The vaccine for shingles (Zostavax®) is recommended for use in people 60 years old and older to prevent shingles. The older a person is, the more severe the effects of shingles typically are, so all adults 60 years old or older should get the shingles vaccine.
The shingles vaccine is specifically designed to protect people against shingles and will not protect people against other forms of herpes, such as genital herpes. The shingles vaccine is not recommended to treat active shingles or post-herpetic neuralgia (pain after the rash is gone) once it develops.
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/shingles/vacc-need-know.htm
Interesting thread. Had an outbreak of shingles last November around my left eye and forehead. Got to the doctor quickly and did the ten day, anti-viral protocol, plus took large doses of vitamin C, B-12 and L-Lysine.
Turned out to be a very mild case with only a few episodes of minor nerve pain and none since. Had the feeling of a mild sunburn around the outbreak, but that was the only persistent manifestation.
Lasted about two weeks with the rash taking a little longer to completely clear. Was definitely lucky compared to many who’ve had shingles.
The shingles vaccine, recommended by the CDC for people over 60, is far from a slam-dunk success. Consider: it reduces the chance of getting shingles by only about 50 percent, though it reduces by 66 percent the discomfort and aftereffects of shingles even when it doesn’t prevent the condition.Shingles itself, for most people, is uncomfortable and then painful, But it generally runs its course after between 2 and 4 weeks and there are medications that can ease the discomfort. When you take the vaccine, you will have to stay away from people who haven’t yet had chicken pox, because you’ll be infectious. You could give it to your pregnant neighbor, for example, or to your grandchildren. Only around 1 in 3 unvaccinated people who have had chicken pox get shingles (this rises to half for those over 85, we should all live that long). Also, for some people the vaccine has fairly serious side effects. Before you get vaccinated for shingles, find out as much as you can about it and make an informed choice.
Another thing to know .... if your shingles are active you can give the chicken pox to someone who has never had chicken pox or the vaccine against it. if you have never had chicken pox i would suggest you get chicken pox vaccine and you will never have to worry about shingles ....
I got it when I turned 50. At first I didn’t know what it was but when it prevented me from sleeping I went to the emergency and they figured it out. I just got in under the 3 day onset period for the drug intervention. It does make you cry in pain but I am sure there are worse diseases out there. Fortunately the medication worked well and I got out of it as expected. Nothing now for 6 years so I am happy about that. That said I don’t wish even my relatively mild case on anyone. I had it mostly in the scalp area and no where else.
the thing with shingles is once you have it it can stay dormant for many years but its still there. then the day comes when you do the thing that ticks it off ... for me its the sun, i am fine if i sunbath in my home area but if i go to where the sun is stronger and do not use a sunscreen on my neck .... had my 1st encounter in my late thirties, two more times since then and i am fifty eight now and it has been at least ten years since the last time.
i did not know that the shot could help you if you had shingles already,usually a vaccine is to prevent you from getting something you never had ... will have to look into this.
I came down with shingles the first Christmas after my father died.
It started out as a few painful bumps just inside my hairline on the left side, oddly tingly too, and felt cold, not to the touch just a sensation of cold. At first I thought I’d gotten bitten by a spider or something. Then the bumps spread and became a generalized rash out onto my forehead into my left eyebrow. At that point I became concerned it was MRSA and scheduled an appointment with an after-hours doc-in-a-box.
The sensation is difficult to describe and it’s also difficult to believe just how painful it is. It’s not just the rash or even the skin that’s involved as far as the pain, it’s nerve pain and it felt as if it was shooting down inside my skull, very unnerving and excruciating.
It was apparently caught in time because it cleared up in a amtter of weeks. I was warned that it can get in your eyes and cause partial or complete blindness. Five years later I still have minor residual effects, tingling, numbness, sensitivity to cold in the area affected.
It’s to be avoided, trust me.
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