Hello all. Please it's important to read the entire post.
Wanted to share my experience in hopes it will help someone. I got shingles as a result of the shingles vaccine. Now, this is rare, but we did not look carefully at the contraindication: people with challenged immune systems should not have the vaccine.
My doc made the appointment at a pharmacy for me. The nurse placed the needle about half an inch to the top right of my pre-existing scar from my vaccine booster as a kid. That night, my upper arm had a swollen, tight, red area about 4 inches long just under where the vaccine was given. My friend, a nurse, told me to expect some mild inflammation at the injection site, but this was really painful. I thought I was just being a brat about it, so did nothing. Within three days, my entire upper arm had those awful tiny blisters in a 5 inch circle around the injection site, and one huge one under the pre-existing booster scar. Too late to start the antiviral tablets, even if I had them, which of course I didn't and it was a sunday.
That was August 17, 2012. Today, Feb. 15, 2013, the last sores are finally healing - I had a couple of re-outbreaks in between. Again I want to say that this is rare - don't know the stats though.
Why my immune system so low? Two 6-month-long high-dose Prednisone treatments in the previous 2 years for major inflammation around my eyes.
The good news is, my eyesight was saved, but I've paid royally for that treatment with lots of side effects - the shingles being the worst thing.
I should say too, I'm 59 now, and I had a small outbreak of shingles about 10 years ago that healed really quick.
For those of you who have immunity issues, please consider my story before getting the vaccine.
And for those of you who are "healthy", you should get the vaccine and at the very least, should you ever get the shingles, it will decrease the severity of them.
__________________ Wishing you peace and comfort,
Paddy
The following user gives a hug of support to Paddy55: Kittykali (03-13-2013)
Hello all. Please it's important to read the entire post.
Wanted to share my experience in hopes it will help someone. I got shingles as a result of the shingles vaccine. Now, this is rare, but we did not look carefully at the contraindication: people with challenged immune systems should not have the vaccine.
My doc made the appointment at a pharmacy for me. The nurse placed the needle about half an inch to the top right of my pre-existing scar from my vaccine booster as a kid. That night, my upper arm had a swollen, tight, red area about 4 inches long just under where the vaccine was given. My friend, a nurse, told me to expect some mild inflammation at the injection site, but this was really painful. I thought I was just being a brat about it, so did nothing. Within three days, my entire upper arm had those awful tiny blisters in a 5 inch circle around the injection site, and one huge one under the pre-existing booster scar. Too late to start the antiviral tablets, even if I had them, which of course I didn't and it was a sunday.
That was August 17, 2012. Today, Feb. 15, 2013, the last sores are finally healing - I had a couple of re-outbreaks in between. Again I want to say that this is rare - don't know the stats though.
Why my immune system so low? Two 6-month-long high-dose Prednisone treatments in the previous 2 years for major inflammation around my eyes.
The good news is, my eyesight was saved, but I've paid royally for that treatment with lots of side effects - the shingles being the worst thing.
I should say too, I'm 59 now, and I had a small outbreak of shingles about 10 years ago that healed really quick.
For those of you who have immunity issues, please consider my story before getting the vaccine.
And for those of you who are "healthy", you should get the vaccine and at the very least, should you ever get the shingles, it will decrease the severity of them.
