The qualification for getting the Shingles vaccine is ridiculous, as anyone reaching the age of 65 after 1 September 2023 can get the vaccine, but if you turned 65 before 1 September 2023, you have to wait until you are 70.
Had shingles nearly 5 years ago in my head and neck…I thought it was going to kill me when I had a very loud high pitch sound enter my head increasing in sound and pain. I screamed (not the girlie scream) in pain then the sound subsided. It was very scary indeed as I had heard of someone that died from Shingles on the head a few years before. I’m waiting for the day when I can have the shingles jab (hopefully i will live that long). Had the pneumonia jab a few weeks ago…apparently this jab is a one-off.
I had shingles nearly 3 years ago now in between 2 bouts of covid and 3 covid jabs. Wouldn't surprise me if it was all connected one way or another.
Had it to the left of my forehead and around my left eye. As others have said i'm not someone who goes to the doctors unless I feel I really need to and the way it suddenly came on, I had an online doctors appointment in the morning to confirm what it was and by the evening I was taken to Queen Mary's hospital as my left eye was beginning to close up and I could barely stand up for feeling feint. Was told to go up to Moorfields Eye Hospital the next day to check there was no damage to the eye, thankfully there wasn't. Don't think i'd ever felt so sick and unwell ever. Took a week off work sick as it exhausted me so much along with the side effects of the meds. For context i'd not gone sick from work in 10 years until then!
This was all as a 40 year old at the time so if you can get the jab I would highly recommend doing so.
Had Ophthalmic shingles 2 years ago, very ugly and difficult 2 months, felt I could not go out. Took me about a week to get it diagnosed, and ended up going to Queen Mary's at Sidcup, as I was up at my sons. Amazingly the Casualty doctor, personally took me to the specialist eye clinic in the main hospital ( never knew it had one) He persuaded the staff to get me diagnosed, and despite the reluctance of one of the staff to do so, the receptionist delayed her lunch hour and got one of the senior ophthalmic specialists to see me. Frankly I was amazed, and afterwards thanked her. I had to go to The William Harvey hospital, and have regular check ups, at there Ophthalmic department. They were vey efficient and hardly any waiting between visits. The hospital has a poor record, and has been on various news programmes with various failing departments. I am glad to report I received excellent care, and although I have had had a delay with my cataracts, when you do get to see a specialist the treatment has been first class, with kindness and respect as well as professionalism. It just goes to show that excellent treatment is possible, under the NHS, or through the NHS as in the case of the cataracts. Yes, the experiences of going to your GP can be tiresome, and bureaucratic, but if you try and convey your medical needs, in a polite, but persistent manner, if all fails ask to speak to the practice manager, not in a threatening manner, but because you are worried, it hopefully will work. I still believe in continuity of care is the best principle, when in Bexley I had the same GP for over 30 years, it did help thats his son played in the same football team as my two sons, sadly he died 10 years ago. I have no idea who my GP is in `Hythe, I know the senior partner, but you see a roster of people, and nearly always a practice nurse, I cannot complain because `I used to work on 'Nursing Times' and various medical magazines as a designer, so I have heard the stories from both sides of the fence so to speak. Yes, without doubt get the shingles jab, I did as soon as I was 70. I would personally pay privately for it if needs be.
As I am turned 70 I have been offered the Shingles Vaccine,I have just read the symptoms of Shingles,which are not very nice, I also read the side effects of the Vaccine which can be nearly as bad as the disease. Does any one have any experience of this,vaccine/shingles.
This is a very good post for older folks - thanks.
Going by a family members current experience, I would strongly recommend having the jab if eligible. He had shingles about 2 years ago (6 month before eligible for the jab!) which brought on a connected issue which I believe is called Ramsey Hunt Syndrome. He is still living with this 2 years later with no end in sight and it’s really impacting his quality of life.
One thing we have learn’t is to get treatment as soon as possible if you suspect shingles. Apparently starting treatment within the first 3 days can reduce the impact of the possible other related issues like Ramsey Hunt.
Boots is a very high price but so are Superdrug who actually charge £240 per jab which is obscene.
However, in Kent there are simev private medical clinics that offer foreign travel vaccines including Shingles like ones in Faversham and Dover and its £240 for both jabs over a six month period. I'm sure there must be other private clinics offering this across the UK.
Its pretty disgusting that the Government make the criteria so ridiculously small to get a free jab.
Someone is making some serious money out of this, similar to the Pfizer jabs being sold to Pharmacies like Boots for a small price and then they charge over £98.
For context the USA has been offering the non live Shingrix vaccine to over 98% of over 50's free since 2017 and yet we didn't offer Shingrix until September 2023.
Sadly I think the system in the UK is truly broken, they don't get the idea that if you offer certain vaccines to the population for free it will overtime reduce some (not all) the pressure on GP's and Hospitals.
I met a lady in Boots the other day with her child having the second chickenpox vaccine...£100 each jab as its not available on the NHS, yet just in this one example preventing chickenpox equals no shingles.
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It just goes to show that excellent treatment is possible, under the NHS, or through the NHS as in the case of the cataracts. Yes, the experiences of going to your GP can be tiresome, and bureaucratic, but if you try and convey your medical needs, in a polite, but persistent manner, if all fails ask to speak to the practice manager, not in a threatening manner, but because you are worried, it hopefully will work.
I still believe in continuity of care is the best principle, when in Bexley I had the same GP for over 30 years, it did help thats his son played in the same football team as my two sons, sadly he died 10 years ago. I have no idea who my GP is in `Hythe, I know the senior partner, but you see a roster of people, and nearly always a practice nurse, I cannot complain because `I used to work on 'Nursing Times' and various medical magazines as a designer, so I have heard the stories from both sides of the fence so to speak.
Yes, without doubt get the shingles jab, I did as soon as I was 70. I would personally pay privately for it if needs be.
Going by a family members current experience, I would strongly recommend having the jab if eligible. He had shingles about 2 years ago (6 month before eligible for the jab!) which brought on a connected issue which I believe is called Ramsey Hunt Syndrome. He is still living with this 2 years later with no end in sight and it’s really impacting his quality of life.
One thing we have learn’t is to get treatment as soon as possible if you suspect shingles. Apparently starting treatment within the first 3 days can reduce the impact of the possible other related issues like Ramsey Hunt.
However, in Kent there are simev private medical clinics that offer foreign travel vaccines including Shingles like ones in Faversham and Dover and its £240 for both jabs over a six month period. I'm sure there must be other private clinics offering this across the UK.
Its pretty disgusting that the Government make the criteria so ridiculously small to get a free jab.
Someone is making some serious money out of this, similar to the Pfizer jabs being sold to Pharmacies like Boots for a small price and then they charge over £98.
For context the USA has been offering the non live Shingrix vaccine to over 98% of over 50's free since 2017 and yet we didn't offer Shingrix until September 2023.
Sadly I think the system in the UK is truly broken, they don't get the idea that if you offer certain vaccines to the population for free it will overtime reduce some (not all) the pressure on GP's and Hospitals.
I met a lady in Boots the other day with her child having the second chickenpox vaccine...£100 each jab as its not available on the NHS, yet just in this one example preventing chickenpox equals no shingles.