shingrix vaccine

[DBE46]

Contacted my GP surgery to request my vaccine. The receptionist was adamant I was not eligible. Saying I would get it next year when I am 70. I explained the NHS had sent me a letter explaining I should get antivirals if I got Covid. Told her my condition and that I was taking steroids. She said my name was not on her list !!!!

[piglette]

Were you able to show her the letter you had received? Communications between the NHS and the GPs can be pretty dire in my opinion..

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Jobsworth! I would get a GP appointment and try again - at least the GP can make sure their info is correct ...

[DBE46 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you

[SnazzyD]

When I was giving shingles vaccines 6/7 years ago, the age cut off was very strict. It depended when the birthday fell. We used to get angry people saying they were the right age but because their birthday wasn’t in a certain period, they had to wait. The surgery were reprimanded if anyone was given one outside the plan, even with the GP’s say so. You may not fall in the immunosuppressed category because it may not be deemed severe since you appear to be under 10mg Pred. Eligibility for one thing eg antivirals doesn’t necessarily mean eligibility for all other offerings. It’s worth pressing for the actual reason and really you need to speak to those giving them, the nurses who have to follow the printed criteria to the letter.

These are the current criteria from the .gov site link below.

From 1 September 2023, the vaccine programme is being offered to the following:

healthy people aged 70 to 79 years who have not yet been vaccinated

people aged 50 years and over with a severely weakened immune system

healthy people aged 60 to 70 years will become eligible for the vaccine over the next 5 years, when they turn 65 or 70 years

gov.uk/government/publicati...

[DBE46 in reply to SnazzyD]

Thank you. Yes I had read the criteria and presumed I was classed as immunosuppressed. Following your comment regarding dose I won’t press anymore, although I did think it was more about accumulation re length of time taking pred .

[SnazzyD in reply to DBE46]

Here is the definition of severely immunosupressed as per the Green Book, the national vaccination ‘bible’. See page 7. It states for corticosteroids which I am assuming is Pred.

More than 20mg for 10 days or more in the last month

or 10mg or more for more than 4 weeks in the last 3 months.

assets.publishing.service.g...

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Suggest you print off the link SnazzyD has sent and take it to surgery - or send by eConsult so that a GP reads it -not the receptionist....

[DBE46 in reply to DorsetLady]

I have a very sympathetic advanced nurse practitioner so will just mention it to her next time I am in.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to DBE46]

Please do …. and re your comments to SnazzyD sometimes I think surgeries read what they want to read from the directives coming from NHS, not what it says exactly! But if you’ve got sensible ANP hopefully it will be okayed.

[Indigo2417]

Hi DBE46. I was in a similar situation. I spoke to a GP who said I needed to speak to reception as the shingles vaccine is governed by strict rules. Reception said I would be called when I’m 70 next year, I’ll be 69 next month, but she advised me to check later to see if they have any overstocks and I might get one. Last week, I spoke to a different GP who said she would speak to the practice nurse. I got a call on Monday from the practice nurse who asked me about my Pred dose. I’ve been 15mg for nearly 4 weeks. She said I’m eligible, but currently I can’t have it as I’m still testing positive for Covid. Hope you get sorted soon.

[herdysheep]

My surgery, which is generally pretty good, had refused me the Shingrix jab until now. After a 5 year wait, it was virtually on the day that they got their supplies!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to herdysheep]

Yes, but rules have changed re Shingrix wef September 2023...😊

[herdysheep in reply to DorsetLady]

Yep, that's why I got it as I had refused the other

[Sophiestree]

I'm confused as the adverts say 65 and yet the publication says phased over a certain time. Might not bother asking my surgery if that's the case.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Sophiestree]

Depends if they think 2nd description [in italics] apples to you -depends what Pred dose you are on - but always worth asking..

Who will get the shingles vaccine

From 1 September 2023, the vaccine programme is being offered to the following:

*healthy people aged 70 to 79 years who have not yet been vaccinated

*people aged 50 years and over with a severely weakened immune system

*healthy people aged 60 to 70 years will become eligible for the vaccine over the next 5 years, when they turn 65 or 70 years

You will remain eligible for the shingles vaccine until your 80th birthday, unless you have a weakened immune system; people with a severely weakened immune system remain eligible for vaccine. The sooner you have the vaccine, the earlier you will be protected.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

There's another HU thing - telling you something is in italics instead of actually implementing the command!!!! First paragraph????

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

That was me - highlighting to Sophiestree what applied to her... so probably confused the situation 🤦‍♀️

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

Oh right ...

[Sophiestree in reply to DorsetLady]

Yes, I don't think I would be considered to have a severely weakened immune system on 7mg and the 65 bit confuses me where they say over the next 5 years. Why don't they just state the age it starts now.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Sophiestree]

No you probably wouldn’t but you don’t really fall into the 3rd cohort either -as it states “healthy people “ . so it’s always worth a punt… might catch someone in a good mood …

But this what it does say for those healthy people -

Summary table of implementation stages for immunocompetent patients

Implementation stages

Stage 1(5 year duration)

1 September 2023 to 31 August 2028 Those who reach age 65 or 70 years during this period should be called in on or after their 65th or 70th birthday

Stage 2

(5 year duration) 1 September 2028 to 31 August 2033 Those who reach age 60 or 65 years during this period should called in on or after their 65th or 70th birthday

So as your profile shows you are 65 you should be eligible now…

[Stills in reply to Sophiestree]

Perhaps the prime minister made up the rules 🤣like the new smoking rules

[perceptual63]

I'm in the US and they offer the Shingrix vaccination to people 50 and over.

In mid-2020, I received my 2 dose Shingrix vaccination at age 57 (1 ½ years before the onset of PMR).

My deceased mother got shingles at age 62.

So this notion that the shingles vaccination should only be administered at 70 and older is ridiculous.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to perceptual63]

I think it’s probably because they assume younger adults can cope with shingles better than those over 65..

[readingbooks in reply to DorsetLady]

IMHO Nobody should have to 'cope' with shingles. !

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to readingbooks]

Me neither… but don’t make the rules… sometimes think we patients should though… 😉

[Stills in reply to DorsetLady]

Yes brilliant , can you arrange this please. Lots of posts all over HU about Drs knowing nothing about conditions like PMR, RA and Thyroid recently. In many professions one is not allowed to practise until having undergone the experience themselves. Surely with today’s technology machines could recreate some conditions so Drs could understand far better how we suffer and why QOL is so vital to our wellbeing even if we are in agony.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Stills]

Wish I could 😇

[perceptual63 in reply to DorsetLady]

My mother experienced the shingles rash on the side of her torso and she said it was extremely painful.

I've never known my mother to ever complain about pain except during that time, which to me says a lot about how painful shingles can be.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to perceptual63]

My FIL suffered from it a couple of times… and he said same…

[Poshcards]

i would go into your surgery, ask directly to them there and if they refuse it again, you refuse to leave until you get what is needed!!