Shingles Vaccine
- Thread starter SkyRider
- Start date
Yeah, same here. I took the vaccine as well. It's peace of mind... now I don't have to worry about getting an STD if I forget to use a condom... Great minds think alike!
Ok, I read the information in your link.
What is your point other than advertisements can't read out an entire product monograph?
If your point is that there is some secret vaccine conspiracy :fear:and you are the Jenny McCarthy anti-vaxxer for shingles then :crazy:
I've known 2 people that have developed very serious cases of shingles in their 60's and their lives CRASHED! It was all-consuming pain that affected every aspect of their previously vibrant lives. One of them was the victim of their overbearing wife, a well meaning but ill-informed anti-vaxxer who has since changed her tune.
The wife (who was the one who refused the Doctor's advice and talked her husband into refusing the vaccine) also developed a VERY mild case in a short single episode. She since went back to the Doctor for a vaccination.
Here is some of what my doctor and pharmacist told me:
1) Your risk of shingles increases as you age.
2) The longer you wait the less effective is the vaccine.
3) A shingles attack could damaged some of your nerves for life and if the attack is near your eye blindness could result.
4) Unless one is an "anti-vaxxer", there is no downside.
5) The vaccine is good for life. No need to follow-up.
Actually, the efficacy of the vaccine has only been proven for five years. So, might make sense to consider a booster in the future depending on the then-current science.
From the above FDC site:
"The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) continues to recommend zoster vaccine (Zostavax®) for people aged 60 years and older. Health care providers considering the herpes zoster vaccine for certain persons aged 50 through 59 should discuss the risks and benefits of vaccination with their patients. Although the vaccine has short-term efficacy, there have been no long-term studies of vaccine protection in this age group. In adults vaccinated at age 60 years or older, vaccine efficacy wanes within the first 5 years after vaccination, and protection beyond 5 years is uncertain; therefore, adults receiving the vaccine before age 60 years might not be protected when their risks for herpes zoster and its complications are highest."
From the above FDC site:
"The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) continues to recommend zoster vaccine (Zostavax®) for people aged 60 years and older. Health care providers considering the herpes zoster vaccine for certain persons aged 50 through 59 should discuss the risks and benefits of vaccination with their patients. Although the vaccine has short-term efficacy, there have been no long-term studies of vaccine protection in this age group. In adults vaccinated at age 60 years or older, vaccine efficacy wanes within the first 5 years after vaccination, and protection beyond 5 years is uncertain; therefore, adults receiving the vaccine before age 60 years might not be protected when their risks for herpes zoster and its complications are highest."
Yes, it is a valid point. It's like wearing your seat belt or a bike helmet, it increases your odds but it is not 100%. The majority of people never get shingles but if you are the unlucky 1/3 your life can change for the worse forever.
