I'd have had it if I could have. It just wasn't worth stopping treatment for.
Worth remembering that shingles is infection of a nerve and surrounding skin caused by re-activation within the body of previously dormant chickenpox virus - herpes varicella-zoster. If you've not had chickenpox you won't get shingles.
Shingles isn't contagious itself but if you've not had chickenpox you can catch it from exposure to someone with shingles.
Here in the UK the vaccine is only given to the elderly aged 70 - 79. Otherwise you have to pay for a private vaccination.
I've had shingles, long before my PsA diagnosis. Would not want it again but for sure I'd be hammering the doctors door down for an anti-viral if I felt those tell-tale symptoms ever again.
I had shingles in the 80's and there was nothing for it. Thankfully, it ran its course and I never had it again. I had just had major surgery and a splenectomy, and lots of chemotherapy, so I was very susceptible to it I could get it again, too.....Since I have no spleen having the shot is not an option for me, since it is one of the few live vaccines, and can give me shingles! So I have not have that, but I have had all the other vaccinations - pneunomia, (can't spell it) mmr. tentanus booster, all the childhood vacinations, and a yearly flu shot. I have not had even a cold for many years. Shingles is not fun and is no joke, but I will probably end up with it someday...at least they can treat it now, sort of. I am on Humiria and methotrexate now, and have been for years.
jennyb said:
I had shingles in the 80's and there was nothing for it. Thankfully, it ran its course and I never had it again. I had just had major surgery and a splenectomy, and lots of chemotherapy, so I was very susceptible to it I could get it again, too.....Since I have no spleen having the shot is not an option for me, since it is one of the few live vaccines, and can give me shingles! So I have not have that, but I have had all the other vaccinations - pneunomia, (can't spell it) mmr. tentanus booster, all the childhood vacinations, and a yearly flu shot. I have not had even a cold for many years. Shingles is not fun and is no joke, but I will probably end up with it someday...at least they can treat it now, sort of. I am on Humiria and methotrexate now, and have been for years.
If I could get the vaccine I would but I cant. I do get flu shots and have had 2 pneumonia vaccines-they have a new one. I agree with the recomendation of tetanus booster and would add a pertussis (whopping cough) booster.
I was under the impression, (I could be wrong) that the tetanus booster is in with the pertussis, which I had since we have a new baby in the family. My oncologist gave me the pneumonia shot years ago, and then I needed a booster.Turns out it is a subcutaneous shot so I gave it to myself, right there in the doctor's office! I've been told everyone needs the pneumonia vaccine; you can get it at the drug store. Just ask your pharmacist.
I can't have the shingles vaccine since I have no spleen, along with being on Humira. I don't worry about the sky falling and raining shingles down on me, If it happens, it happens. I wash my hands a lot, I am not around a lot of people but I know some people can't do anything about that.
I am extremely pro-vaccine....my mom was always there at school marking off kids as they get their shots. She had polio as a kid and by God, that was not going to happen to her kids! In those days it just wasn't cool and it was difficult to avoid vaccines. Only really religious people did, so most everyone had their shots. (not many Jehova's Witnesses at our school in those days)