vickster
Legendary Member
Likely won’t get to choose if NHS, like any free jab (assuming no contraindications to any particular option)
Should I have a 'shingles' jab ?
- Thread starter Dave7
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Likely won’t get to choose if NHS, like any free jab (assuming no contraindications to any particular option)
Gwylan
Veteran
- Location
- All at sea⛵
The jab beats the crap out of shingles. There are also a string of other things that shingles can precipitate
a.twiddler
Veteran
Surprising that the conspiracy theorists haven't got to work on this one as well. Perhaps because it's so little known. It's just a vaccination. It works, as they pretty much all do, with rare exceptions. Much like the COVID ones, if only the self publicists, the misinformationists, the political footballers, could have left those alone too. Having a vaccination against various diseases is a small thing in itself, but can improve people's lives so much, yet the effect is that you don't get something that might make your life miserable, or shorten it, or end it. Yet people say, well, I might never have got it anyway, and that could be true too as it's hard to prove a negative. Still, if a vaccination is available it stacks the odds in your favour, so surely better to have it than not, especially if it's free.
lazybloke
Priest of the cult of Chris Rea
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
The NHS only offer the jab between 70 and 79. Apparently it's less effective after that window .
I don't know why it's not offered sooner.
Don't know if my grandmother ever had the option of a jab; she suffered shingles at the grand age of 104 and had a very rough time of it... but did recover.
I don't know why it's not offered sooner.
Don't know if my grandmother ever had the option of a jab; she suffered shingles at the grand age of 104 and had a very rough time of it... but did recover.
vickster
Legendary Member
Cost partly as it’s pretty new, but also shingles most common and more severe in over 70s
It's all down to clinical effectiveness and most risk group.
@Dave7 Remember if you've any questions and concerns then talk to the Nurse about them when you go. They will be happy to go though things with you. It's all part of checking informed consent anyway as they ask if you're happy to have it. So you get the chance then to ask questions. You can also check on the NHS website for clear and fact based information.
I'll be getting the jab (my doc recommended it, I did 't even know there was one) after I'm clear of the bout I'm going through at the moment. No way do I want a repeat. I'm on the mend but still get the zinging stabby pains. It could be weeks until they go - and a rare chance they won't go at all. Horrid illness that I wouldn't wish on anyone. If the jab prevents a repeat, I'm in.
KnittyNorah
Über Member
- Location
- The Frozen North (of England)
Yep, my shingles - although nasty - was really quite mild compared to that of many people of a similar age I've heard of, who hadn't had either of the shingles vax. So I'm happy to recommend it on that basis alone.
Also have to add that because I had a very unusual presentation of it, diagnosis was delayed inasmuch as taking anti-virals would've been useless and even the amitryptiline for nerve pain was less effective than if it had been prescribed promptly. I was actually waiting for an urgent (but not emergency) MRI and doppler U/S, such were my pain levels, with absolute normality of blood and urine tests, when out popped the rash and told us everything we'd been wondering about for several days!
Zostavax is the current vaccination offered - single dose of a live vaccine.
This is changing to Shingrix later this year - two doses of a recombinant vaccine given 2-6 months apart. (Zostavax will no longer be offered)
The good news is that the age of eligibility is being reduced gradually to over 65s and also those who are deemed to be immuno-compromised over 50 year old.
If you can get the vaccine, do. The effects of shingles can be severe and long lasting.
This is changing to Shingrix later this year - two doses of a recombinant vaccine given 2-6 months apart. (Zostavax will no longer be offered)
The good news is that the age of eligibility is being reduced gradually to over 65s and also those who are deemed to be immuno-compromised over 50 year old.
If you can get the vaccine, do. The effects of shingles can be severe and long lasting.
Last edited:
lazybloke
Priest of the cult of Chris Rea
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
Last time i looked, the shingles jab was available to NHS patients from the age of 70. Apparently this is reducing and should now be from 65, reducing to 60 in the next few years. If you have a compromised immune system, you can get jabbed earlier, but as is so common, you might need to ASK.
Gwylan
Veteran
- Location
- All at sea⛵
Yes! It nearly killed a close colleague. He was never the same.
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
I take all the shots that I'm offered.
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
Question: chicken pox vaccinations aren't routinely given in the UK because the impact of shingles in later life, which can be caused by either previous chicken pox or the vaccine, is higher than the impact of chicken pox at a younger age. So do they only give shingles jabs to people who know they've had chicken pox?
FWIW I had chicken pox at primary school age and it was seriously grim. It's mild if you're a toddler.
FWIW I had chicken pox at primary school age and it was seriously grim. It's mild if you're a toddler.
