Shingles vaccine

[Amnesiac3637]

Just seen the BBC news health website. Shingles vaccines being offered to over 65’s ( was 70) and, even better, to vulnerable immune suppressed people over 55 from September 2023.

[MadBunny]

Good news. Thanks for sharing 👍

[Madmusiclover]

Good. A bit late for me but I’ll take it. I think I’m stuck with permanent PHN on my face.

[Madmusiclover]

bbc.co.uk/news/health-66167710

[Intheend]

This is good news…

No mention of it being made available to those of us in Wales yet, but 🤞🤞

[Gottarelax]

that’s good news as I feel like I’m a case of shingles waiting to happen just now with all the stress that life is throwing at me right now and I’m just into the age bracket for the jab.

[BoneyC]

I wonder how long it will take for GP's to spring into action and send out invitations to immunosuppressed over 55's and will it be the same people as on the Covid CEV list?

With 2 months notice, I can't see my surgery offering me a shingles vaccine this side of Christmas.

[bpeal1 in reply to BoneyC]

I doubt it will be the same as the covid CEV list as that included a lot of people who weren’t immunosupressed and didn’t include some people (like me) who are!. They may well use the definition they used for immunosupressed for covid vaccinations, with the extra proviso of being over 50.

[Mall in reply to BoneyC]

if it means extra cash for GP surgeries it will happen quickly. After all it will be the admin staff organising invites and nurses administrating the vaccine. Gps don’t need to be involved.

[Runrig01]

That is good news, I enquired earlier in the year due to being on MTX, biologic and steroids. I know cold sores are in the same family of viruses, although cold sores can’t cause shingles, but I’m forever getting breakouts of them. Twice my gp has questioned if its shin goes by the patttern and amount of blisters, I feel shingles is always just around the corner. Currently have a bad attack of cold sores, probably due to being really run down with my recent pains.

[Sheila_G]

That's good. Thank you

[Boxerlady]

Good news - thank you.

I'm not sure if I'll qualify for the "severely immuno-suppressed" but at 63, will at least not have to wait so long. I'm very lucky in having an excellent GP and pharmacist so am sure that they'll be on the ball. Might ask the pharmacist next time I collect my prescriptions.

[weathervane]

I had a chat with my rheumy at last rituximab infusion 5 weeks ago if i should have shingles vaccine ( not 70 for a while) . She told me that since I started receiving rituximab patients are now advised to get it so I missed out on this advice . She told me to speak to gp about it in 4-5 weeks, i was with the practice nurse on Tuesday and ran it passed her, she had no idea so will make a gp appointment.

[aliplayspiano]

Yes, the practice nurse told me this a couple of days ago when I had my annual review. I asked about the shingles vaccine because the rheumatology nurse wants me to have it but the GP surgery had said I couldn’t unless I got a letter from rheumatology because I’m only 65. I felt a bit stuck in the middle so it was definitely good news when the nurse told me about the new guidelines from September. Apparently too everyone is going to be given the Shingrix vaccine.

[Hodc in reply to aliplayspiano]

Having just had my second dose of shingrix vaccine on Tuesday, I wouldn't be jumping about that! I've had a bad reaction both times to Shingrix. However, it's not as bad as shingles, but if i were to be offered 3rd dose, I would hesitate! - I know its only two dose. But everyone I know, who has had the Live vaccine, they've had no after effects, so don't know whether my reactions was because it was the non live vaccine, or because I've already had shingles. But it's not been pleasant.

[GinnyE]

Yes I've seen this. If offered I'm going to make sure it's the non live one. My GP told my husband, who hasn't got RA, that non live vaccinate are not in use yet, but I know people on here have had them.

[Lolabridge in reply to GinnyE]

I’ve had my first dose of Shingrix vaccine at the GP surgery, which is the non-live one, and am booked in for the second. I had to wait until I reached 70 despite asking for it earlier as I’m on biologic drugs and CEV.

[katieoxo60]

Hi there, as I understand it the shingles vaccinne as been available to the over 65s for some time but is only needed if you had chickenpox at sometime in your childhood as this particular disease lays dormant and can recur as shingles in adult hood. I have been offered it on more than one occassion but refused as I have never had chiickenpox. From your post I get the impression its being offered to immune supressed now . Thanks for your post but I would like more info about shingles injection need any ideas on the site as to how I get this please.?

[bpeal1 in reply to katieoxo60]

Are you sure you’ve never had chickenpox? I thought my daughter had never had it (certainly had no symptoms of it) but before she started biologics her rheumatologist did a blood test to see if she had (catching chickenpox whilst on biologics can be dangerous so they were going to vaccinate her if not) and it turned out that she had chickenpox antibodies so must have had a chickenpox infection.

[katieoxo60 in reply to bpeal1]

I am sure I never had it but as you say it may have been mild . I only recall measles , german measles, perforated ear drum and my sister having chickenpox diagnosis that turned out to be impertigo she is much younger than me Had whooping cough vaccine booster when pregnant, and T B jabs at senior school. Lots of tetanus injections as I was a cook so lots of minor injuries with knifes and burns. I know its is painful having shingles as many have told me, but do not want to have unecessary injections if possible. Thank you for reply.

[bpeal1 in reply to katieoxo60]

Might be worth mentioning it to your rheumatologist. They may be willing to test to see if you have chickenpox antibodies. If not it would be worth knowing in case you ever come into contact with it.

[katieoxo60 in reply to bpeal1]

Thank you for that.

[Hodc in reply to katieoxo60]

Believe me, you NEVER want to have Shingles. It is horrendously painful, and 3 years later, I still have PHN . And, as someone said, you may have had a mild dose and not now.

[allanah]

Good I've had it twice in the past two years so painful and for ages afterwards!

[bpeal1]

Good news. Now I only have to wait 2 years rather than 22.

[katieoxo60 in reply to bpeal1]

I think people who have had shingles should be given the injection irrespective of age, what do you think?, having had it twice.

[bpeal1 in reply to katieoxo60]

I’ve not had shingles. I not totally sure of the science but I would think it’s probably more important to have the vaccination before you get shingles. I’m assuming they’ve decided the risk of getting shingles below 50 even if immunocompromised is low enough not to routinely vaccinate.

[Paul12]

This is a real real scandal. It comes in two parts:

1. As from September those aged 65 can get shingles vaccine free. Currently it is just the 70 + year olds. BUT those who are currently 65+ (below 70) will NOT get it free.

2. This is a HUGE scandal. The vaccine on the NHS is Zostavax. nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinati...

ONE dose.

But....

Shingrix is supposedly more effective at reducing the risk of shingles compared with Zostavax (97.2% vs 51%)

However, Zostavax has a ‘NHS indicative price - £99.96’ and requires only one dose, whereas the Shingrix has ‘NHS indicative price - £160.00’ per dose and requires two doses.

So Shingrix more effective but more than three times as expensive 

health.harvard.edu/diseases...

and it gets worse:

sokolovelaw.com/blog/zostav...

If you go private you get Shingrix: better protection and no lawsuits. NHS - 51% effective plus the lawsuits. The poor lose out....