Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Shingles anyone? Holy Hanna!

It is Shingrix.

Zostavax is the original vaccine, but Shingrix is the preferred agent. We stopped using Zostavax over a year ago.

Shingrix is the shizzle. Kicks Zostavax’s ass. Trust me, I used to work for Merck, the Zostavax maker. Shingrix is superior. Run, don’t walk, to the doc.

I also sold both valtrex and famvir. The trick is to have some on hand and start eating them soonest when an attack occurs. The virus replicates like, well, a virus, so the sooner you can fight it the better.



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Pharm, so one of the pharmicists UofH OD adj professors school uses said 15 or so years ago to best use Famvir 500 tid as it greatly reduced the incidence of post herpetic neuralgia from at that time iirc 800 mg acyclovir 5/day horse pills. Of course, insurance cos balk at the cost of famvir.

Whats the deal with Shingrix and what is the recommenbed dosage, insurance coverage, etc please?

Thanks, jageye.

PS, i never remember ever having had problems treating and resolving potentially blinding herpes simples corneal ulcers with triflouridine gtts about Q3-4 h.

Now we are expected to use orals in reduced dosage along with the newer topical antiviral.
Do you have any news contrary to this or any additional recs?

I guess concurrent tx with oral acyclovir is supposed to reduce the incidence of recurrent corneal infection.

Thanks.

Not Pharm, but we still use acyclovir, famciclovir, and valcyclovir about equally. Personally not a fan of acyclovir because of the 5X day dosing schedule. Add steroids if eye involvement, mostly prednisolone.

This^^^. But ive had some insurance cos refuse the Famvir expense.

All three are generic now, so I wouldn't think it'd be an issue now. Have you had issues lately?

I just looked at our cost (fed government) and valacyclovir is actually cheaper for the full course than the others.

No, its been a while but i didntnknow famvir was generic. Thanks, pal.

Now, what do you know about this stuff Pharm is pushing?

Do you think research proves valcyclo is more effective than famvir?

Shingrix is a non-live vaccine, where Zostivax is the live version, so that can play into immunocompromised/at risk pts and family members. Plus, Shingrix has been shown to be more effective in preventing shingles. The down side is it's two shots verses one and has more potential side effects. For most people, Shingrix is the way to go.

I'm not aware of any data showing any of the three antivirals mentioned as being better than the other, but acyclovir would be my last choice due to pt compliance.

Thanks, Kodiak.

Wife got the shots last year......and got a bit of shingles on her back THIS year, for the first time in her life..

Maybe it's actually worth getting for most people....but for me - I'll pass..

Is the shingles milder in people who had the vaccine?

I am tuning 55 next month. I was offered the vaccine when I turned 50 but declined. Never understood those Terry Bradshaw commercials until 2 years ago when I got the shingles. The rash remained small and on my upper chest neck area, but that didn't bother me much. The nerve pain was something else. Every morning, when I woke up, felt like someone took a baseball bat and beat the back of my neck with it. So painful that I couldn't go to work. Got some sort of medicine from the doctor to alleviate the pain and subdue the shingles. From what I understand now, if left untreated, the nerve pain can stay with you for a long time. I got the meds in time. Doctors are kind of mixed on me getting the vaccine now that I have had an episode of shingles.

Got a slight dose of shingles ( REALLY glad it was slight) a couple years ago. Story of my life...got shingles-on my ASS- the day before spending a week in Canada fishing from the aluminum seat of a Lund boat!

Had them on my right side ribs 23 years ago, one of the most painful experiences ever

Fortunately I was able to be able to get the new 2 shot deal. No problems from the shots. If you know somebody that has or had the shingles, you WILL get the shots.

+1

I have been on a waiting list for Shingrix for 4 months and they still don't know when they are getting it in .

MY DARLING WIFE IS ATE UP WITH IT RIGHT NOW.HER MOTHER PASSED AWAY SUNDAY AND WITH THE STRESS SHE HAS WITH ME AND MY LUNG CANCER AND BRAIN CANCER.SOMETIMES LIFE JUST SUCKS.

I got it at age 36 on the back of my upper thigh. Hurt like hell to sit down. Doc said if I was 66 instead it would hurt a lot more.

Interesting on the pain comments. Had it at age 21 or so. Was not really that bad. Irritating and I recall not wanting to have clothes on certain areas.

Sure hope it gets better.

IMHO Kidney stones have always been worse, but I don't go in for those mostly. Just deal with the pain until the stone passes.

OTOH Whooping cough.... there was a miserable night thing... cough until you pass out and can't breathe, and then it starts all over again.

And there are those, like my mother, that won't take preventative shots, but all she can do is b!tch when she gets something which is quite often.