Why you need the new shingles vaccination
Zostavax vaccine is now available in Australia. This vaccine helps to prevent the viral illness known as shingles. From November 2016 it will be offered free to people between the ages of 70 and 79. Others can be vaccinated by their general practitioner at their own expense.
I will be the first in the queue. I’ve had shingles. I don’t want to experience the illness again.
What are shingles?
According to Medical News Today, “Shingles is an infection of a nerve and the surrounding skin surface that is supplied by the nerve, caused by the varicella-zoster virus. This is the same virus that causes chickenpox and anyone who has recovered from chickenpox, child or adult can get shingles.”
Shingles causes pain and a rash along a band of skin supplied by an affected nerve. It can occur in a band around the abdomen or chest or elsewhere. The acute stage lasts for between two and four weeks. Full recovery takes longer. Ageing increases the risk of contracting the illness.
The effects of shingles
I discovered recently that shingles is no joke. I found the hard way that the disease is painful, debilitating and distressing. It affected my trigeminal nerve. The viral illness had sudden onset. Then a painful scabby rash spread across one side of my forehead, on to one eyelid and into my hair. The rash followed the route of the nerve from just above my ear. I became sensitive to light and unable to read. The horrid nerve pain (like electrical shocks) affected my sinuses, throat and ear on one side.
And was it inconvenient? Let me tell you how inconvenient it was. I anticipated April and May would be exciting, busy months for my family and me.
Taking to my bed is not an option I would ever choose – but especially not at such a time. I fretted that I was missing out on things. Not being able to drive was a total bore. Needing to rest every afternoon as I recovered was tedious. Relying on so heavily on John seemed unfair to him, even though he was uncomplaining and comforting.
Some reasons why shingles was so annoying
My new great-grandchild was due any moment. I wanted to be there to congratulate my granddaughter and her husband.
I wanted to begin to bond with this new baby as soon as he or she was born. Fortunately, he was in no hurry to be born.
A timely recovery meant I could visit our newborn great-grandson
Another granddaughter is being married next month. I wanted to be well and energetic for that. (And to be involved in preparations if I was invited.)
I am committed to several ’causes’ and did not want to miss meetings.
I also discovered, not for the first time, that general practitioners do not always take the illnesses of older people as seriously as they should. The ongoing disregard for the wisdom of seniors about their own health appals me. I’ve written about this before. It is one of the themes in my book, Elopement: a Memoir.
If someone who has contracted shingles is given anti-viral medication within 72 hours of onset, symptoms can be greatly relieved. The GP at the after-hours clinic was not convinced when I explained my symptoms. She declined to prescribe anti-viral medication. Instead, she diagnosed trigeminal neuralgia (which of course, is part of shingles). She prescribed an anti-convulsive medication used for epilepsy.
By the following Monday when normal doctors were back at work, it was too late. The shingles had to run their course. I was very angry.
Now I am recovering. I hope the scars on my face will fade. I am able to wash my hair again. I can read and drive short distances. I plan to be back in the pool soon, and walking longer distances every day.
Benefits and risks of Zostavax vaccine
Zostavax vaccine is a safe vaccine, which helps to prevent the occurrence of shingles. It is less effective the older a person is. If shingles do occur in spite of vaccination, the pain and rash are less severe. Post herpetic pain, which can be set off by trivial stimuli is less likely to occur.
Many people query the use of vaccination. However, I am one of those people who has seen first-hand the effect of diphtheria, whooping cough, tuberculosis and polio. I nursed patients who died of those diseases. My children suffered through measles and chickenpox. They were unwell and missed school. Thanks to immunisation and vaccinations, these illnesses are no longer a “normal” part of childhood.
If Zostavax vaccine can protect adults from unnecessary suffering, why not take advantage of it? Will you be going to get it? Let us know in the comments below.
Related links:
A vaccine for Alzheimer’s may be on the way
The bowel cancer screening kit saved my life
The most amazing libraries I have seen around the world