Shingles

[Bann]

Frequent Flier: or anyone else who knows someone who has come down with Shingles:

Out of curiosity - how old is the employee who came down with shingles? I am taking a poll. MY doctor said she won't write me a prescription for the Shingles vaccine, BECAUSE the medical guidance says it's only recommended for people over 60, OR people with weakened/compromised immune systems: (i.e., HIV, Diabetes, etc. ).

I am 54 in a month. THREE people where I work have had Shingles in the past 3 years I've been there. 2 were under age 60. (close to it) My Ex-BIL had Shingles about 10 years ago and I am certain he was in his 30's.

I have been talking to people and all of the (albeit anecdotal evidence, as I don't know their immune deficiencies, etc.) indications I'm seeing is that many, many people under the age of 60, even 50 are coming down with Shingles.

I have a high deductible health plan - I would be paying out of pocket for the vaccine (about $200.00 right now) but to me, that is MUCH LESS than having to be off work without enough sick leave to cover a 2-4 or more leave of absence, depending on the severity of my case. Everyone I know who worked with me has taken off a LOT of time. Weeks.

My argument is that I am only 6 years from 60. I have had a super enormous amount of stress in the past 3 years due to family illness & deaths, not to mention the normal load of caretaking of a DD family member, etc. I think the Dr. should prescribe it unless there is some serious medical reason why I should not get it.

So - how many people know people who had Shingles? What was their age, and if you know -was their immune system compromised?

TIA!

 

[frequentflier]

Frequent Flier: or anyone else who knows someone who has come down with Shingles:

Out of curiosity - how old is the employee who came down with shingles? I am taking a poll. MY doctor said she won't write me a prescription for the Shingles vaccine, BECAUSE the medical guidance says it's only recommended for people over 60, OR people with weakened/compromised immune systems: (i.e., HIV, Diabetes, etc. ).

I am 54 in a month. THREE people where I work have had Shingles in the past 3 years I've been there. 2 were under age 60. (close to it) My Ex-BIL had Shingles about 10 years ago and I am certain he was in his 30's.

I have been talking to people and all of the (albeit anecdotal evidence, as I don't know their immune deficiencies, etc.) indications I'm seeing is that many, many people under the age of 60, even 50 are coming down with Shingles.

I have a high deductible health plan - I would be paying out of pocket for the vaccine (about $200.00 right now) but to me, that is MUCH LESS than having to be off work without enough sick leave to cover a 2-4 or more leave of absence, depending on the severity of my case. Everyone I know who worked with me has taken off a LOT of time. Weeks.

My argument is that I am only 6 years from 60. I have had a super enormous amount of stress in the past 3 years due to family illness & deaths, not to mention the normal load of caretaking of a DD family member, etc. I think the Dr. should prescribe it unless there is some serious medical reason why I should not get it.

So - how many people know people who had Shingles? What was their age, and if you know -was their immune system compromised?

TIA!

Bann,
My employee is over 60. Also diagnosed with gall stones and high blood pressure. Do not know other medical history.

Anyone I have ever talked to that has had Shingles, including my Dad, have described excruciating burning pain. My employee's doctor prescribed Benedryl and a strong painkiller plus something else (maybe an anti inflammatory?) and said it can last a week, a month- up to a year.

Though I normally would not be the first in line for getting a vaccination, I would opt for this one for it is something I hope to never have the displeasure of experiencing! And I know I have had the chicken pox- I still have scars on my face from them!

 

[Bay_Kat]

Bann, my SIL got them 4 years ago and at that time she was the same age you are now.

 

[Bann]

Bann,
My employee is over 60. Also diagnosed with gall stones and high blood pressure. Do not know other medical history.

Anyone I have ever talked to that has had Shingles, including my Dad, have described excruciating burning pain. My employee's doctor prescribed Benedryl and a strong painkiller plus something else (maybe an anti inflammatory?) and said it can last a week, a month- up to a year.

Though I normally would not be the first in line for getting a vaccination, I would opt for this one for it is something I hope to never have the displeasure of experiencing! And I know I have had the chicken pox- I still have scars on my face from them!

I've also had chicken pox - I posted a picture of my pitiful self on FB. (I'll re-share it!)

The people I've known also had the excruciating pain. I really don't wanna go through that - OR go broke due to not having vacation/sick leave.

 

[Vince]

The health dept recently changed this. They haven't been giving the shingles shot to anyone under 60, but now they'll do it for 50 and up. I just got mine this winter. My father had shingles and I don't want to go through that for a year. Go up to the Health Dept building near Calvert Memorial and check with them. I don't remember needing a prescription for it, but maybe I had one. My memory is going. Old age.

 

[ICit]

a coworker that I use to work with came down with them last year and he is in his early 50's


and a friend of mine also had them and she was in her 30's

no other health issues for both of them

 

[Roman]

My Husband was 55 when he got Shingles.

 

[migtig]

I asked for the vaccine at my last appointment. I figured I don't need to add anything else to my current health concerns.

