Shingles vax in September, now got Shingles!

Oh what rotten luck. That sounds absolutely awful. Did you get to the GP in time for the appropriate meds?

I did read somewhere that the Shingles jabs are not 100% effective.

I hope you are receiving appropriate treatment and feel better soon. You have my sympathy living with all your health conditions.

I am getting sick of being pestered to have all these jabs every autumn and am thinking of refusing to have any more. Let them keep them for the people on waiting lists who are really ill. Mine are done as home visits so at least I dont have to troll to the GP. I had flu and covid last week and the covid vaccnation made me feel ill for two days.

Ive also cancelled several hospital appointments. Rant over.

My doctors' practice is pretty awful and I had to battle for the meds in front of a full waitingroom.

I drove there straight from the dentist who was lovely. She took photos of the inside of my mouth and typed a letter to my GP so that he could see exactly what she had seen. The receptionist put the letter on her desk and said someone would text me this morning. I just wanted to cry and didn't feel like having a battle, but insisted that I was given a prescription and would sit and wait until I got it.

No one came to see me but while waiting there I suddenly got a call from the nurse practitioner and I had to explain everything in front of a silent audience in the waiting room. She eventually issued the prescription for antivirals and I hope it will stop me having a mouthful of blisters which I understand can last for 2 weeks.

I came home and cried. Why does everything medical have to be such a struggle at the very time when you feel too ill to manage it?

When you feel a bit better this awful treatment needs to be addressed. Write/email the practice manager. I know medical receptionist have a challenging job, but you have identified 'a training need' if this one does not appreciate the urgency that shingles symptoms present. Also the nurse practitioner has a duty of care for patients and that starts with their right to privacy and dignity! Another training need identified. Use these phrases.
I hope the meds kick in quickly for you. I have endured facial shingles twice and the pain is horrendous.

My late dear mum endured facial shingles that then caused chronic neuralgic face pain for years. She ended up with numbness of a nostril and upper lip. She used to apply calamine lotion (kept in the fridge as it was more soothing, applied with a cotton pad) for years - said she looked like Phantom of the Opera at home on a bad day.

I hope you recover very soon Sparklefizz. The Pollyanna in me would be thinking ‘thank god I went to see that dentist who actually diagnosed it soonest’.

Oh you poor thing. Get well soon

Yes. Well done that dentist but thumbs down to that GP practice.

Sparklefizz..that must be terrible for you,thank goodness you got to the dentist, your GPpractice needs to pull it's socks up,I hope you feel better soon x

Oh no! What bad luck.

I've had one Shingrix vaccine but not the second because I had an operation then Covid, then a cold but the first one made me feel ill for days.

Hope you feel better soon.

Why does everything medical have to be such a struggle at the very time when you feel too ill to manage it?

I really don't know. Last year we were refused flu jabs because we didn't want Covid and flu vaccines together. So we weren't offered either in the end because the surgery ran out.
This year we are 'allowed' to have them separately so are going for flu jabs today.
I anticipate a weekend of paracetamol and warm drinks.

Allira don't go expecting the worst. Both DH and I were perfectly fine after a jab in each arm. There is always more posting about things that go wrong than things that go well. Human nature!

If all goes as usual, I expect DH will be fine, Aveline 😀
I'll hand the kitchen duties over to him!

Sparklefizz -I am really sorry that you've had such a terrible reaction to the shingles vaccination .
I think that the more health problems you have the more likely you are to have a reaction .
Imagine having the illness-far worse .
My father had shingles and was in pain for months .
He used to cry .
It was harrowing .
Everytime he had another respiratory
infection it seemed to flare up again .
I don't feel great after my covid jab , but I'd rather have it than covid .
The only time that I had a serious reaction to an injection was for yellow fever .
My arm swelled up .
I nearly passed out before I got home .
I had a raging fever .
But it cleared .
Get well wishes 💐

I had shingles on my chest was horrid, can’t imagine how awful it must be in your mouth. Am in my late sixties so don’t get the jab yet, my OH is slightly older so he got his first jab but felt as if he had the flu for a week, didn’t go for the 2nd, couldn’t face it.
Is a really nasty reaction to the jab have heard others say the same.
And it didn’t stop you getting it.
Hope you feel better soon, must be difficult eating, can’t imagine, poor you.
🌹🙏🏾

Vaccines like everything else in moderation and dependent on medical, family and environmental risks & history, it is not a panacea.

Esmay I have actually GOT Shingles, it's not a reaction.

You have been very unlucky, as Shingrix is a non-live vaccine, so shouldn’t have caused symptoms. I was called for vaccination, and luckily said to the nurse that I was immunosuppressed, and asked if it was a live vaccine. I was sent on my way, and had to make another appointment for the Shingrix vaccine.
I have had shingles twice, and wouldn’t wish it on anybody.

Sparklefizz .
I am very sorry that you have Shingles after having the injection .
Get well soon .
💐

Sparklefizz just sending and positive healing vibes to you

Boots Pharmacy charges £250 for one injection or £450 for two injections of shingles vaccine. I have just enquired.

Gosh! I had no idea they were so expensive.

Sympathies Sparklefizz. Shingles is truly horrible. Made me cry. All over one buttock so going to the loo was horrid likewise sitting or laying down. I hope the antivirals work quickly. As others have said when you feel up to it a letter to the practice manager should be written. Lack of confidentiality and dignity stressed.

Hope you feel a bit more chipper soon.

My DD2 had shingles when she was 39, on her face and in one eye. She had to use eye drops for a number of years (privately) to reduce the risk of further eye problems in later life.
DH had it also on his face, it took 3 doctors at the surgery to identify what the horrible rash was on one half of his face.

The antivirals work best when started within 72 hours so glad you waited for the prescription. I took Aciclovir 220 mg, 5 times a day, worked well enough but did feel nauseous and a bit dizzy, important to complete the course though.
Rest up as much as poss, I felt so low and fatigued, you really need to pace yourself.
Take care 🌹