Question for the smart people here ... can you get shingles more than once?
Yes. If you have not received the shingles vaccine. And probably, even if you have received the vaccine. It depends on how effective the vaccine is for you. I had shingles over 15 years ago in my 40s. Haven't had it since and haven't had the vaccine. My aunt got them several times as an adult. This was pre-vaccine. Don't know if she's been vaccinated or had them recently.
My father had it twice.
Yes, and people generally do.
I got the shingles shot just because I’ve seen people suffer. Got pretty sick from it.
The shingles shot also protects against dementia, which makes sense as the virus lies dormant in your nerve cells.
It’s an old school shot. Not mRNA.
AI Overview:
Yes, it is possible to get shingles more than once.
Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which also causes chickenpox. After a person has chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in nerve cells. In some cases, the virus reactivates and causes shingles.
The risk of getting shingles more than once is lower than the risk of getting it for the first time. However, it is still possible, especially for people who:
Have a weakened immune system.
Can you get shingles more than once? Yes. Then it’s called recurrent shingles.
I had it in 2003. It hurt so bad, that I got the vaccine to prevent it from happening again.
Not that I’m smart (just old with experience), but I’ve had shingles once, yet have been successfully encouraged to get the (two) shingles vaccines long after the outbreak back in 2007. So I’m thinking the answer is yes.
Yes. In atypical cases, shingles may recur. In other instances, it can last for years.
Yes. The virus “hibernates” so to speak in your spinal fluid. Dormant forever or can reappear anytime along the way. It’s truly a no joke painful bitch of a malady. Which reminds me I need the shingrix...I already had the predeccessor.
Yes, you can get it more than once.
It can flare up again.