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Hi, @merpreb as well as @migizii @bustrbrwn22 and others who are considering the newest Shingles vaccine (the 2 part vaccine). I had the vaccine about 1 1/2 years ago. I didn't feel all that great afterward. I recall having a sore arm, being fatigued, and generally feeling flu-like. I don't recall any neuropathy, though.
However, this year, I did have a case of shingles. it really did surprise me, but I later found out that 10% of people who get this newest vaccine will still get shingles. I was told that my case was mild (only a few small lesions) however the pain was terrible. It took several meds before I found relief. If this was a mild case, with only a few lesions, I can't imagine what a heavy case of shingles would be like.
To be vaccinated or not, is a personal decision. I usually always get every vaccine available.
Replies to "Hi, @merpreb as well as @migizii @bustrbrwn22 and others who are considering the newest Shingles vaccine..."
@hopeful33250- I thought that by last night I would be over my reaction but my fever returned and today I feel a bit better but more like an achy wet rag. Given your experience and that of a dear friend of mine with shingles, I am glad that I had the shot and will get the second. I believe that there is a 2-6 month window to do so.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Teresa. I hope that you are well over your aches and pains. I felt that even with COVID-19 there are other things that need to be attended to for my well-being.
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Like @hopeful, I've had the 2 part shingles vaccine without serious side effects and Medicare and my ins. pd for both. Each time my arm was pretty sore for a day or two but that has also happened some years following the annual flu vaccine. I also felt very lethargic for those days but it was well worth the temporary discomfort for me.
Shingles can be exhausting and terribly painful and in some cases, a long running malady from which to recover. My daughter had a miserable time with it in her 30's. Hers were around her waist which made wearing waist bands impossible and she was quite ill for several weeks before recovering. It took her 2-3 months to feel like she'd recovered from the fatigue.
Like @coderhomer, I initially pondered whether or not I'd request a Covid vaccine as soon as it became available for wider distribution. At 77 yrs, I'm older with several chronic health conditions which made it important to me to quarantine more closely and for longer than many. I trust our highly reputable infectious disease specialists so when I heard Dr. Fauci say over the weekend that he would take the vaccine when it became available, I trust that I will too. We all react differently to meds and procedures and each will have to decide individually but for me it will be another action I can take for protection from the deadly Covid-19.