Shingles Jab

DavidKlyne
DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,859 ✭✭✭
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edited January 2017 in General Chat #1

Got a surprise phone call from my Doctor's surgery the other day offering me an appointment, which I went to today, to have a Shingles Jab. As I was 70 last year and I have had Chicken Pox I was a candidate for the Jab. Had not really appreciated that the Chicken Pox virus can lay dormant in your body for years and can resurrect  itself as Shingles which I understand can be very nasty and painful. I am not fully aware of the exact criteria for being suitable for the jab but it might be worth asking the question if you feel you would benefit.

David 

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  • DianneT
    DianneT Forum Participant Posts: 521
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    edited January 2017 #2

    My OH had shingles few months back very nasty.  And he had the jab few years back too when I had mine.

     

    DianneT

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,859 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #3

    Dianne

    I had no idea there was such a thing!!! Be interesting whether they call Margaret in for one as she has had Shingles.

    David

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,666 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #4

    Worth knowing that this is now available.  Thanks fir the heads up David.

    David 

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited January 2017 #5
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
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    edited January 2017 #6

    It s offered to every one here in Wales if your birth is on a specific year. I had mine when I was 70 and they are rolling it out on that basis. Was done as I went for a blood test.

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
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    edited January 2017 #7

    It s offered to every one here in Wales if your birth is on a specific year. I had mine when I was 70 and they are rolling it out on that basis. Was done as I went for a blood test.

  • dmiller555
    dmiller555 Forum Participant Posts: 717
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    edited January 2017 #8

    The injection was offered to me but not for some unfathomable reason to my wife. We have both suffered from shingles and wouldn't wish it on anyone, it is extremely painful and debilitating and it's effects persist of many months or even years. 

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #9

    Here's the NHS England criteria for the shingles vaccine. Our son had shingles at 16 yrs so it can strike anytime if you've had chicken pox, very unpleasant.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited January 2017 #10

    NHS England roll it out to everyone when reaching 70 and one other 70+ each year,but it is down to the "patient"to check if it applys to them and book an appointment,

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #11

     Interesting to read that the NHS feel it's less effective for anyone aged 80 or over so there is quite a narrow criteria and time span.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,668 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #12

    Interesting....I had not heard of this.

    Looked up on NHS Scotland and at present 74 and 75  year olds are the only ones not yet elegible.  

    Maybe next year?  frown

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #13

    Looking at the FAQ page about shingles and the vaccine it wont always prevent you becoming ill but it could lessen the effect.

  • tombar
    tombar Forum Participant Posts: 408
    edited January 2017 #14

    Depending on what year your birthday is, you get it.  My OH hasn't had shingles because his birthday fell at the time when it was too early or too late.  What this has to do with anything I don't know.  But he's had shingles three times.  On his waist, his head and his leg, and it always affects one side of your body.  The worse case was his head and parts of it is still numb, particularly around the area of his chin.  When he's suffering from it, he can't stand anything touching him, clothes, the cat, water, anything. 

  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004
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    edited January 2017 #15

    I had shingles forty six years ago - on the right hand side of my face - and still it bothers me sometimes!  It was very painful at the time, affecting my chin, lower lip, cheek, and right ear - and the right side of my tongue.  I lost over a stone and a half because it was too painful to eat.  These days I'm sometimes affected in cold weather, when the right side of my face feels super sensitive, and my right eye waters copiously when it feels like this.  Fortunately it doesn't last long these days!

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #16

    My wife has had shingles for the last two and a half years ,And cannot have the injection because she has a week immune system frown

  • robsail
    robsail Forum Participant Posts: 1,441
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    edited January 2017 #17

    One of our neighbours caught shingles last June still attending the GP, she's not 60 I believe! So take the vaccine if offered!

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636 ✭
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    edited January 2017 #18

    I was offered and too the vaccine last year. OH missed out so will have to wait till the next cycle.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #19

    My BIL was given this vaccine 2 years ago, big sis should be called for soon as she is now 70. Oh when called for his Flu jab was also given Pneumonia jab.

