Doctor recommended I get a Zostavax vaccination for prevention of shingles. Anybody here been vaccinated with it? Just wondering if it is worth getting or if anyone experienced any side affects from it.

Anyone over 60 should be getting it, even if you've had a previous episode. I actually have a friend that is in his 30's that's had the vaccine because of several outbreaks, and ever since he's been just fine with no side effects - it's probably one of the safest vaccinations you can get, and considering it's a live vaccine that's saying a lot. You don't want to risk something nasty like neuralgia, which can do all sorts of nasty stuff to your body and make you more open to other types of infections.

Just remember it is made from a live virus. Anyone taking immune suppressant drugs or anti rejection drugs like I am it is a death sentence waiting to happen.

Did you have a transplant while I was away?

No Doc. Diagnosed with a severe case of Myasthenia Gravis that effects my entire body. It's a rather rare neuro-muscular disease where the muscles don't receive signals from the nerves and both are fine. It is non curable and the only treatment is with rather large doses of Steroids and Anti Rejection drugs to severely suppress the immune system. The side effects are nasty and quality of life sucks. Another drug every 4 hours keeps you breathing if you are lucky. Fifteen prescriptions daily mainly to fight side effects. On the 11th I will start treatment for my untreated diabetes and another bout of skin cancer.

I don't take any meds for my back anymore, you don't even notice the pain. :-)

Zostavax for patients over 60 is the CDC standard, but if you are taking steroids, that standard may not apply. You seem to indicate you don't have the ocular form of MG, so probably are getting the full course of immuno-suppressant drugs.
Without knowing the active level of your immune system, exposure to an attenuated virus vaccine could be dangerous.
Make sure the doctor recommending the Zostavax is the same one who recommended your course of meds for your MG treatment.

Also, if your immune system is degraded, there is a chance Zostavax won't produce the desired reaction in your body and give the desired immunity. Vaccines are pumped up with certain chemicals to exaggerate or increase the body's response, but your body still is the one making the immunity, after the vaccine triggers the response. The vaccine doesn't give you immunity automatically. So you could get exposed, for no benefit.
If your doctor thinks it is worth it, go for it.

And are you 100% sure you actually had chickenpox as a kid?

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Zostavax for patients over 60 is the CDC standard, but if you are taking steroids, that standard may not apply. You seem to indicate you don't have the ocular form of MG, so probably are getting the full course of immuno-suppressant drugs.

Yes, I do have occular involvement and that is the sign every day of my muscle status as the eyes tire first during the day. The vaccine is NOT recommended for people on immuno-suppressant drugs.

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No Doc. Diagnosed with a severe case of Myasthenia Gravis that effects my entire body. It's a rather rare neuro-muscular disease where the muscles don't receive signals from the nerves and both are fine. It is non curable and the only treatment is with rather large doses of Steroids and Anti Rejection drugs to severely suppress the immune system. The side effects are nasty and quality of life sucks. Another drug every 4 hours keeps you breathing if you are lucky. Fifteen prescriptions daily mainly to fight side effects. On the 11th I will start treatment for my untreated diabetes and another bout of skin cancer.

I don't take any meds for my back anymore, you don't even notice the pain. :-)

Im so sorry ED i wish you well :(

Thanks priscilla, you are a sweetheart. :-)

Thanks all for the input. I'm pretty sure I had chicken pox when I was a kid so I reckon I better get the vaccination.

I had a case of shingles in my late 20's and a mild case again a little over a year ago. I asked my doctor about a Shingles inoculation a few months ago when I got my Flu shot. He told me that getting th Shingles is the same as getting the shot, and had the same effect in creating immunity.

I mentioned that I had also had Shingles many years ago, and he said there was no data on how long immunity would last, but my last episode would surely keep me immune for the rest of my life.

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I mentioned that I had also had Shingles many years ago, and he said there was no data on how long immunity would last, but my last episode would surely keep me immune for the rest of my life.

I don't know Shelly but my mother had shingles at least 5 times in the last 10 years of her life and she died aged 75. She had also had bouts of it earlier in her life.

He probably didn't expect me to live much longer. :)

:lol:

I take an array of meds for CHF as well as diabetes, gout and eczema. I had the vaccine this year and had no side effects.

I checked at the Safeway pharmacy this morning and the girl told me the vaccination was $210.00 !!!! I'm not sure if Tri Care and Medicare will pay for it.

I have had the shot and so far no recurrence has happened.

I really hate those shingles. Not pleasant at all.

I must have had them about 8 years ago, and probably had the shingles shot about 7 years ago.

Seems to be working for me.

Hauxfan!

Medicare will not pay for it. My drug plan reimbursed $70 of a $200. charge.

I wonder when I turn 60, if I need it. I have never had the chicken pox in my life. While my mother was alive she could verify my statement. I have been exposed to it many times but I never come down with it. I had to sleep in the same bed with my younger sister when she got the chicken pox when we were kids. She got a very severe case of them and I had to sleep with her when she was contagious. I didn't get them then , didn't get them when my kids got it. My daughter has apparently inherited my immunity to them. She was in the 2nd grade when she was exposed to a boy in her class that had them. She brought the disease home and the boys both caught it from her but she never came down with it.
Daylilydayzed
Daylilies are the Lord's smiles, new one every day.

If you never had chicken pox you can not get shingles. Shingles is caused by the dormant chicken pox virus left in your body after you have had the disease becoming reactivated, usually through stress.

Shelly, my mother used to say she never saw any one who never had chicken pox until I was born. My brother and sisters all got it but I didn't. I have been exposed to the chicken pox so many times that I lost count. I will turn 53 in Oct. of this year and in my lifetime you can not go any length of time with out a kid bringing it home from school. Since I am a school crossing guard, I would be exposed to every kid that comes through my crossing .
Daylilydayzed
Daylilies are the Lord's smiles, new one every day.

Chicken pox can be asymptomatic as well, meaning you could have contracted it and you are now immune even though you didn't have any obvious symptoms.

Doctormidnight,
My mother asked a doctor to draw some blood and see if it had chicken pox antibodies in it to show if I had ever had it. I have no trace of chicken pox antibodies in my blood. When my daughter was pregnant, the military nurse asked her if she had had the chicken pox because she went to see a friend who's son had just come down with the chicken pox and she had been exposed. She has no trace of antibodies in her blood either. It is a mystery to me as to how I have not been infected with it any time I have been exposed to it.
Daylilydayzed
Daylilies are the Lord's smiles, new one every day.

Some people are inexplicably immune to certain infections. This is true of even the most deadly contagions, even Hiv/Aids. I have always been immune to poison Ivy, even though I have been in contact with it hundreds of times.

Interesting that my military Tri Care insurance will pay but only under the following conditions:

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Tricare won't pay for the shingles vaccine if it is given at a pharmacy or if your doctor writes you a prescription to buy the shingles vaccine and have it administered at his or her office. If you want Tricare to cover the shingles vaccine, you must have the vaccine administered in your doctor's office.

The vaccine, I believe, is a live vaccine and has a limited lifespan so I don't imagine that a lot of doctors would be interested in keeping it in their office. The doctor that I see just wrote out a prescription to get the vaccine at a pharmacy so it looks like I've gotta dig up a couple hundred bucks to get the shot. x(