Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 5/18/2018 3:55 PM, Its Me wrote:


Our BCBS insurance plan announced that they would cover the new Shingrex
vaccine for shingles at 100% if you had it administered at a pharmacy or
"minute clinic" like the ones at CVS. I've been meaning to get the
vaccine, and now that the FDA has approved Shingrex, which is reportedly
more than 90% effective, it was time. Went today at lunch, and it was
nothing. Unlike a tetanus shot, it was completely painless. I have to
go back in three months for the booster, but then I'm good to go. I
watched my dad and FIL go through it, and have heard the stories. I
don't want to go through that myself!

If you're at risk and haven't gotten it, you should do it. Just be
aware that the vaccine is in short supply right now.



I had a bout with shingles a few years ago. Was building a shed and was
in the process of putting fiberglass insulation in it. First symptom
was that I thought I got something in my left eye. Tried washing it out
but still felt like something was in it the next day. Then I started
getting blisters on my face, forehead an scalp. I assumed it was just
a reaction to the fiberglass and didn't worry about it.

By the third day my eye was hurting really bad and the blisters were
getting much worse. Felt like an ice pick was stuck in my eye.

I decided to stop at one of those CVS Mini-Clinics and the nurse decided
I had conjunctivitis (pink eye) and prescribed some antibiotic eyedrops.

By day 4 it was getting very painful and worse. Went to the doctor and
told him I was having a severe reaction to fiberglass. He looked at me
and said, "That's not from fiberglass .... you have shingles."

I told him he was the doc but it would be very coincidental that the
blisters, etc. started after I was putting up fiberglass in the rafters
of the shed I built.

He laughed and said he'd bet his medical license on it ... it was
shingles. Then he asked where on my scalp all the blisters were.
I pointed out the left side of my head. The other blisters were on
the left side of my face and my left eye was affected. Shingles only
affects one side of your body because it's a viral infection and follows
the two main, left or right nerves in your body.

Anyway, he was right. Couple of months on steroids and anti-viral
medication and it cleared up. Of most concern was my eye and I had to
go to an eye doc specialist to get medication for it. Eye hurt most of
all.

I was lucky to recover full use and eyesight. In fact, my vision in my
left eye is 20/15 and the right eye is 20/20. Not bad for a 69 year
old. That's the same my vision was back in the Navy in 1968.

It was recommended to me that I should get a shingles shot but to wait
for about a year following actually having shingles. I read up on
the shot available then and it was only about 40 percent effective.
Plus, if you get shingles, the chances of getting it again is about the
same as if you get the shingles shot, although if you *do* get it again
it would be likely to be a mild case. So, I've never bothered.

It sounds like this new vaccine is more effective than the previous one
though. Might get one. Shingles is not fun at all.


My wife had them 8 years ago. My mom went though shingles when I was a
teen. Get the shot. I think we may need a booster. Been 7 years.