My 92 year old father has been fighting shingles for 10 (!) months, and says the pain still brings tears to his eyes. He can't stand any clothing touching the top part of his body, and spends his entire day looking for relief. It's likely he has nerve damage and will suffer with it the rest of his life.

DH and I both had the shot, and told the doctor (who had us sign a paper agreeing to paying if the insurance did not, though they did) we wanted it regardless of the cost.

I'm not sure why 60 is the age they recommend it, whether it's only increase of risk past 60.

Dee

My HCP started reminding me of all these tests & vaccines and things when I turned 50. Shingles vax was one of them and it's covered by my ins so I got it. I'd had chicken pox as a kid, so I figured why not.

I didn't realize it was so spendy! I see it advertised all the time-perhaps you can find other sources that are less expensive? I know that a lot of the pharmacies where I live do low cost flu & pneumonia ($15-$25) but not sure of shingles. If you're at high risk for exposure, I'd certainly get the shot regardless of cost.

I'll be interested to follow this because I don't recall it ever being discussed either. I found an article from 2007; hopefully someone has better or newer info.

Here is a link that might be useful: The pros and cons of the shingles vaccine

I had shingles 22 years ago when I was 42. I don't remember the pain but I do remember how I described it at the time. It was as if an incision had been made down my arm without anesthetic and then needles inserted and then acid poured over my entire arm.

Yes, I would recommend you get the vaccine.

The FDA has now approved the vaccine for ages 50 and up, but not all insurance companies are paying until people are 60.

It works for 70% of people at that age, and even if you get the shingles after having the vaccine (it happens), it is typically less painful or a milder case.

I personally had shingles in my 50's and have the unfortunate experience of getting it recurrently, including in my eye.

The pain is often unrelenting horrible pain for 2 weeks or more. Some people get post herpetic neuralgia which can last for years - where the pain does not entirely go away.

As advised, check around for a cheaper price. It still will be about $200.00 if your insurance won't pay. You can also check again with your insurance if you haven't in a while, as it is now approved for the younger age.

The shingles vaccine is now recommended at age 50 rather than 60. Or at least by some physicians. And why not get it when it's available to you? My MIL actually had INTERNAL shingles and it was awful. Over a week before she was hospitalized and was diagnosed several days after being hospitalized. She was in the hospital, I believe, for about a week. Lost 13 pounds.

Here in our area there is much more awareness of shingles and the vaccine. I know our insurance covers it, would assume most do.

tina

I watched DH be so sick with shingles around his middle, I ran to get the vaccine when I was 57.

Perhaps you qualify under your insurance for the chicken pox vaccine? I have read that the shingles vaccine is just a stronger dose of the chicken pox vac.

I had shingles when I was 30 and under a great deal of stress.

There is a shingles/herpes vaccine research center in Houston, the name of which escapes me, as do lots of things these days, where shingles vaccines are free. See if you can google it. Heard about it perhaps five years ago. I'm in a huge rush or I would look.

DH had shingles and was in tremendous pain. One day I looked at my midsection and saw what I thought was the start of shingles, based on what DH had. It was, but because I caught it early, I didn't have nearly the pain that DH did. However, I could not bear to have anything touching my body, so I was out of work for two weeks (I couldn't go to work naked).
If you have had chicken pox, you are a candidate for shingles.

I have had mild shingles outbreaks a few times. Mine presented as a blistery rash on my abdomen. The scary part is that several healthcare providers saw it and no one diagnosed it as shingles. At the end of my last outbreak, a Derm. Nurse Practitioner said it was shingles and I about died. I was probably late 40's when I had the first case.

Anyway, Walgreen's Drugstores offer the shingles vaccine at a reasonable price. I don't recall the exact price but I seem to remember the reader board outside advertising it between $50-75. Their website doesn't list prices that I can find. Maybe someone else is familiar with this.

If your insurance doesn't cover it, if you have a medical flexible spending account, you can probably use that. I will ask next time I am at the doctor. However, I won't be 50 until June.

kitchendetective -I'm IN Houston -will definitely look that up.

mmomof2, last time I spoke to the Walgreen's pharmacist it was $300, but I'll check again.

As for the insurance, I think it just p*sses me off on principal. I pay what I feel is a ridiculous $1200/month for my coverage. (Quick aside: When hubby retired and went on Medicare, my choice was to go to the open market or stay in the group plan. So I pay $1200/month just so that I won't ever get cancelled and be a 55 year old woman without insurance. I've had two dear friends go through cancer and not get renewed by their insurance carriers, then had to go into the high risk pool, yadda, yadda, yadda. Until the healthcare law gets more solid, I feel like I need to stay with this ridiculously expensive insurance.) Two years ago, the insurance company decided not to work with Kelsey Seybold anymore, and I had to give up my 10+ year physician, whom I loved. Ugh. So I guess I feel like here I am again, taking it in the rear end AND paying $1200 every month for the privelage. But I do certainly see the stupidity in thinking I am punishing my insurance company by refusing to pay for this, when really it is only me who will pay the real price if I end up with shingles....AND you guys are all scaring me to death, which in this case is a good thing. I'm getting the shot. You made up my mind.

