You know...I'm not going to get this shot. But, shingles is what led to my mothers cardiomyapathy and congestive heart failure.
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:35:34 -0400 From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: [TMIC] shingles vaccine Our local newspaper has a medical column in the Sunday edition by Dr. Anthony Komaroff. www.ask doctor k.com Sunday had a column titled "shingles vaccine is a good idea for adults over 60". A healthy 65 year old woman asked - what is shingles and should I get the shingles vaccine. The doctor explained shingles and the vaccine. Here is a portion of the article. "Getting the vaccine does not gurantee that you will noy get shingles. But it does reduce your chances by 50 percent or more. And it does an even better job of reducing your risk of postherpetic neuralgia. I've had patients worry that the vaccine itself could give them shingles. That's because the shingles vaccine is made with a weakened - not dead - form of the virus. And a tiny percentage of people do get either a shingles or chicken pox - like rash within a month or so of getting the vaccine. You may wonder if the risks associated with the shingles vaccine, though minimal, outweigh its benefits. And if we were only talking about shingles, you might be right. It's not pleasant, but most people get through shingles just fine. Postherpetic neuralgia is another story. It can last for months, even years, and be debilitating. The shingles vaccine can cut the risk of that happening by two thirds. And I'd say that tips the balance in favor getting the vaccine. I've voted with my feet. I got the vaccine, because I've seen too many of my patients suffer from postherpetic neuralgia. Chronic pain can disrupt a person's life" (end of article) Jim,I think this is a question for a neurologist. Unfortunately, I haven't seen mine in three years so I cannot ask for you. I think it would be good of all our Tmers who are seeing a neuro to call and ask if the neuro votes yes or no for the vaccine and post the results for us. ------------- Regarding the flu shot: I did not have a flu shot proir to my TM that was later lableled idiopathic - undetermined cause. I was also asked dozens of times during my hospitalization and rehab if I had had the flu shot thus determining that all medical personal thought the shot causes TM. Not so. Medical personnel asked if we had had the flu shot because they know the flu shot can cause various reactions and it is one of the many questions they ask a patient. The neuro who diagnosed me with TM asked if I had the flu shot during his first observation of me. I saw him for five years post TM and learned that he, his wife, and children received the flu shot annually. I asked my PCP in September why he didn't ask me if I wanted a flu shot. He said, "Do you?" I questioned if he takes one and he said he did not because he is not prone to getting the flu and he will not push them on his patients. That was the best answer I've received yet. I am not getting the flu shot. -------Patti - Michigan
