The Vent and Rant Thread

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

There's been talk about getting it covered by health insurance for years. When, in eight years time, I'm eligible for the vaccine I'll get it, no matter the cost

In Australia the Zostervax vaccine is available under the Medicare PBS scheme at no cost, but it must be administered by a GP. Shingrix is available under the scheme for the immunocomprised, otherwise it must be purchased ~$AU500 for two doses.

BR

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

In Australia the Zostervax vaccine is available under the Medicare PBS scheme at no cost, but it must be administered by a GP. Shingrix is available under the scheme for the immunocomprised, otherwise it must be purchased ~$AU500 for two doses.

BR

Honest to God, if you don't have the dough now and you're in your 50's, start saving up for it. It's worth every penny. JMHO, of course, but...man, you do NOT want this. The gamble is too great.

Hitch

[badgoodDeb]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'm also pretty sure that older people who may have already had the older shingles vaccine are being advised to get the newer, better one. I know my father was.

Yup. I had the older shingles vaccine, and still got the Shingrix pair of doses asap.

Hitch, my brother had shingles and still got the Shingrix vaccines. So his doctor thought it was still worthwhile. Double, triple check whether the new vaccine won’t still give you some benefit?

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

In Australia the Zostervax vaccine is available under the Medicare PBS scheme at no cost, but it must be administered by a GP. Shingrix is available under the scheme for the immunocomprised, otherwise it must be purchased ~$AU500 for two doses.

BR

The Zostervax is a pretty poor vaccine, and almost useless once you're past about 65. Even so I was going to get it, until the Shingrix became available, at which point I didn't hesitate.

Originally Posted by Hitch

Honest to God, if you don't have the dough now and you're in your 50's, start saving up for it. It's worth every penny. JMHO, of course, but...man, you do NOT want this. The gamble is too great.
Hitch

What she said!!!!

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Yup. I had the older shingles vaccine, and still got the Shingrix pair of doses asap.

Hitch, my brother had shingles and still got the Shingrix vaccines. So his doctor thought it was still worthwhile. Double, triple check whether the new vaccine won’t still give you some benefit?

Agreed. And this is from the CDC (USA's Center for Disease Control):

If you’re 50 or older, get Shingrix
Shingrix provides strong protection from shingles and long-term nerve pain.
Get Shingrix even if you already had shingles, because you can get the disease more than once.
Your risk of shingles and complications increases as you age.
You need 2 doses of Shingrix. Get the second dose 2 to 6 months after you get the first dose.

(emphasis mine!)

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by CRussel

The Zostervax is a pretty poor vaccine, and almost useless once you're past about 65. Even so I was going to get it, until the Shingrix became available, at which point I didn't hesitate.


What she said!!!!

Agreed. And this is from the CDC (USA's Center for Disease Control):
(emphasis mine!)

I will absolutely check. In viewing my "factors," the doctor said that mine was most likely triggered by stress, and due to some problems I've had with my website and contact form, etc. over the last two MONTHS, (don't ask), I don't doubt that's right. I am in a fairly stressful situation anyway (trust me, folks, if you own a small biz, keep it really small--preferably only yourself--when I was just a consultant, only responsible for my own well-being, it was infinitely less stressful than being responsible for 14 people and their families!) in an ongoing way, but November, December and January, until last Friday, have been uniquely so. Given that, it was hard to argue with her.

And unfortunately, stress-triggered "victims" are in groups that are most likely to reoccur, apparently. So I will ask about the vaccine. I'll pay it if she says it's a good idea. (Most people only have one bad episode in their lives, apparently. But not some lucky winners, especially those who have had severe onsets and continue to have stress. Lucky me! How anybody figures that someone gets severe Shingles would NOT be massively stressed, effed if I know.)

Hitch

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Nah, apparently, once you're infected, it's too damn late. I was an idiot. People, ask your doc to be sure, but don't be stupid like I was.

"Shingrix is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for adults age 50 and older for the prevention of shingles and related complications, whether they've already had shingles or not."
--- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...e/faq-20057859


So it looks like it's not too late to get the vaccine to (probably) prevent a reoccurrence.


And thanks for your post - in the UK the NHS offer shingles vaccination when you're 70, but since I have some time to go until then, I'm looking into getting it privately.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

"Shingrix is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for adults age 50 and older for the prevention of shingles and related complications, whether they've already had shingles or not."
--- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...e/faq-20057859


So it looks like it's not too late to get the vaccine to (probably) prevent a reoccurrence.


And thanks for your post - in the UK the NHS offer shingles vaccination when you're 70, but since I have some time to go until then, I'm looking into getting it privately.

You are most welcome, Paul. As I said, I am loath, 99.99% of the time to ever really discuss the details of my personal life, health, etc., other than small anecdotes and the like, but in this instance, I felt compelled. I would hate to see you or any of my MR acquaintances suffer with this, as severe as mine is, for no damned good reason other than being as dumb as I was.

Hitch

[Terisa de morgan]

Checking Spain situation , I see they have began to recommend it for people 65 years old, and I guess that it will advance to older people (reading recommendations, I see it), but it will take time.

[ownedbycats]

I think my province began covering it a few years ago. Alas, only for those of a certain age.

[Hemmi]

You absolutely can get Shingles again. As a child, my brother had chicken pox and then Shingles. He had a reoccurance of Shingles just a few years ago, nearly 50 years later. Thankfully mild.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Hemmi

You absolutely can get Shingles again. As a child, my brother had chicken pox and then Shingles. He had a reoccurance of Shingles just a few years ago, nearly 50 years later. Thankfully mild.

Oh,yes, I know you can. I know someone that's also had it twice and it reoccurred with my Gran, too. And I magically get everything, absolutely everything, that she got. It's uncanny.

My operating assumption is that I will absolutely get it again. I'm not willing to wishful-think otherwise, at this point. The bloody things (ha) have started to blister--I must have had this longer than I knew--and OMG.

Hitch

[John F]

Originally Posted by Hitch

...

My operating assumption is that I will absolutely get it again. I'm not willing to wishful-think otherwise, at this point. The bloody things (ha) have started to blister--I must have had this longer than I knew--and OMG.

Hitch

Do you plan on getting the Shingrix shots?

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by John F

Do you plan on getting the Shingrix shots?

If indeed I do learn officially that the Shingrix shots will help me from recurrence, (which I agree seems to be the case) you effing betcha. I never, never, never want to experience this again and I'm not willing to bet, again, that a) I'll never reoccur, or b) that some reoccurrence would be weaker, less awful than what I have right now. I rolled the dice once--which was mind-boggling stupid--and I'm not going to do it again.

Honestly? I don't care if the bloody things are a thou apiece, at this point. My ambulance ride is probably going to cost me that and only god knows what all the hospital ER tests will run me post-insurance.

Hitch

[DiapDealer]

I never thought my insurance was the greatest, but it does cover pretty much any and all immunizations. I hit it pretty hard last year: Tetanus, multiple covid, flu, shingles, and hep b -- all covered. My sister's insurance didn't cover Shingrix so she paid $300+ for each of the two doses. Happily paid, I might add.

[BelleZora]

I had shingles the first time when I was 46. The pain was so excruciating that not even morphine touched it. I had nerve pain for several years after, the worst in the first year. Then I got it a second time a few years ago, not quite so bad. Hydrocodone provided relief. I paid $200 for each Shingrex shot and consider it a bargain.

My brother had shingles at age five.