Shingles, Oh boy!

[sh00ter]

Got it three summers ago, August. Across a band of nerves in my chest, blisters, rash, burning for a week. Dr. prescribed me a big horse pill a day and some pain meds. Taking a shower was interesting, when the water hit the hot spot, felt like needles stabbing me. Caused me to soap up, rinse off and get the hell out, quick. Year or so later, took the Shringrix jab, then six months later a booster. I was 61 years old, about to turn 62 and retired. A little gift from an old chicken pox bout as a kid. Don’t remember it, but it remembered me. No reoccurence so far.

This is the same thing that happens to people with Lymphoma, except it is the Epstein Barr virus that causes mono that can resurge and cause all sorts of symptoms and even chronic disease. All of these viruses (like 9 of them or more) are in the herpes family, and they can cause everything from Shingles, to cognitive decline diseases, to cancer. Once exposed, they live in the body until you die (just like cold sores), and they can reactivate under periods of stress (such as after another illness, etc.), or as your immune system weakens with age, unhealthy lifestyle, etc. Scientists have actually been trying to develop a vax for EBV for a long time since that one is particularly nasty, but they probably developed one for Shingles first for obvious reasons (who the heck wants that, hence lots of market demand & profit).

One interesting phenomenon I've noticed is how many people seem to be getting shingles triggered by covid as an opportunistic infection coming out of dormancy, AND those that seem to be getting it after all these other shots that some think can mess with the immune system.

 

[dennishoddy]

Hate to hear the OP had the shingles. Hopefully a fast recovery.

I got the shingles shot after my mom had it completely around her waist. Said it was the worse pain she ever felt.
Now they have have the new vaccine that is supposed to be far better. The VA gave the first dose, said they would notify when it’s time for the second. Don’t remember how long it is between doses.

 

[okcBob]

i think it’s like 2-6 months between doses. when I found out there is a 33% chance of getting shingles (if you had chickenpox) later in life, I ran to the pharmacy to get jabbed. At my age, I want to improve the odds of not getting shingles

 

[bigred1]

Got my shingles shots last year cause I don't want no part of that stuff. My Momma had em and that's some pain right there now.

 

[Timmy59]

Wow! You would have been a great defective!

Yeah, it was entirely related to the feel bad. The doc gave me a letter saying no workee no laundry for a week, maybe two.

So I take it that Mary Palm and 5 sisters get a break from your laundry deeds.

 

[Snattlerake]

So I take it that Mary Palm and 5 sisters get a break from your laundry deeds.

Yeah, it's gonna be just like hitting a virgin in a month or two.

 

[Timmy59]

Yeah, it's gonna be just like hitting a virgin in a month or two.

You might give thought to drinking some Stabil gas treatment .

 

[Snattlerake]

You might give thought to drinking some Stabil gas treatment .

 

[Timmy59]

Don't laugh too hard, it might hurt.

 

[HiredHand]

Went to the pharmacy a few weeks ago to get a tetanus booster. Two ladies both older, mom and daughter, were there to get their shingles vax. The elderly mom had to pay out of pocket because Medicare doesn’t cover the shingles vax. The daughter’s private insurance covered her shingles vax 100%. Asked the pharmacist if there were any other vaccines that I should think about getting. He told me that when I turn 50 to go get the shingles vax.