NullNoMore
kimuAn occasional reminder that if you’re 50 or older and haven’t gotten two doses of the shingles vaccine, this is an effective vaccine that helps to prevent an extremely painful and potentially debilitating disease. While the vaccine gets a bad rap for being rough to deal with (not my experience, personally), literally every person I know who has had shingles has talked about getting shingles being really horrible. https://www.npr.org/2026/04/06/nx-s1-5745209/shingles-symptoms-vaccine-treatment
Amy Maybe
Bytebro 🇬🇧 🇺🇦 🇬🇱Here in the UK, I can't get the vaccine on the NHS until I'm 70, but I can pay for it privately at £250/shot if I choose. So at the age of 68, it's just a risk assessment of the chances of getting shingles in the next 2 years!
Paul Oldham 🏴 💛 🇺🇦
Thomas Sturm@kimu @Cdespinosa Co-signed.
My reaction wasn’t worse than a flu-shot. My wife was hit pretty hard by it, but it’s still way better than shingles.
Jeremy DuBois@kimu The vaccine hit me pretty hard, both doses. But I've also had (a pretty mild case of) shingles, and the vaccine was absolutely nothing at all compared to the stabbing knife-like pains from the shingles. Definitely still recommend the vaccine.
Blake Fox
Chris Green@kimu It's also the closest thing we have to a dementia vaccine.
Nanana_Na!@kimu It's only available for 60+ over here 😢
draNgNon
BedastGPT@kimu (adding to this)
As someone who had a shingles flare up (in my 30s...) whatever one might perceive as "rough" from the vax... the real thing is substantially worse. Like not even close.
I got the vax early last year (not 50 yet, but qualifying circumstances) and am dealing with the aftermath of a second flare up now. Yeah, it can happen. However, thanks to the vax, the flare up is WAY less than the first time. It's just a bit annoying, and never had a rash.
Get yer shongles shit!
Chris Ferguson@kimu And it likely helps prevent Dementia/Alzheimer's too. (recent studies correlate this!)
MidgePhoto@kimu
I've had one dose so far.
I was aware that my immune system was working quite hard after it.
This seems rather good, it is the purpose.
If I spent a while exercising my musculoskeletal system in some slightly new way I would expect to be aware of work having been done, and adjustments continuing.
Osteopenia Powers ;@kimu
As a bonus, it will may reduce your risk of dementia stroke and heart attack.
https://www.theguardian.com/global/2026/mar/17/shingles-vaccination-benefits-dementia-risk
Emma Liv@kimu I got shingles when I was in my 30s, and I was very lucky that it was "mild". I wonder if that affects whether/when I should get the vaccine.
Nazo@not3ottersinacoat @kimu Yes. "Shingles" is just the same virus as "chickenpox." It lies dormant in the system once you've had it and can reactivate later. So getting "shingles" doesn't immunize you any more than getting "chickenpox" does in the first place. Definitely get the vaccine at the appropriate time.
@nazokiyoubinbou Thank you :)
Plausible Human Being@kimu I was still employed when I got my doses. I waited until Friday to get it and laid around watching TV all weekend while sick with the side effects. Nice excuse to goof off.
Paul_IPv6there's also some research into the shingles vaccine helping put off dementia. but just not getting shingles sure seems to make it worth it.
@paul_ipv6 @kimu More and more and more it's starting to look like certain sorts of diseases that everyone thinks of as perfectly normal to keep getting when there are ways they could avoid them may just contribute towards stuff like dementia and Alzheimer's.
But darn, if you avoid all those diseases you'll be stuck with the unfortunate condition of "living healthier and with less suffering." Darn it!
Lizzie@kimu I have Shingles. I was told for years that I couldn't take the vaccine BECAUSE I already had the problem resident in my body. My PA said nope GO GET IT. I did. I stopped taking the daily med that mostly controlled outbreaks....that was back on October. Fingers crossed, NO OUTBREAKES so far. I am scheduled for my booster next week.
I believe in science and vaccinations and also in talking with people who know the latest recommendations and the science. It can change FAST. Always ask!!!
I believe in science and vaccinations and also in talking with people who know the latest recommendations and the science. It can change FAST. Always ask!!!
Tara L. Campbell@kimu I now know of two people *under* the age of 50 (32 & 43) who have had it and both are screaming to go get the dang vaccine even if you aren't yet 50. The antiviral pills are the size of exotic beetles (2" long, thick baddies) and the rash is awful. I'll be bringing this up with my doc next week.
Stress has a strong correlation as well as other immune suppressing factors so don't assume you can put this off for later.
I.M. Bonetti@kimu Absolutely endorsed. I've known a couple people who had shingles, and it was terrible for them.
I got it as soon as I was eligible. For me, the first dose was similar to the first covid vaccine dose I got (site soreness, mild muscle soreness for a few hours), but the second dose was like having a one-day cold: fever, chills, muscle aches, basically all day the following day.
It was still vastly, VASTLY preferable to the misery the sufferers I knew had to deal with.
cathos
Cetraria
kaffando
cbud