Shingles

[Shingle25]

I had my first shingles in 2022, and was cured within 1 week . I took the shingles vaccine shingles shoot after a month. Unfortunately, it repeatedly coming back in a firm of single single on the same spot for 5 to 6 times repeatedly till now. Every time I took the medication within 3 days for 3 days it dried out and gone. Please advise if I can take the new vaccine, the 2 shots one now to avoid shingles reoccurrence ? Or it is usless for me, they will come back still?

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

Welcome to our community!

Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing if having Shingrix vaccinations will protect you from further shingles outbreaks. They should reduce the severity, but even CLL specialists vary in their recommendations with respect to prophylactic measures against shingles. Some recommend their patients stay on an antiviral for the rest of their lives after being vaccinated. That's the recommendation from my specialist. CLL is a very heterogeneous illness and our susceptibility to infection and as well as type of infection, varies considerably.

Neil

[Ellieoak]

I had a similar issue with shingles. My doctor prescribed valacyclovir. That stopped the shingles from coming back. I still take it today and every day.

[cajunjeff]

Hello Shingle25. Your question is probably best asked to your doctor. Do you have cll? It’s unclear from your post.

As AussieNeil wrote, not all doctors agree on the issue you raise. I had both shingrix shots. My doctor told me there’s a decent chance the vaccination will prevent shingles for me, and perhaps lessen the severity of shingles if I get them. Shingrix is not a live vaccine, so it’s usually safe for us. Shingles can be awful, so for me, the slight risk of side effects to the vaccine is outweighed by the potential benefit.

Your case of shingles sounds relatively mild so far. Maybe the first shot is helping. Maybe the second shot will help more. It’s a bit of a guessing game. You had a quick response to the medication you took, so thats good.

You might also take the belt and suspenders route by taking the vaccine and daily Valtrex pills. I assume the “medication” that you took for your shingles was Valtrex or some similar anti-viral. A lot of people take daily valtrex prophylactically to ward off shingles, herpes and some other pesky viruses.

I had no issues with valtrex when I was on it during one of my cll treatments. If you are having recurrences of shingles in the same place, you light talk to your doctor about getting on an anti-viral long term. Your small outbreaks sound manageable. The last thing you want is a full blown shingles outbreak.

If you do have cll and if your Cll doctor was the one who prescribed your first shot, my guess is he will want you to go forward with your second shot. But that’s just a guess, best to ask your doctor. Good luck to you.

[JigFettler Volunteer]

Are you sure this was shingles?

Sounds more like Herpes Simplex than Herpes Zoster.

Jig

[Beattiem-UK in reply to JigFettler]

That's an interesting thought JG... I too get just the one shingle. I identify it as shingles and not just some random spot because it's painful. I take Aciclovir 400 twice daily, and always have the 800 dose to hand for outbreaks but the last couple of times I just didn't take the 800 and the shingles didn't proceed to a full-blown attack. It never occurred to me that it could be a variation of herpes.... I imagine that if I go to the GP when I next experience it they can do a swab and find out?

[JigFettler Volunteer in reply to Beattiem-UK]

Exactly. A viral swab would tell you. Knowing will help with managing the issue.

Jig

[SofiaDeo in reply to Beattiem-UK]

I've had simplex mixed in with zoster on my back, so it's definitely possible you are having a simplex outbreak. Any herpes lesions can be painful and itchy, so it doesn't matter to me to get things swabbed to determine exactly what it is every outbreak, since the treatment is basically the same. I personally take valacyclovir until any lesion heals, I don't follow any protocol. My docs are fine with this, and I am well supplied with medicine so I have some on hand should I prodrome or break out.

[ncosto]

If you had chicken pox, you carry the virus that causes shingles. I had 3 bouts of meningitis 20+ years ago, each one followed by a case of severe shingles. At that time, the vaccine was a live vaccine and the docs recommended against it. Once Shingrix was available, I got vaccinated. With my onset of CLL, which spread to my central nervous system, I had another meningitis episode last year, but NO shingles. If you carry the virus, and your immune system is compromised, you are very vulnerable. But, even after this last episode of meningitis symptoms, I did not get shingles (so am hoping that the Shingrix vaccine was the difference).

[Bobby9toes]

When the first shingles vaccine came out many years ago, my husband and I were vaccinated. Fast forward to now and after SLL, I asked both my PCP and oncologist if they recommended I get the Shingrix vaccine and both said I probably still have some protection from the first one and since I’m on 400mg acyclovir twice a day I should be protected.

[lexie]

I was told Shingrix is only 45% effective for those with CLL. I got the Shingrix series anyhow, every little bit helps. Then a year later I began getting lip cold sores in rapid succession, when one would heal another would emerge. Dr thought I was at risk of shingles because of the persistence of cold sores so now take valacyclovir daily and been free of those for the past year. I had shingles 20 years ago and do not want them again

[BigDee]

Hello Shingles25

I did not see in your bio where you had CLL which would be a determining factor in which Shingles shots to have. That aside, I had my first and only case of shingles 2-3 years ago. My doctor told me to wait 3-4 months before getting shingles shots. Another doctor told me to skip shot as not effective. I have not had a return of shingles, but notice a itching place where singles first erupted don't know if this will lead to another eruption or not.

[DanBro1]

I had a really good case of Shingles about 5 years ago. My PC doc told me to wait at least 6 months before getting the Shingles shot..... which I did.

[Quarry]

I have had the vaccine, but my docs have ALSO LEPT ME ON the daily Aciclvir (which I was using before the vacine). So far, no repeat....