Thank you.

[Attic]

Thank s ladies for replying to my post about the Shingles Vaccine. I don't think I am going to have it, I am having a bad time reducing the Pred without something else to worry about at the moment. Hope I am doing the right thing.

Jenny x

[GCA1947]

Hi Jenny,

I'm a male and only got G.C.A. I had Shingles long before I was diagnosed with G.C.A. and I wouldn't wish the pain on anyone. If i'd known that there there was a vaccine available I'd have plumped for the vaccine. The pain was awful leaving me with two dead areas on my thighs. I know they are dead because occasionally the practice nurses get my Testosterone injections in the dead spots, so once in a while there is no pain.

It's an either or situation, if you do get shingles you have to suffer the pain, if you have the vaccine and don't. I don't think having the vaccine would affect the Prednisolone. So I leave it up to you

Regards

Colin

[Blearyeyed in reply to GCA1947]

That's a good reminder .

Obviously choosing to have the Shingles vaccination or not can be a very difficult decision with certain health conditions like we see here.

We do need to balance out decisions against the effect that the Shingles Infection can have on the body too.

GCA isn't the only thing that can affect your eyesight or your mobility and attacks of Shingles , if severe , or in certain parts of the body, can lead to blindness , paralysis or brain and nerve damage.

My own Uncle had a very severe infection a number of years ago which left him with permenant partial sight loss and temporary paralysis for 12 months. It took a number of years of therapy to recover his health and eight months in bed recovering from the infection itself before he could even start, and he hadn't suffered from any other Health Issues before developing Shingles.

If anyone else reads this , I'm not saying it to cause fear , or to encourage people to vaccinate when they don't think it is appropriate for them , just to inform that like conditions like Measles and Rubella , Shingles can be a serious disease.

It's good to weigh up all the possibilities and all of your medical conditions when making your decisions

Hope you keep well.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

What is important though is to go to the GP immediately and get antiviral medication. If started within 48 hours it will reduce the severity of the attack and shorten it.

[Telian]

Think you are. My GP says only have the vaccines when you are well enough - like you I’m going with my instincts re shingles vacc and am not having it.

[Jackoh]

Yes I think you’re making the right decision. I had shingles earlier on in the year but managed to get the antivirals quickly enough. I personally wouldn’t go for the shingles vaccine although my shingles was quite painful in places. It is a personal decision though as with most things.

[OutdoorsyGal]

I had both shots of Shingrix while taking prednisone for PMR. No problems. I’ve been around people with shingles and I don’t want any of that!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to OutdoorsyGal]

Yes, but we aren't talking Shingrix here in the UK as it is only available privately yet as the stocks are not large enough after the release in the USA for public healthcare systems to get it.

[OutdoorsyGal in reply to PMRpro]

Wow. Are they still giving the earlier vaccine, then? The one actually LINKED to new cases of PMR? (What’s it called?)

I got that one too, over 3 years before my PMR diagnosis, but my doctor feels Shingrix is so much better that it’s worth getting that one too.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to OutdoorsyGal]

Zostavax is the only one available to Europeans without paying about £460 for the two shots of Shingrix. The jury is still out on the new one in some respects. It was only tested in healthy subjects (as is usual) and some experts are concerned about how much it may stimulate the immune system in patients with autoimmune diseases.

[OutdoorsyGal in reply to PMRpro]

My sample of one didn’t have that issue. 😉

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to OutdoorsyGal]

Anecdotal ...