Shingles Vaccination

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El Cid
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Shingles Vaccination

Postby El Cid » Mon Jul 15, 2019 4:50 pm

If you don't live in the UK you are probably unaware that there is a vaccination against Shingles. Last year I enquired about a Pneumonia jab and a Shingles jab. The Pneumonia jab is available, either by buying it at the pharmacy, or if you are lucky, for free at the local health centre. I enquired about the Shingles jab and two doctors and two pharmacies said it was not available in Spain.

I have since found this to be untrue. You almost certainly will not get far with the health service, but you can order it at a pharmacy. It's over €100.

I am somewhat annoyed (to put it mildly) as I have just recovered from 5 weeks of Shingles and it was not a nice experience. After nearly 2 months there is still some residual pain.

For anyone over 70 it really is a good investment.

If you want it, you will need to chase up a few pharmacies until you get it.

Sid

olive
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Re: Shingles Vaccination

Postby olive » Mon Jul 15, 2019 6:01 pm

Thanks for that.

I had a close friend , same age, die from pneumonia and sepsis in April. Not sure a prior vaccination would have helped.

TOH had shingles on her face last year. It was horrible. You have my sympathy. Our local witchdoctor said she could cure or alleviate it by flicking gunpowder onto affected areas using a bird feather.

Does the vaccination prevent reoccurrence?

El Cid
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Re: Shingles Vaccination

Postby El Cid » Mon Jul 15, 2019 7:41 pm

No, but reoccurrence is quite rare. Shingles in the facial nerve is really nasty. You can lose the sight in that eye and also get Bells Palsy which causes one side of your face to droop and you can end up unable to close your eye. It happened to a close friend recently and he has never really recovered.

Mine was in the nerve that supplies your jaw and ear (trigeminal) - not a good place! 4 weeks of severe toothache and earache. Not to be recommended!

For those who do not know, you cannot catch Shingles from an infected person. If you have never had Chicken Pox it is impossible to catch Shingles but you will get Chicken Pox if infected. It requires very close contact to get infected.

If you are unfortunate enough to get it go to your doctor immediately who should prescribe antiviral drugs and painkillers. As for the Pneumonia jab, it covers about 18 different strains and lasts for about 10 years. Many people ultimately die of Pneumonia after contracting other health problems.

Sid

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costakid
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Re: Shingles Vaccination

Postby costakid » Mon Jul 15, 2019 8:21 pm

Shingles is very similar to the chicken pox virus. You can get it again but very unusual. Very painful, my wife had it when she was 40. Not just the oldies who get it.

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chrissiehope
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Re: Shingles Vaccination

Postby chrissiehope » Mon Jul 15, 2019 10:49 pm

I had chicken pox when I was 8 months old (or so I'm told !) - I suspect the immunity may have worn off by now, some 60 odd years later (unless it really does last a life time) !
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wollie
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Re: Shingles Vaccination

Postby wollie » Tue Jul 16, 2019 5:57 am

I opened this morn to ask the forum about vaccination

EDIT

Please do not hijack this thread. Open a new thread instead with your specific question, which was not about Shingles.

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gerryh
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Re: Shingles Vaccination

Postby gerryh » Tue Jul 16, 2019 12:33 pm

El Cid wrote:...but you can order it at a pharmacy. It's over €100.
Sid
Who does the injection, the pharmacist, your Spanish health centre or paid for at a private clinic?
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katy
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Re: Shingles Vaccination

Postby katy » Tue Jul 16, 2019 1:37 pm

El Cid wrote:No, but reoccurrence is quite rare. Shingles in the facial nerve is really nasty. You can lose the sight in that eye and also get Bells Palsy which causes one side of your face to droop and you can end up unable to close your eye. It happened to a close friend recently and he has never really recovered.

Mine was in the nerve that supplies your jaw and ear (trigeminal) - not a good place! 4 weeks of severe toothache and earache. Not to be recommended!

For those who do not know, you cannot catch Shingles from an infected person. If you have never had Chicken Pox it is impossible to catch Shingles but you will get Chicken Pox if infected. It requires very close contact to get infected.

If you are unfortunate enough to get it go to your doctor immediately who should prescribe antiviral drugs and painkillers. As for the Pneumonia jab, it covers about 18 different strains and lasts for about 10 years. Many people ultimately die of Pneumonia after contracting other health problems.

Sid
I woke up one night with an irritating rash around my middle. Called Doctor the next morning and she said to come along and she gave me the antiviral drugs. I was very fortunate as it never got any worse and disappeared after a few days. A friend told me it is very painful. I have now had the shingles jab just incase.

My GP in Elviria offered the pneumonia jab along with the flu jab. They do in the UK too over a certain age.


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