Shingles vaccination

[borednow]

Morning everybody Just had letter from GP asking if I would like the above. Presumably this is because shingles is apparently running amok round here at the moment although I've been in contact with two affected patients and seem to have got away with it so far (I may regret saying that!!). So, currently on 2.5mg of pred and managing reasonably OK. Have doubts about this vaccine and wonder if anybody has any views? Cheers

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

This has been discussed a few times- and it’s down to you really.

The original older version (Zostavax), which is a live vaccine -and according to manufacturers paperwork can trigger PMR- is not recommended, I declined last winter having recovered from GCA.

However there is a newer version this year (Shingrix) which is not live, and should therefore not trigger PMR. But apparently it causes more side effects.

If it’s rampant in your area it might be worth considering, but personally I would probably say no! But that’s just me!

Whatever it’s your choice, so what you feel happy with.

If you type shingles vaccine in search box you’ll see previous posts/comments.

[borednow in reply to DorsetLady]

Many thanks for response and info. I don't like "side effects" so will ignore my GP's kind invitation!! If I get them anyway, I can always say I never got his letter............... Have a good christmas

[SnazzyD in reply to borednow]

Hello. Don’t worry, shingles doesn’t run amok. You can’t catch it because it is just (just?) the resurfacing of the chickenpox virus in your body that has sat there dormant in the nerve endings from when you had chickenpox as a child. However, anybody who hasn’t had chickenPox can catch that from direct contact with the fluid in the blisters of someone with shingles. It is very low risk if you don’t have physical contact with them.

[borednow in reply to SnazzyD]

Thanks very much for your reply. I'm very fussy who I have physical contact with these days so should be OK !!!!!! Merry Christmas to you.

[Primarose in reply to SnazzyD]

That's quite right SnazzyD, I had Singles over the eyes twice. My daughter who lives with me has never had chicken pox but she was OK.

[Dream21]

It is your choice. My doctor recommended it because I am doing the Actemra shots. It really suppress your immune system. I would gather more research.

[borednow in reply to Dream21]

Thanks for your reply. I think I'm going to give it a miss with fingers crossed.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Shingles can't "run amok" - you can only develop shingles if, in your earlier life, you caught chicken pox. The virus lodges in the nerve endings and MAY wake up and cause shingles. It cannot be caught.

The older shingles vaccine has PMR listed as an adverse event. The newer one doesn't mention it but some experts are rather concerned that it may stimulate the immune system too much for patients with autoimmune disorders. So which are you being offered?

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[borednow in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you.

[Dream21 in reply to PMRpro]

My doctor said it was safe, as it is not a “live” vaccine. I am using Actemra for GCA, so I do not want to chance it. I did have the chicken pox.

[Polylinc]

My personal experience is that I'm pretty convinced that the shingles vaccine is what triggered PMR for me . That was three years ago ...

[Linny3 in reply to Polylinc]

Funny you should say that about shingles vaccine triggering pmr. I had the live vaccine and shortly after discovered I had pmr. I was allergic to the vaccine and got the shingles, a mild case down my arm. My friend nearly lost an eye to shingles and that scared me. It was the first vaccine of any kind that I had taken in 45 years. Sorry I took it now.

[bunnymom]

My Dr suggested let it be on the market for awhile to look at side effects first. I think the last shingles vaccine is what set me off along with several others at the same time.

.

[HeronNS]

This article says that people with compromised immune systems should not get Shingrix:

health.usnews.com/health-ca...

But I think in this case the question to be asked is if your immune system really is compromised. I think there'd be a bit of a difference between someone on higher doses of pred and those who are on a very low maintenance dose, and perhaps more concern if you're on more than one immunosuppressant. And you know yourself if you tend to catch everything going, or if your resistance to the usual suspects is pretty much as good as it was pre-pred.

My husband (who does not have PMR) had the two dose Shingrix. He was miserable for a day or so after the first shot, and for at least two days after the second, and then back to normal with no longer lasting effects. I think if you were to ask him he'd say it felt kind of like having the flu. He was exhausted and ached all over.

[Ricketts40]

Just to continue the discussion on the shingles vaccination, last year I decorated my lounge myself which took about two months. During that time August September I noticed that you could have the shingles vaccination at my health centre. I asked if I was eligible for it and had it done the following week. By November I started to get painful upper arms and neck which didn't seem to ease up at all. I was asked by Dr to go for a blood test for my underactive thyroid which resulted in my GP calling me to say my Iron was almost non-existent, and I had no Vit.D and so needed to be tested for cancer. The endoscopy I had 1 week later revealed that I had a bleeding ulcer which was affecting the conversion of iron and vit D to my blood. On seeing my GP regarding the results of the endoscopy, as I left his office I just happened to mention to him that my arms and neck continually ached, his reply was, yes that's all part of it. On reading here that the shingles vaccination could cause PMG I just wonder if it could also be the cause of my body not absorbing all of the nutrients from my diet. I am now on prednisolone (amongst other pills), starting at 20mg last April, got down to 10mg by September but have gone back to 14 mg due to my 12 year old grandson about to pass away with a brain tumour. In the new year I will return to the reduction plan again and am due for another endoscooy to see if medication has been working for my ulcer. Been a tough year and will be glad to see the back of it.

[borednow in reply to Ricketts40]

I am so sorry - my request for info on shingles vaccination fades into insignificance compared to the problems you have had and are still having. Thank you so much for taking the time to respond - I can't help you in any way but my thoughts are with you and your family during this awful time.