Hyperparathyroidism and the shingles vaccine

Hello @mhough58 and welcome to Mayo Connect.

I'm sorry to hear that your wife is not feeling well since she received her Shingles vaccine. How long ago was the vaccine administered? The Centers for Disease Control posted an article about the Zostavax, the newer shingles vaccine. Here is a link to the article. Just click on the link to read the article.

What type of parathyroid problem does your wife have? Is it hyperparathyroidism? Has she spoken with her doctor's office regarding her pain?

Thank you. Yes it is hyperparathyroid, her body produces too much calcium. it is affecting her joints, hands, and since the shot, pain in that arm. It prevents her from exercising which doesn't help with her weight. She wants to exercise but she cannot keep up. Her mood is bad due to not feeling well. The doctor had her set up to see an endocrinologist but that isn't for a couple of months. My wife is in her mid 50s and I am upset they did this without my knowledge. My wife's thinking is not 100% right now. She would like me to take over the decision making for her temporarily (I am not afraid to ask questions or go over the doctors head if needed). My thought is that the doc should have consulted with the specialist before any vaccination. (she got the flu shot the same day).

The HIPPA law says your wife can sign a paper giving you all the information from the doctor so you can help with the decisions. Then the doctors must share all the information with you on her health problems. Check it out. My husband would not sign and the doctors would not tell me anything but sent home insulin syringes for me to administer. My husband wouldn't allow that so his diabetes was not controlled and he died a terrible death from cancer that he did not cooperate in treating. Get that permission paper signed. Dorisena

@mhough58 I make it a habit to get only one vaccination at an office visit. I generally wait for at least a couple of weeks before getting another. You don't mention how long ago her vaccinations were, but whenever I get a vaccination, I always feel achy and have flu-like symptoms for several days. Perhaps the problems your wife is having are just temporary but you should certainly call your doctor's office and mention her symptoms and your concerns.

Seeing an endocrinologist is a very good idea. You said in your first post that your wife's thyroid had been removed. Was this because of cancer or another problem?

Hello @dorisena,

I am sorry to hear that your husband refused treatment for his health problems. That must have been so difficult for you to stand by and watch him suffer without appropriate medical treatment.

How long ago did your husband pass away?

It has been 13 years and I am learning to enjoy life again. His dementia was evident for about fifteen years and before that, he was controlling, showed signs of OCD, did not manage the company business well, and drove us nuts at times. He was mean to me after the children married and left home and there was no one to know about it. My family didn't believe me. My brother told my sister my husband was fine and I was crazy. I never knew a more obstinate man.
I must have been blindfolded when I got married, but I refused to leave the marriage because I was also babysitting the grandchildren while their mothers worked at their careers. I studied every behavioral disease in the books. His grandmother raised him in the mentality of 1900. I became his white bonded servant and I thought I could change his attitude. One psychiatrist said he was probably born without empathy. His mother rejected him and I refer to that as the source of his childhood trauma. I can now explain every personality disorder in the books. But I don't have a degree that allows me to do that. My heart pities his failures in life and I can remember a few successes. But the dying was horrible and took only about seven weeks. I took Xanax at night for a few years but gave it up a few weeks before he died because I knew my servitude was coming to an end. The funeral party was terrific. I am planning a similar party after my funeral but my friends, if they are still alive, will celebrate what a nice person I became as a result of my journey. I learned so much. Dorisena