I have no idea if I had the chicken pox as a child. Does it matter? Should I get a shingles shot?

Caminnc - Check with your physician. But it is possible that you had chicken pox - you might have had a really mild case with few blisters.

I had a mild case two years ago, no pain at all thank goodness.

I do plan on getting the shot because I read once you get it you have a good chance of getting it again.

I need to read the link above for pros and cons though, because a week or so ago there was something on the news very negative about getting the shot. And for the life of me I can't remember!

Best, I did read over and over that stress can bring on shingles.

Rose, thanks for the link, I'm going to read it when I wake up! lol

I got the shingles vaccice a couple years ago. I think I paid a $20 co-pay, but I'm not sure. However, Iam over 60. I don't understand why the ins co's make you wait until 60. You can only get the shot once, so they only have to pay once.

After reading these descriptions of shingles, I am so very happy I got the inoculation. If I'd had to pay $300, I might have waited since I am so very cheap.

I haven't had shingles or the vaccine, but am seriously considering getting it. My mother had shingles years ago, and it was horrible. I am 49, and recently several of my friends have come down with shingles. My insurance won't cover it until I am 60, so I will have to pay for it.

I just got the vaccine this past January @ Walgreens.
My RI Blue Cross would not pay for it unless it is given
in physicians office. My GP does not keep vaccine in office
so I opted to pay $125 rather than risk getting shingles.
My mother has had them twice and they were quite painful.
My SIL also @ 53 as well as a good friend at 54.

I'm so surprised at the big variance in prices at Walgreens. I called my local one today and the price is $219.... So even though my insurance won't pay for it, I've decided, based on all of the stories here, as well as being horribly ill this past week, to go ahead and shell out the dough and get it. I'm going to wait a week, because I am still recovering from an intestinal bug of some kind, but will probably have it done next week. Thanks everyone for your input.

I had shingles when I was 50, they were on my neck and back and I never want them again. I got my shot the minute they came out. I have five sisters and none of them have had shingles or the shot so you may never get it or then again ........

At the bottom is a link to the CDC's website that gives information about the Shingles vaccine. While there is no minimum age for receiving the vaccine, there are SOME people who should NOT get it because of illness, allergies, pregnancy, etc.

Something you may not know but really need to remember is that Shingles is very contagious! If you have Shingles, you are contagious to anyone who has never had Chicken Pox or the Chicken Pox/Varicella Vaccine. (Babies don't get the vaccine until they are 12-18 mos old.) Here is a link with more info about that:

WHEN AND HOW LONG ARE SHINGLES CONTAGIOUS

I HIGHLY recommend every healthy adult (starting around age 45-50) get the vaccine if at all possible. I assisted a family practice/internal medicine physician for about 6 years and I saw so many people suffer severely with Shingles, especially the pain during and afterward. It can last a very long time, even after the blisters are long gone. Here is more info about that:

MOST COMMON COMPLICATION - Postherpetic Neuralgia (Pain)

One sweet elderly patient had Shingles in and around her left eye. It was really terrible and she eventually lost most of her vision in that eye. It was very sad to watch the progression.

Again, I absolutely believe that every adult, based on the CDC's guidelines, should get the vaccine ASAP if they are in the financial position to do so.

Hope this helps some.

~Addy~

Here is a link that might be useful: CDC - SHINGLES VACCINE INFORMATION

Well; now I'm not sure if hub should even have it- he occasionally takes steroid for Lupus; has had chemo & radiation 3 years ago.

Some people should NOT get shingles vaccine.

A person who has ever had a life-threatening or severe allergic reaction to gelatin, the antibiotic neomycin, or any other component of shingles vaccine. Tell your doctor if you have any severe allergies.
A person who has a weakened immune system because of
HIV/AIDS or another disease that affects the immune system,
treatment with drugs that affect the immune system, such as steroids,
cancer treatment such as radiation or chemotherapy,
a history of cancer affecting the bone marrow or lymphatic system, such as leukemia or lymphoma.
Women who are or might be pregnant

Best - Thank you for this thread. It made me check with my insurance as I was intending to get the vaccine this year. Mine will be covered entirely and without a deductible applied if done within the network - woohoo!

