Found this article about Shingrix. It is from 2018, however the CDC statement on Shingrix is still making the statement about not knowing enough about this vaccine in people with immune-related diseases (like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and others) so the information has not yet been updated to put our minds at rest.
medpagetoday.com/meetingcov...
Adding this April 2021:
Wow Heron! So interesting and absolutely re enforces my theory that adjuvants might not be a good idea for anyone that has an auto immune condition with regards to a flare. Thank you so much for the link! Xxxx
Thank you for that HeronNH it not the first time I have read something similar. For that reason I refused the shingles vaccine. Also I believe that the flue vaccine resulted in me getting PMR and l didn't have another flue jab for five years. I was down to 2mg of pred in Autumn last year and was given a flue jab just over a month later l had a massive flare. Doctor put me back on 15 mg. There are scientific reports that this is relatively uncommon in autoimmune patients.
How well would a non-adjuvanted Shingrix work? Or one with a less powerful adjuvant? I know my husband felt really rotten for a day after the first shot and for two days, maybe three, after the second, which makes me think I'd be better off taking my chances. If one develops shingles these days an antiviral is now something you can go directly to the pharmacist for, no waiting to see a doctor, so maybe that would be a safer option as it's not a given that everyone develops shingles anyway. After all, I never knew I'd even had chicken pox until a recent blood test showed I do have immunity.
I can imagine how you feel, the old saying, 'one size doesn't fit all' might apply here.
I had shingles, diagnosed almost immediately, on the anti viral within 16 hours of discovering the rash that then disappeared within 5 days!
Thank you! Think I'll continue to take my chances!
That is interesting - thank you. I am on 14 mgs, and I have a friend who recently nearly died from Shingles and is still in severe pain from Shingles nerve damage. He was in hospital for 4 months. A bit of a wake-up for me - I am 65.Could I ask if you would still feel comfortable relying on antivirals, instead of Shingrix. Thanks, HeronNS! Tim
Time changes a lot of things. Now that I consider how I'm willing to chance feeling rotten for days with a covid vaccine, as some do although others sail through, I do feel different about possibly getting Shingrix. Especially as I am sort of stuck at a higher dose of pred for the time being. I'll get through the covid thing first and then perhaps consider Shingrix.
The primary reason for the vaccine is to reduce the incidence of post-herpetic neuralgia which is the potentially hellish part of shingles and which the antivirals don't always prevent.
Now that I did not know. Thanks.
thanks - very useful - given the herpetic matter, what would you conclude on balance? I live partly in Greece where this sufferer is (I'm in Malta now), and I am bit chary of exposing myself to it when there.
I have just spent a few minutes trying to find up to date info. It appears it still is up in the air, which is of some concern. I think it's the adjuvant which is the potential problem. This item indicates that we still don't know. Considering this vaccine is now widely distributed, you can't even get Zostavax in the US any more, according to this, you'd think someoone would have things figured out by now. I used the "find" function of my browser to find the comments about Shingrix:
uptodate.com/contents/immun...
That is great - thanks very much indeed. T
What dose of pred constitutes a compromised immune system?
Covid 19 and vaccinations: Updated guidance for the immune suppressed
COVID-19 vaccines: 4th dose well-tolerated and boosts immune response
Correlation between pred dose and immune response to covid vaccine 
Shingrix shingles vaccine approved by FDA
