and I would much rather go through that than having the full blown shingles. To me the pros outweigh the cons. A friend of mine who took the vaccine had no reaction with either dose, so everyone is different. Talk to your doctor about it. Read the info in the link that I gave you and that will answer a lot of your questions. IMO, the vaccine is a Godsend.

  • Guest
    Guest jacueline13063

    Posted

    I got shingles last February 2018

    Once you get shingles you can get it over again like myself and many others here! I dont personally believe in the shingrex vaccine! Many here git the shot and they still get bouts if shingles!

    myrna

    • jacueline13063
      jacueline13063 Guest

      Posted

      I always thought that you only got shingles once, until I read all the horror stories here.

      I would hate to suffer shingles again, but am really unsure about the vaccine. The Shingrex seems better than Zostavax, but I so many people seem to get shingles numerous times.

      Jacqueline

  • babs99203
    babs99203 jacueline13063

    Posted

    If you DO get the vaccine, get the Shingrix one, that's the newer version, that there's a waiting list for. The old one is much less effective. However, it seems there's still a slight possibility to get shingles again, but your odds are better if you do. However, I'm being totally illogical, despite having PHN almost 3 years after my shingles outbreak, I won't get it.

    • jacueline13063
      jacueline13063 babs99203

      Posted

      Yes, I too am afraid that the vaccine may cause a problem. I don't really want anything to set off shingles again.

      Jacqueline

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