Rose, It is a tough call. My mother has RA and is constantly on steroids, but she is only 53. Her rheumatologist did not recommend that she get the vaccine because of the compromised immune system. Later she went on Humira, for the RA and it dampened her immune system further and within 3 weeks, she had shingles. My opinion is that it would probably have been better for her to have the shingles vaccine at a time when she was not taking the prednisone and before the Humira as in her situation something like shingles is a major setback.

Cam - They can do a blood test to see if you have the chickenpox antibodies. Then you will know!

Cam ~ You should still get the vaccine even if you are not certain you've had Chicken Pox. Per the CDC, approx 99.5% of all U.S. citizens over age 40 have had Chicken Pox at some point in their life. Even if you haven't, the vaccine will not hurt you. Also, if you've already had Shingles, you should still get the vaccine because it can help prevent future outbreaks.

Rose ~ I would definitely speak with your doctor first. Per Merck, the manufacturer, "ZOSTAVAX is a LIVE, attenuated varicella-zoster vaccine and administration may result in disseminated disease in individuals who are immunosuppressed or immunodeficient. Do not administer ZOSTAVAX to immunosuppressed or immunodeficient individuals including those with a history of primary or acquired immunodeficiency states, leukemia, lymphoma or other malignant neoplasms affecting the bone marrow or lymphatic system, AIDS or other clinical manifestations of infection with human immunodeficiency viruses, and those on immunosuppressive therapy." In other words, it could be very dangerous to give to someone in one of those groups.

Here's a link to their info:
MERCK ZOSTAVAX INFO

Hope this is helpful.

Blessings,

~Addy~

Here is a link that might be useful: Q&A About Shingles and Vaccine

A new question I haven't been able to find an answer to:

It sounds like it will last 6 to 7 years -so can you get another vaccine after that?

Bestyears,

Taken from the CDC link below:

"VACCINE EFFICACY

In a clinical trial involving more than 38,000 adults 60 years of age or older, the vaccine reduced the overall incidence of shingles by 51% and the incidence of PHN (Postherpetic Neuralgia) by 67%. The efficacy of the vaccine in preventing shingles was higher in the younger age group (60-69 years; vaccine efficacy was 64%) than in the older age group (older than 70 years; vaccine efficacy was 38%).

Studies are ongoing to assess the duration of protection from one dose of zoster vaccine and the need, if any, for booster doses.

There are no comprehensive data on the effectiveness of zoster vaccine in treating shingles once it occurs, and the vaccine is not licensed for this indication."

Basically, it is a relatively new vaccine, so studies are still ongoing to see whether or not a 'booster' will be needed. At this point, they are not recommending one.

~Addy~

Here is a link that might be useful: CDC Herpes Zoster Vaccination (Shingles)

If you can get it, please do so. I kept telling my mother to ask her dr to give it to her, and she kept putting it off. Now that she has multiple myeloma, she cannot have the vaccine because it is a live virus. And, MM patients are way susceptible to shingles.

Back again. The clinic that I recalled was doing trials of vaccinations. It may no longer be doing so as the vaccine has been brought to market. Must have been more than five years ago when I heard about it, or perhaps one needed a specific medical history to qualify. The topic was tangential to the lab course I was attending, so I didn't take enough notice of it.
Of note, I did learn that Costco Pharmacy in Austin gives "shingles shots" for approximately $173.00; however, if you are under 60 you need a prescription from your primary care provider before you can be given the shot. So, you may want to call Costco Pharmacy in your area to see if it has same availability. HTH.

I think it was almost 20 years ago when my mother came to spend a weekend with us. I remember she came on a Friday night and had been complaining about pain on her scalp and forehead for a couple of days. On Saturday morning the pain had gotten worse and she had broken out in blisters on her scalp, forehead and over one eyelid. We called her doctor and he told her to go to the ER where they treated her, and then I had to take her to an Ophthalmologist for 2 visits to be sure it didn't involve her eye because she could have lost her vision. I remembering asking the ER doctor if my daughter who hadn't had chicken pox could get them from my mother's shingles and he said no. Well, a lot he knew, because my daughter got chicken pox very soon after my mother's visit. I plan on getting the vaccine because my mother said the pain was awful.

Stephen Tyring, MD, was the doctor conducting the study I heard about. The vaccine was free to study participants. Here is a link to information about him. You may want to check current study status.

Here is a link that might be useful: Houston derm

How timely? Just received mine last month. I had chicken pox in my 30's never had them as a child. I broke out 10 days after my 5 year old son did! Awful as an adult.

Back to the vaccine - my Dr. prescribed the vaccine and my pharmacist administered the vaccine. I had to pay 0. Insurance companies seem to be using AND paying pharmacists more to administer vaccines - flu shots etc.it appears to be cheaper for insurance companies.

I did have a reaction to the vaccine - nothing life threatening. Itchy, swollen and red around the area. Felt miserable for a day - like I had chicken pox!

If you can get the vaccine - get it!