The anti-bodies built up from your episode should keep it from happening again. I wish I had been able to get my kids the chicken pox vaccine. If you never had chicken pox you will never get shingles.

According to this, yes!

Here is a link that might be useful: Shingles

The Famvir (drug) website says this:

Most people who get shingles develop immunity to the varicella zoster virus and will not get it again. Only about 4 percent of people will have another outbreak in the future. When shingles does recur, it is often in people with a compromised immune system (eg, they are infected with HIV or are undergoing chemotherapy treatments). A second outbreak of shingles may occur many years after the first outbreak. When shingles does recur, the rash usually does not appear in the same location as the first outbreak.

But I know I've heard of people getting shingles more than once. And although I had an outbreak a year ago, my doctor advised me to get the vaccine.

If someone has a mild enough case of chickenpox, they may not build up enough natural immunity and could get it again so I would think that it is possible... but who is the judge of "mild enough"? I had an extremely mild case, compared to my brother but have never had them again and I worked in childcare for 2 years so I was exposed as an adult. Even though I had chickenpox as a child, I worked at a clinic that offered free immunizations to the employees, I got every immunization they had in stock, lol, before I left- including an extra MMR since measles is coming back. I already had a chickenpox blood test and knew I was immune so didn't worry about that one.

I would say that if you can get the shot covered and your MD did not think it would hurt (even if it might not be necessary) I would say get it... but then I am a HUGE supporter of immunizations, both child and adult.

On another note, how did you like Gabapentin? I was pleased with how it helped with my herniated disc.

My research said you couldn't, but there can be residual pain later. I am not sure if it was called residual pain, but they said you can only catch it once.

Yes you can. I just saw a woman who had them on her face and down her chest and back into her ear and she had them before. I have another friend who had them twice. My mothers cousin had them on the inside and they wouldnt come out. It just about drove her crazy. I had them once on my hip and I didnt know what it was until someone told me and I have never had them again. O and I know another lady who has them in her eye.

thanks for all the info. Looks like there are really no definite answers. Hope I can manage to keep my stress levels down as that seems to trigger it for some reason. I
was told it was not contagious, but found out that MIL had it a few days after my diagnosis, so not really sure about that,either. I do have Diabetes 2, but it is under control with meds, exercise, and diet. I am still taking one Gabapentin a day to lessen post-herpetic neuralgia (sp?), I think. Was taking 3 a day, and seemed to help pain, but make me really sleepy. So thankful it was not on my face or around me eyes.....

Yes you can get it more than once - I know people who did. And yes it's contagious at certain points.

Here is a link that might be useful: What is shingles?

I've always thought you could get them more than once. Youngest son had very severe cases of chicken pox four times, his dr. sent pictures of him in to a medical journal. Said she had never seen anyone with such cases before.

I'm pretty sure that my aunt, whom I seldom saw, had them several times.

ole joyful

I so wish I could take that vaccine, it is one I would get on my 60th birthday. I'm on Enbrel and cannot take a live vaccine.

jafralady,

When my daughter was in the 4th grade, she came down with a bad case of shingles due to stress on the taking the FCAT, a test that the school children have to take in FL. She had the chicken pox in the 1st grade. When she got the shingles they were on her chest and on her back exactly opposite of each other. The Dr. then said yes she can get the shingles again when I asked. Under stressful situations they will flare up.

I am wondering if Medicare or your supplement covered your shingles vaccination. I have been wanting to get this but was told that if Medicare didn't cover it my insurance would not either.I might just pay for it and get the vaccination anyway although I have heard it is expensive.
Any thoughts?
Lois

One year ago I thought I had a chemical burn from hair color on my temple - but it turned out to be shingles. When my doctor saw it he said I should be grateful it stopped when it did - the shingles outbreaks go along nerve runs and mine was headed toward my right eye - I could have lost my vision in that eye. This happened about one week after Christmas and about 6 weeks after my mother died. I must have been pretty stressed!

Unfortunately, you can't get the vaccine unless you are at least 60 as that is the age that the testing was done. AS you alrady know though, it is a terrible sickness...see
http://www.independentblessing.com/blog/ if you go to the internet and take a look at a real picture of it you can see how bad it is......this image on the independent blessing blog page minimizes any of the real trauma.

Here is a link that might be useful: Shingles Vaccine

I never had chicken pox as a child or adult. I worked with a gal (in fact she was my ride-to-work) in her mid-30ties who developed a very painful case of shingles. I recall that for several weeks she wore very loose fitting garments to work as she couldn't stand anything tight or even close to her skin.

According to the CDC, shingles is not technically "catchy" in that a person with shingles doesn't transmit shingles to another. However the virus itself can be transmitted, (but only from direct contact to the rash), so the other person might then get chickenpox, which further down the road might (or might not) lead to shingles.