Shingles vaccine?

[sunlovah]

I unknowingly (until after) had shingles in March 2023 which I believe, triggered first episode of Afib. Now thinking about having the vaccine, concerned that it will trigger Afib. What are people's experiences of having the vaccine? Do I need it yet. Maybe still have antibodies in my system? Will check with GP but answers from that direction are sometimes vague...

[CDreamer]

I had Shingles then had the attenuated vaccine as I am immune compromised and the old live jab is a NO for me - 2 jabs, 3 months apart. The virus is systemic in your body if you have had Chicken Pox and/or Shingles.

Take the vaccine as herpes flares during illness as it’s an opportunistic virus ie- waits until you are in a weakened state.

[sunlovah in reply to CDreamer]

Thank you for your reply. Is the new 2 jab one, non live do you know?

[CDreamer in reply to sunlovah]

NHS recommendations nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinati...

US has different criteria.

[BobD Volunteer]

I had it when offered . No problems.

[pusillanimous]

This a very silly question, but I am busy making up my mind whether or not to have the Shingles vac - it is very expensive here. I had very mild Chicken Pox, only about two spots - is it possible that the virus was so weak in my case my immune system overcame it and killed?😀

[spinningjenny]

Just Googled the vaccine. The UK use a non live vaccine delivered in two doses, three months apart. The second dose can make you feel a little unwell, muscle aches etc, but nothing else mentioned. I will be having it next year when I hit 70.

[Rosemaryb1349 in reply to spinningjenny]

I don't know if Scotland uses a different vaccine than rest of UK but I had a one and done shingles vaccination a few months ago which as far as one can tell has had little or no effect on my PAF.

[Gertsen in reply to spinningjenny]

I only had one shingles jab I am in the UK

[needlestone]

I am 54 and had recently asked my doctor about a shingles shot as I know family members who had terrible cases of it. He mentioned that it was my decision but even with the shot I can still get shingles. I decided to wait and lo and behold, during a stressful time, I got a spot on my leg. Diagnosed as shingles. It looked ugly and didn’t feel great but not bad, I never even took any pain meds for it. Funny enough, I put Abreva for cold sores on it (antiviral for same virus over the counter) and it started clearing quickly. I never even took the oral antiviral that was given. I am one of those that daily takes loads of supplements for anti-inflammatory and think this helped also. It has cleared and doctor said I could get it again, but at least I have antibodies for it so hoping it won’t be bad if I get it again. I only know of one person personally who got it twice and he is elderly and doesn’t take the care that I do., I can only hope that I don’t get it again, and if so no worse than my recent bout. Only time will tell. It did leave a purple scar on my leg but have heard that typically clears up in a year or so.

[Silvasava]

I was offered the shingles jab but opted to have the non live vaccine as I have AF , DCM and asthma. I had the second one last month. No issues except from a tender arm and feeling a bit washed out the next day. HTH

[Cookie24 in reply to Silvasava]

Are there different shingles shots? Are there live and nonlive vaccines?

[Silvasava in reply to Cookie24]

I think there is/was as the first time I was offered it it was a single jab not two. I asked for a non live vaccine and it came as two shots. You've got me wondering now!

[Domino49 in reply to Cookie24]

Zostavax is a live vaccine given in one dose (which I had back in May with no adverse reactions fortunately). The new Shingrix vaccine is an inactive vaccine given in two separate doses. This is the vaccine the NHS started offering in September.

[Vonnegut]

I was told a weird discomfort in my back was “ the after effects of shingles” by a pain expert. When I did get shingles ( not having had the shingles jab as I had thought it wouldn’t be appropriate) the excruciating pain came from the place in my back but the doctor refused to think it relevant and I wasn’t able to get an appointment until almost 2 weeks later by which time the pain had gone and the rash had appeared but it was too late to do anything about it! I think my paroxysmal AF came from that too! I’ve had the shingles jab now as there is no way I’d want to go through that again. It put an end to my previously active healthy life and I’d like to be able to enjoy as much of what is left of it! Apparently, the vaccine doesn’t quite prevent shingles entirely but reduces the severity of it should you get infected!

[Cookie24 in reply to Vonnegut]

Has you resumed your active life style?

[Vonnegut in reply to Cookie24]

No! Sadly, as the shingles also started chronic fatigue which is dreadful and the flecainide that keeps my heart in order comes with added fatigue so hardly able to do much at all now and my husband has become my carer!

[Sixtychick]

I had shingles about 10 years before I ever had my first AFib attack.I was given anti- virals, which stopped it in it’s tracks, but I still had my shingles vaccination a couple of years ago and had no problems at all with that.

[Vonnegut in reply to Sixtychick]

Sadly, by the time they accepted I had shingles the doc didn’t offer an antiviral and it was the end of my active healthy lifestyle!

[Sixtychick in reply to Vonnegut]

That’s a shame. Guess I was lucky I knew what it was and my GP saw me quickly and gave me the anti-virals. They were amazing, just stopped it in it’s tracks more or less straight away.

[Vonnegut in reply to Sixtychick]

The doctor told me to “take paracetamol and if the pain had gone by the time the appointment comes round (12 days later after ringing a lot) to remember to cancel it” ! I had the pain before the rash appeared but it came from the place in my back which I’d been told was from a previous shingles episode! Weird as that must have been the mildest episode ever as I’d had no symptoms at the time! This happened well before the pandemic too and I’ve had the jab since as wouldn’t want to go through anything like that again!

[Sixtychick in reply to Vonnegut]

👍

[Domino49]

After my brother had a particularly bad attack of shingles I asked to have the vaccine. I had it back in May (had the pneumonia one at the same time). I suffered no adverse reactions.

[Dodie117]

it’s only available privately here in Ireland. €200 mimimum. I had shingles as a teenager and later both my sons had it in late teens/early 20s. I’m hmmimg about getting it at €200!

[Ppiman]

The newer Shingrix brand of vaccine, which needs two doses to be most effective, is said to cause far fewer side effects than the older form. I'll be having mine soon.

Steve

[Madscientist16]

I am 56 and had both shingle shots last year. No side effects except a sore arm. No AF issues.

[Desanthony]

I have had it and caused no problems whatsoever - hardly knew I had had an injection! Definitely better than having shingles again.