Well, as a Christian woman, I understand your stance, but as a healthcare provider, I find it foolish.
I have patients who come into our office at least once weekly with shingles. Many we treat appropriately on the same day the rash breaks out, but they continue to suffer significant pain for six months or longer, usually leading to more medication. For many, the rash is highly painful and also unsightly and takes weeks or longer to heal. Had one woman with it all over her right breast. Talk about upsetting for this poor lady. Another 90 year old came in on another day ...a little frail 90 year old suffering in this type of pain is a sad sight.
The shots are easy, and relatively inexpensive as compared to a hospital stay.
God also gives us the wisdom to do what is right to take care of ourselves, with the resources we have available at the time. The Shingrix vaccine is available now and very effective — I advise it to anyone at risk. I’ve had to put several patients on gabapentin for weeks to months after they had shingles due to post-rash pain.
One of the great things about being a conservative is that if someone wants to do something, unless it can directly harm us or cost us money, we are generally okay with people doing as they wish (within limits).
I feel much the same about this. If someone doesn’t want to take a medication, vaccine, or medical treatment, it is their life. (I do feel differently when it is a child involved)
In the case of shingles, I chose to get the first vaccine with the hope it will protect me in any way at best, and at worst, could get a case of shingles from it.
I took this gamble, because I work in medicine and have not only seen some very bad cases of shingles, I witnessed my mother (as she was dying of cancer) contract the most awful case of shingles I (or any of the medical staff caring for her) had ever seen. I admit that filled me with horror, the affected area ran from her buttocks up to her neck, and weeped prodigiously requiring changes of her bedsheets multiple times a day. It was awful.
For me, that was reason enough to get the first vaccine, even though it ostensibly has some element of risk. And I am scheduled to get the Shingrix vaccine as soon as I can.
Seeing that massive, weeping, painful, hideously ugly swath across my mother’s back, I swore I would get the vaccine as soon as one became available.
On a historic note, it has been postulated that Admiral Bill Halsey missed the Midway campaign due to Shingles that covered his entire body. I had seen it written repeatedly as “dermatitis”, but an article I read made the case it was Shingles.
THAT sent a shiver up my spine.
Thanks for your medical professional input. Would you expound on "anyone at risk"?
My husband had a bad case of shingles about 5 years ago. I cared for him 24/7 but I did not come down with shingles. A year later my mother had a milder case, I cared for her, and again I did not have any symptoms.
How does one determine "at risk"?
I have just started my 39th year in family practice.. My only “take away” regarding shingles is that witch hazel liberally applied to the rash site (if in an appropriate spot) will help the terrible itching that often follows an outbreak.