I have CLL & am not 70 or 79. Since CLL makes me more likely to get shingles, why am I not allowed to have the shingles vaccination?

[HeatherJoy]

If the ages are an arbitrary choice because of cost - & there cannot be large numbers of CLL patients - why are we excluded from the vaccination? For me shingles is indeed a "burning issue".

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

Cost is not the issue, but your health. The shingles vaccine is a live (attenuated) virus, so if you have the vaccination, due to your lowered immunity with CLL, you actually increase the risk of giving yourself chickenpox and if you've never been previously exposed to this virus - eventually shingles!

Neil

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero]

The shingles vaccine is actually a high dose of live chickenpox... not a good idea. In healthy people it is not very effective either, offering about 52% protection... in the 60 year age group and it drops to about 20% effective in the over 80 year old crowd...

Your best bet is to request a prescription for Valtrex etc. so you have immediate access to the antiviral. Valtrex will not prevent a Zoster reactivation, contrary to popular belief, but it will limit it considerably...in some cases...

~chris

[CLLisgrace]

Soon after diagnosis, my UCSF oncologist recommended the shingles vaccine. I took it and have had no problems with it. 2 years after diagnosis, I don't think my immunity is compromised, because I get sick much less often than friends and family. Don't know if the 1600 mg. of green tea extract I take every day (search Mayo clinic and green tea) has anything to do with all of this. Blessings to all.