To vax or not to vax?

[GrannyB10]

Would appreciate the collective wisdom of the forum on the this one, please.

My surgery has written to offer me a shingles vaccination. I'm not anti- vaccination at all, but I am being offered the live vaccination and I do have some concerns: I am on 2.5ml Prednisolone for PMR (originally started on 15ml three years ago) and was originally told that if I contracted shingles I Should contact my GP immediately as it could be dangerous. Obviously, the live vaccination actually has the virus in it, albeit in a small amount, but I am concerned.

I'm being offered the vaccination because I'm 80 later in the year, and I won't be offered it again if I don't have it by then.

Thoughts and advice much appreciated as always!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Nothing would induce me to have the Zostavax - and especially as I already have PMR since PMR is listed as an adverse effect of the vaccine.

I have written at length about it in the past

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

Unfortunately the second article I linked to in the second post is no longer available - it didn't reflect well on the manufacturer's pushing of the vaccine!

Shingrix, maybe. At the age of 80, Zostavax no.

[HeronNS]

Do NOT get the live vaccine. Shingrix is not only made with killed virus so no chance of infecting anyone who hasn't had chicken pox coming in contact with you, but it has been shown to be far more effective than Zostavax and immunity lasts years longer. My husband (who is in his mid-70s) had the Shingrix vaccine. I wouldn't let him get Zostavax a few years ago as I thought it might put me at risk as there's no evidence I ever had chicken pox. He did feel really awful for a day or two after each of the two shots (several months apart, the second probably worse than the first) but after that he was fine. Of course he doesn't have PMR.

[Christophene47]

Dear GrannynB10,

I am sorry, I inadvertently sent my response to you to to Sally 001; sorry to both of you; It must be time to call it a night.

[Hidden]

I had the Zostavax vaccine and promptly contracted PMR. Looking into it found a warning from the company that manufactures the vaccine warning that a serious adverse affect is PMR so would warn anyone to avoid it. As you already have PMR it is different in your case - see what the doctor says.

[phebamom]

My husband's primary does not give the shingles vaccine. She told my husband it has been linked to heart attacks. I was also told not to get the shingles vaccine because of the PMR/GCA, which I have.

[GrannyB10]

Well thank goodness for this forum!!

Thank you everyone for your replies - you've all confirmed what I was thinking. Definitely not having the vaccine and might even have a word with my doctors to tell them to read my medical history first next time!!!!!

What's really concerning about this is that they obviously don't check before sending these letters out and at risk people who don't have access/aren't aware of forums like this would have gone ahead and had the vaccine

[Marymon]

I also developed PMR within a couple weeks of the vaccination with

Zostrovax . Also had mild case of shingles days after I had it.

Doctor denied it was possible, huh!!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Marymon]

I don't MIND them not knowing (I do really but...). I DO mind them not admitting it is a possibility - because that is always the case for all sorts of things. That something is unknown or rare doesn't rule it out as possible.