Shingles Vaccine

[fripfrip]

I am over 70 years old and never had chickenpox (or any other childhood disease),is it safe for me to have the shingles vaccine,i've had a request from my doctors to go for one.
thanks in advance for any advice.

[Peter Pedant]

you are a very lucky frip frip
I dont know the answer to that one....ask GP

[jourdain2]

Very definitely - go for one. I had to wait until I was 70 years old but i would have had one earlier If i had been eligible. Reason? I caught Shingles when I was 68 and, despite anti-virals, which were prescribed towards the end of the window where they do some good, I was terribly ill. At least 6 weeks and then a long haul back.

I had Shingles again this year --- much, much milder. I felt poorly and had pain from the affected area but it was bearable and I recovered much more quickly.

Don't hesitate is my advice.

[jourdain2]

PS You don't know that you've never had chicken-pox - it can be extremely mild with no spots (I only had about 4). Ask your Dr. if in doubt.

[fripfrip]

thank you for your sound advice,i will phone in the morning for my appointment.

[Milvus]

If you have never had chickenpox you can't get shingles. Chickenpox is the necessary precursor to shingles. Your doc may run a blood test first to check you definitely have not had shingles. If you haven't then no vaccine.

[-SharonA-]

I had my shingles jab the same time as my flu jab together.

[Peter Pedant]

oh, yes is the answer

Who Should Get Zostavax? People 60 years of age or older should get shingles vaccine (Zostavax). They should get the vaccine whether or not they recall having had chickenpox, which is caused by the same virus as shingles.

[Sqad]

I totally agree with the post of Jourdan @22.10.

[bhg481]

I was in exactly the same position as you a few years ago ie, never, to my knowledge, had any of the childhood diseases despite our daughter getting them all and was offered to shingles vaccine along with my 'flu jab. On that occasion I refused it on the grounds that it was wasting resources. Two years later my wife became eligible for the 'flu vaccine and was offered shingles at the same time; she accepted and so did I. No problems at all with it. I suggest you have the vaccine as shingles sounds to be a most unpleasant disease to catch.

[Vagus]

Apparently 9 out of 10 adults in the UK have had chickenpox even if they don’t know they’ve had it.
I had the shingles jab last year and thank goodness I did as I’m recovering from shingles right now. It was bad enough but could have been so much worse if I hadn’t had the jab.
Don’t hesitate, get the jab.

[fripfrip]

A big thank you to everyone for your advice,like i said before as far as i know i have never had a childhood illness such as chickenpox,measles,etc,but i made my appointment today and will be vaccinated in october.