Anyway I was told they only were giving the vaccine to adults over 50 who had experienced chicken pox before.

Maybe you should check with another doctor Bann and get that Vaccine.

 

[Homer J]

Wirelessly posted

My roomate in college had them at 19.

 

[kwillia]

My mom came down with shingles at the age of 67. No major health issues at all.

Bann and everyone else... it is most important that at the first sign of shingles you MUST go to the doctor, hospital or urgent care and get an anti-virus shot thingy within the first 48 hours of first symptoms! It stops the virus from spreading thus reducing the recovery time. I believe the doctor said the most you could push getting this shot is 72 hours from first symptom but he stressed the sooner you got it the better.

My mom's shingles presented on one side of her forehead/face. She thought she was having an allergic reaction to something so she took Benadryl and put Prep-H on it to dry it up. She casually mentioned it to me and I took one look... ran to the computer to look up shingles pictures and sent her immediately to the urgent care at the hospital.

The doctor said I could have very well saved her vision because shingles spreads and that location could have spread to her optic nerve.

BTW, her full recovery time was less than 3 months. She has to wait a full year from when she had shingles to go get the vaccine to prevent/reduce a reoccurrence. She said she is most definately going to do it.

 

[MJ]

I had them on my abdomen in my late 30's after I had surgery to have my tubes tied. Worst pain I have ever endured, pretty much felt like I was being electrocuted.

 

[ICit]

My mom came down with shingles at the age of 67. No major health issues at all.

Bann and everyone else... it is most important that at the first sign of shingles you MUST go to the doctor, hospital or urgent care and get an anti-virus shot thingy within the first 48 hours of first symptoms! It stops the virus from spreading thus reducing the recovery time. I believe the doctor said the most you could push getting this shot is 72 hours from first symptom but he stressed the sooner you got it the better.

My mom's shingles presented on one side of her forehead/face. She thought she was having an allergic reaction to something so she took Benadryl and put Prep-H on it to dry it up. She casually mentioned it to me and I took one look... ran to the computer to look up shingles pictures and sent her immediately to the urgent care at the hospital.

The doctor said I could have very well saved her vision because shingles spreads and that location could have spread to her optic nerve.

BTW, her full recovery time was less than 3 months. She has to wait a full year from when she had shingles to go get the vaccine to prevent/reduce a reoccurrence. She said she is most definately going to do it.

now that you mention this... the coworker i use to work with did get the shot within 24hrs of his first symptoms....

 

[Chasey_Lane]

My co-workers father got it a few years back, he was in his early seventies at the time.

 

[GWguy]

My mom had it a few years back, she was in her early 80s at that point. She still has some symptoms and discomfort from it.

She also had undiagnosed diabetes at the time which may have contributed.

 

[Bann]

I asked for the vaccine at my last appointment. I figured I don't need to add anything else to my current health concerns.

Anyway I was told they only were giving the vaccine to adults over 50 who had experienced chicken pox before.

Maybe you should check with another doctor Bann and get that Vaccine.

Thanks everyone! I love SOMD.com!!

 

[RareBreed]

My mom got Shingles in her mid-50's. She also at the time had a bad case of Poison Ivy/Poison Oak so she was in a world of misery.

I got the chicken pox for Christmas and was pissed off at Santa for years for ruining that Christmas for me.

 

[kwillia]

now that you mention this... the coworker i use to work with did get the shot within 24hrs of his first symptoms....

It makes a huge difference. It is my understanding that the shot they give you isn't a shingles vaccine but rather a shot that stunts the growth of the virus pretty much stopping it in it's tracks. I do know that my mom's shingle spots did not spread an more once she had the shot and though what she had was painful and she she felt bad for a couple months... she was symptom free by three months whereas the doctors have told her without the shot it would have gone on for quite some time.

 

[belvak]

Just a quick update. Didn't find anything on SMC Health Department web site, so will probably give them a call later. In the meantime, I came across the Zostavax website, as well as a link to coupons from RxRelief Card for 75% or 81% off the cost of the vaccine. I printed copies of both in case Hubby and I have to resort to that.

----------------------------------------------------

My boss had them and was off work for at least a week, maybe two. Don't know here exact age, but she is probably 50-55. We looked into this for ourselves. Our insurance said if we got the vaccine in the office, it would be covered, but if the doctor wrote a prescription, it would not. I'm in the process of researching different costs at various pharmacies, and trying to locate somwhere where they vaccinate on site. Saw Vince's post and that gave me the idea to check with the St. Mary's County Health Department. If I find something in my research, I'll pass it on to everyone!

 

[Bay_Kat]

Do the Walgreen's there give the vaccine? The ones here do, I see signs at all the little Mom and Pop pharmacies too. I've never inquired about it, so not sure if they only do them on people over 60. Next time I'm at Walgreen's, I'm going to ask.

It wasn't until a couple of years ago that you really started hearing about it this much.

 

[terbear1225]

I had shingles at 26 (couple months after giving birth, couple weeks after returning to work) cuaght it early so didn't need any time off work though.