Vaccines

[dualstow]

WiseOne, yes, he fully recovered in the sense that he didn’t go blind or anything like that. I think he mostly had it on his back, and he still has feelings of “electricity” on his chest from time to time.

[Maddy]

Yes, I remember reading that it was in a nerve, not a vein, so thanks for the correction. Honestly, I don't really know the difference though.

No big difference. . . That's why WiseOne does vascular surgery on the weekends.

[dualstow]

I saw two relevant news items, both about measles.

(1) Germany is now imposing a fine of something like US$2,700 on those who don’t get their kids vaccinated.

(2) Measles makes your immune system “forget”. I think that means it messes with its ability to create the right antibodies.

I’ll add the sources and details later.
—————————-
EDIT:
(1) $2,800 - https://apple.news/AG0ia7O-JSFWLPnUk97EyQg
(2)

Measles not only weakens your immune system in the short term, bouts with the virus seem to wipe your immune system's memory, causing the body to forget how to fight off things that you may have already conquered. For some people, this so-called immune amnesia may linger for months to years after an infection.

source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/scie ... e-amnesia/

[WiseOne]

Wow, I didn't know about the immune amnesia effect. (I'm not an infectious disease specialist after all...also not a vascular surgeon or I would be too busy earning a million dollar salary to be posting on this forum!!!)

I went through a self-assessment exam (for board qualification) over the weekend, and there were a few questions about neurological complications of measles. First time I've ever seen that. The message "get ready, here it comes" has definitely been filtering through the medical community.

[vnatale]

I'd written earlier (above):

"Since I'm on zero medication I've chosen the least monthly cost Medicare drug plan, which of course offers the least coverage.

I think the shingles vaccine was, therefore, going to be in the neighborhood of $300 or $400 for me to get it?

Again, I can afford it and it would not ever dent my lifestyle but I've not yet got it. I think my doctor was talking to me about getting it just about the time a new version was just coming out?"

After reading all that many of you subsequently wrote, I decided U should get the shingles vaccine in 2020.

I asked my doctor's office what was the name of the vaccine and was given a name. However, when I went to select my Medicare Drug plan for 2020 (at the last minute and late at night when no one insurance companies were answering their phones on December 14, 2019) I could not find that vaccine on any provider's lists so as to determine which plan would be the best option. So, I left it that I'd do without it for yet one more year and get it in 2021 after I found out what to look for in the Medicare drug plans.

Anyone here know the specific item I am supposed to look for in the Medicare drug plans?

Vinny

[Mountaineer]

The newest shingles vaccine that my wife and I received was "Shingrix".

https://www.shingrix.com/index.html

https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/shingles-shots

[vnatale]

The newest shingles vaccine that my wife and I received was "Shingrix".

https://www.shingrix.com/index.html

https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/shingles-shots

Thanks for the quick response. Shingrix was the name my doctor's office gave me (and, I actually remembered it last night).

However, when I again start the process, I don't know how to answer the following questions (pictured below). It seems like the questions are oriented towards a drug that one is taking on a regular basis rather than something which is a one time event?

Vinny

Capture.JPG (65.35 KiB) Viewed 6097 times

[Mountaineer]

The newest shingles vaccine that my wife and I received was "Shingrix".

https://www.shingrix.com/index.html

https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/shingles-shots

Yep. That is the one I just received. Although they told me if it wasn't covered it would only be around $100 for each of the 2 doses. Vinny, check with Walgreens or CVS or whatever is in your area. They both administer the injection and it might be less that what your MD charges.

Yes to that suggestion. We got ours at an Acme supermarket pharmacy. They did all the insurance checking, showed us the data, etc. Vinny, Don’t be too anal about the cost. Risk has two components- probability of contracting shingles, and severity if you do. The second is bad enough to overwhelm the first, and to ignore costs of injections for all practical purposes. Suggest you talk to some people who have had shingles, it is not something you want to experience if at all possible. I t can be HORRIBLE! My two cents.

[Tortoise]

I actually got shingles when I was only 20, in college right after final exams one winter. The stress and my weird sleep schedule must have weakened my immune system.

It was only a thin, 3-inch long rash on my side, so I was probably lucky it wasn’t much worse.

Very weird to think about how a virus can be tucked away in different places in our bodies, just biding its time before it’s able to launch another assault on the body in the distant future... or never.

[Mountaineer]

I actually got shingles when I was only 20, in college right after final exams one winter. The stress and my weird sleep schedule must have weakened my immune system.

It was only a thin, 3-inch long rash on my side, so I was probably lucky it wasn’t much worse.

Very weird to think about how a virus can be tucked away in different places in our bodies, just biding its time before it’s able to launch another assault on the body in the distant future... or never.

The HORRIBLE comment I made above was due to my great aunt. Got shingles on her face very close to her eye. Came very, very close to going blind. Wife had it on her side/back and weirdly in her mouth (the shingles killed nerves in a tooth and she subsequently had to have a root canal). She had a lot of trouble sleeping. Lasted months. Hope the Shingrix vaccine prevents a recurrence, or at least minimizes the severity, i.e. the pain, and maybe duration if it comes back. So far, so good.