    I had shingles a few years ago and can agree that it is very painful, I was lucky that I caught it when the spots very first appeared, this is crucial to getting treatment straight away. My Dr was very good in seeing me immediately and confirming it was shingles. Not sure if it was because I started treatment straight away or that again I was lucky but I only got it on the left arm, mind you the pain in my shoulder was awful, I have not been left with any post problems but my sister who had it all down one side of her body (trunk) still has numbness in places. With me the pain lasted for just over 2 weeks, but about 4 days before the rash came out I had awful pain in that shoulder, I thought I had pulled it moving furniture.

    If you can get the vaccine I would encourage you to do so, however it will not prevent you getting Shingles but it should make it a much milder dose. 

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #20

    Nellie, if you look at the first link on the previous page NHS England are now offering it to all between 70 and 80, people who missed out can now catch up and have the vaccine.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #21

    Postherpetic neuralgia is the awful pain that you can get after having shingles, again my doctor gave me a prescription just in case I got it, thankfully I didn't.

    ValDa I would say this is more than likely what you suffer, my Mum gets this, she had shingles twice on her head.

  • Nuggy
    Nuggy Forum Participant Posts: 512
    edited January 2017 #22

    There are websites that show what it looks like. The spots look like fluid filled blisters. If you can get to your GP very quickly and start the course of tablets within the first three days then you stand a chance of a good recovery. But if it's more than three or four days before treatment starts then it could be more serious and a long road to recovery. Our friend who had it phoned the Dr and said she might have it, the Dr got her into the surgery straight away. It still took about a month to clear. Vaccine = definitely.

  • Pippah45
    Pippah45 Forum Participant Posts: 2,452
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    edited January 2017 #23

    I had the jab before Christmas - BUT I had to ask for it.  The age groups are a bit weird as my sister is 3 years older but has missed it I think. 

    I had a bout of shingles about 5 years ago and it completely floored me for weeks.  It started very close to my eye which was worrying so I took life very quietly for a while.  It actually wasn't diagnosed by my GP he thought it might have been a bramble scratch or something and put me on anti biotics first.  undecided  But when it broke out below my nose he sussed it.  Since I told him the first blip was actually on an old chicken pox scar he might have got it right?  But that's life I guess.  I would recognise it now the pain is unmistakable. 

  • papgeno
    papgeno Forum Participant Posts: 2,158
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    edited January 2017 #24

    I'm generally very much in favour of any vaccination programme and jumped at the chance when I was offered this jab. However my experience has not been so good. Ever since I had the injection three years ago I have suffered sporadic problems with small itchy spots in all sorts of places, mainly on my face and upper torso. I hadn't had this problem before I had the jab and it may not be connected but I'm pretty sure that it is. It is, after all, a live vaccine. These damned spots take ages to disappear and return in the same places weeks later. I've got a particularly troublesome on on the corner of one eyelid that drives me mad. 😰

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636 ✭
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    edited January 2017 #25

    Cheers Brue. OH goes in for a Blood Pressure check next week so I'll get her to inquire about getting it done.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,668 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #26

    Looking at that it says the 74-77 year olds are not eligible yet.

    Up here it is the 74 & 75 year olds who have been left till last.

    So I may become eligible later this year, but OH is not old enough yet.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #27

    I will repeat the NHS England link to avoid confusion. See here

    People in England who missed out can now receive the vaccine.

  • Pippah45
    Pippah45 Forum Participant Posts: 2,452
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    edited January 2017 #28

    papgeno - sorry it has caused you problems - I too have had one "spot" on the scar from full blown shingles but I can put up with that if it prevents a full blown attack. 

    As a foot note - the jab itself was surprisingly painful for about 10 minutes - quite different to other jabs I have had in the past - but it was soon fine and no stiff arm. 

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,859 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #29

    The reason why the jab is more painful is that they inject it just under skin rather than deep into arm. I was warned by the nurse of this and I wish she hadn't told me!!! I had mine done on Monday and yesterday it was a bit sore but otherwise not too bad.

    David

  • tombar
    tombar Forum Participant Posts: 408
    edited January 2017 #30

    With shingles it travels along nerves hence it only affects certain parts of the body and not all over at any one stage and that's why you get numbness as well

     

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,668 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #31

    Brue......cannot see that it says anything different from what I said.

    74-77s do not seem to be eligible at the moment.  In Scotland it is the 74-75s.

    The "use this tool" link does not work for me.

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