As I imagine most people have, I received an email today from myespacesante.fr telling me to log on and look at the updated info on vaccinations. I did, and found, as expected, information about flu vaccination availability.
However, what I didn’t expect was an entry dated from when I first registered for a Carte Vitale, recommending me to have a shingles vaccination. I didn’t even know such a thing was available and, having searched through Survive Fance, have found a couple of mentions of it being a non-standard item.
Has every other over-50-ish person got this on their account and, if so, I wonder whether it’s something the doctor has to give an ordonnance for and where you would get one. Having known people with terrible residual health problems from shingles, it seems a good idea to me?
can’t see anything… but thanks for the thought… because I’ve just checked my
Attestation de Droits a l’Assurance Maladie… and … phew… it’s back to the rolling-12-months… hurrah.
Thanks, @stella - interesting. So they only recommend it if you have already had problems that have been diagnosed as shingles? Not as useful as I thought since, for the people I knew who had it, it was the first occurrence of it that left them with horrible health issues. Hmmmm
Will do. I’m due to see her soon anyway. What puzzled me was that it was in the list of two vaccinations recommended for me - the other one being the flu jab of course…
I had a shingles vaccine last month. Been "suffering " on and off with it for over 10 years but had been clear for the last year so my MT thought it would be a good idea. Apparently only about 50% effective though… but if it reduces the chance of getting shingles, have the jab.
I actually had my shingles jab in the UK - the local GP invited me after my 70th birthday. I did have to discuss with the nurse as I have chronic pneumonia following a virus nearly 5 years ago (just like Covid but earlier) and use an oxygen machine and apnoea machine at night. As a bronchoscopy had confirmed I didn’t have a viral or bacterial infection, she gave me the jab but did warn me to get in touch if I had any odd symptoms. The caution is because it is a live vaccine which behaves differently from others.
I got shingles from spending Christmas with my 3 chickenpoxy little cousins, I was 24 or 25, in Belgium they treated it by a load of physio sessions where an electric current was run along the nerve to zap the virus. It felt like having a pin stuck into one but no big deal after a couple of zapping sessions.
If caught quickly (like cold sores) it’s not too bad but my poor wife caught it just as we moved to South Africa on assignment and she was too busy to nip it in the bud. She had nasty, though not too big, scars on her side from it. I think stress can play a role in it flaring up.
My aunt had shingles more than once so a wee vaccine that can prevent is a blessing.
If you never had chicken pox this is very informative:
It used to be considered that chicken pox was just ‘one if those things’ to endure but no more! We know much more about viruses and their residual effects now.
If it were me, never had chicken pox but still have contact with children or other possibles, considering the current antivax attitude I’d maybe consider having the chicken pox vaccine. A blood check for antibodies may be the best determiner
I very much agree.
My late father had shingles and found it extremely irritating and painful.
I asked my GP for a shingles prescription a month ago, and was vaccinated a week after that.
I’ve attached a document (2 years old, but still valid) which details recommended vaccinations. 296671_spf00001916.pdf (1.0 MB)
I may have to investigate the possibility of a vaccination. The last time wasn’t so bad, but the first time I had problems with dizziness and the second time I felt like I’d fallen off a motorcycle. No permanent damage at least.
