Singles Vaccination

[Falkers]

I have been off Pred now for over a month and so far all is going well. I had my flu jab on Monday morning and whilst there was offered the shingles jab. I declined for the moment and had the proviso of having it later.

Does anyone know about side effects? Would it start up the PMR again? am in a quandary wither to have it or not.

Would welcome any advice. Thanks.

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Falkers, the shingles vaccine is a 'live' vaccine - best avoided whilst suffering from PMR and on steroids. So with you having so recently come off steroids, if it were me I would probably put off the vaccine for a year or so as it can take that amount of time for the body to really get back to normal after stopping the steroids.

Meanwhile, many congratulations on having kicked PMR into touch - enjoy being in the zero Pred club!

[suzieh]

Lucky you at zero! I am on the way down....q for you... Did you get niggly pains on the lower doses and worked through them or was it all pain free?

[Falkers in reply to suzieh]

I had a few niggly pains first thing in the morning. Worked through them and occasionally took a couple of paracetamol. Touch wood all seems well at the moment.

[suzieh in reply to Falkers]

Am on 3 mg at present 5 days a week and 2.5mg on 2 feeling good. Will probably stick at this for now as we are off on a big Hol for all of Nov. If I feel fine when we get back I will try and reduce again.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Just been to look up the contraindications for shingles vaccine.

It is a live vaccine - so not really advised for patients taking pred although they do say that a low doses (below 10mg) there should not be a problem. If you are on other immunosuppressive medications such as methotrexate as well - NO!

Technically, someone who has recently had shingles shouldn't need the vaccine - they should have developed immunity. It is possible though unusual to develop shingles more than once - but that would happen because you hadn't developed that immunity and I would have thought that would also apply to the vaccine - it is known that not everyone will mount an adequate immune response, probably half won't.

So if you've had shingles - I don't think I would bother even thinking about it. If you haven't - I'm not sure I would have it either.