Shingles (Zostavax or Shingrix) & Tetanus/Diphtheria (Boostrix) Vaccine

Still waiting for the Shingrix vaccine to arrive at any local pharmacy here in the Midwest USA. Supposed to be available by March 2018.
 
My wife recently got shingles at only 30 yo. Totally agree - this is not nice at all.

We caught it early as I have seen shingles before and the anti-virals had a chance to kick in before it spread too much.

Like many Indonesians, she got chicken pox when young and this just popped up out of the blue.

Your risk goes up as you get older but it is not just an issue for us over 50s.

I spoke to the dermatologist as Kasih Ibu hospital in Denpasar and he said once the shingles has cleared for 6 to 12 months with no ongoing nerve pain, get the vaccine. I will as well was born pre- chicken pox vaccine and had it as a brat.

Discussed the Shingvax vs Zoravax and he said wait for the Shingvax (NB: can recommend Kasih Ibu for Bali expats - top hospital).

NB: Diagnosis consultation with a dermatologist, anti viral, non steroid pain killer, powder to stop the itching - all up 927,000 Rp.
 
My wife recently got shingles at only 30 yo. Totally agree - this is not nice at all.....
Did your wife's MD give you any idea when the Shingrix vaccine will be available in Indonesia?
 
Did your wife's MD give you any idea when the Shingrix vaccine will be available in Indonesia?
Unfortunately not but he was implying between 6 and 12 months as it is what he wants us to both vaccinate with. He said Shingrix looks much better and if you take the Zostavax you may as well come back for the Shingrix.
 
My understanding, as well, regarding the effectiveness of Shingrix versus Zostavax. Pharmacies around here speculating that Shingrix may be available by March, but no hard information.
 
When I had Shingles last year I discussed with my son the vaccination, but as he is 50 we thought a few more years before he required it, sadly he informed me he has Shingles, so it appears age is doesn’t come into it, a friend of mine also contracted it he was 55, so perhaps if you are in you 50s think about it
 
My 50's have been in the rearview mirror for quite some time. I am interested in getting a Shingles vaccination, perhaps in Jakarta, if I can find out if it is available at SOS or other hospital or clinic in town.
 
Well both injections are free in the UK for over 70s, sorry it doesn’t help you much
 
You would think Shingrix would be covered in the USA as preventive care, but it is not, at least not by Medicare. The vaccine cost around $200. I am not in a hurry to fork over the cost of the shot. If I cannot get it while we are in Jakarta this summer, I suppose I will get innoculated when we are back Stateside in August.
 
Glad you resurrected this thread - I am headed to Singapore next week for a full check-up, and now you have reminded me to ask them if I can get the shot there.
 
I just had my annual physical, and the doctor recommended the Shingrix vaccination at that time. I didn't know much about Shingles, except for one of the co-workers who I know at the office that had it. He's a pretty tough person, but said shingles was one of the worst things that ever happened to him. So when the doctor was explaining the history of the Shingles vaccination, I was paying close attention. He said that Shingrix was fast-tracked due to it's superior results over Zostavax. Shingrix has about a 95% protection rate, and Zostavax is about 50% (this according to my doctor here in the Houston area).

In any case, he talked me into it, and I went ahead and got the first injection then and there. That was about 10 days ago. He said that I need to come back within 2-4 months to get the second injection. I'll have to say it's one of the more painful vaccinations I've ever had. It's a long needle, and has to be intra-muscular in the arm. For 2-3 days I experienced quite noticeable pain, having trouble lifting my arm up. The following day had full body aches, a fever, and just felt terrible, wishing I had stayed home from work. I ran into into my co-worker at the office, and he said no matter what aggravation the vaccine was causing, it would pale in comparison to getting shingles.
 
Glad you resurrected this thread - I am headed to Singapore next week for a full check-up, and now you have reminded me to ask them if I can get the shot there.
Not sure if Shingrix is available yet in Singapore (it is not yet listed as an available product on the GSK Singapore website), and do note that it requires 2 injections 2-4 months apart, as Chiron points out above. However, the other vaccine Zostavax is widely available and requires only one jab.
 
From what I have heard and read, Shingrix is far superior to Zostavax, and yes, it involves two shots.

I would, of course, be interested in hearing if it is now available in Singapore.
 
Reviving an old thread. Did anyone manage to find a place in Jakarta to get the Shingrix vaccine? Thanks
 
I can't answer Shockrave's question but may have other info potentially useful to getting the current Shingles vaccine...

For people like waarmie, who divide their time between Indonesia and the US: A few weeks ago I got my first Shingrix vaccine in Hawai'i, and I have some whateverish American health insurance - the vaccine was FREE (to me on the spot, maybe it affected my overall co-pay/deductible status but I certainly wasn't charged specifically for the shot) at the CVS pharmacy where they injected me.

For everyone ... I am a big believer in vaccines and I have known people who got shingles and were severely debilitated by it, so please don't take this post as anti-vax. I am very PRO-vax.

Having said that, no one told me that the Shingles vaccine was going to ruin about 48 hours of my life after getting injected. Damn, that vaccine is rough. I don't react to much of anything, but that vaccine laid me low. When I told friends, those who had had it already said, "oh yeah, that stuff sucks. Get the vaccine when you can afford to spend 48 hours feeling like s**t."

I didn't know this, and it caught me off guard. For the second Shingrix shot, I'll be sure to get it when I can afford to do nothing but moan and watch Netflix for a day or two.
 
Yes, I got the Shingrix vaccine at least a couple of years ago; actually as soon as it was approved and finally available. As I said earlier, it is far superior to anything that came before and I do not recall an adverse reaction except a sore arm for a day or so, for both the first and the booster. Like Puspa, I am firm believer in the effectiveness of vaccines. If there is a vaccine line, I am in it. Had 2 covid shots and 3 boosters so far; got my annual flue shot in September.
 
In a few years I’ll need to get my shingles shot, and I’m not looking forward to it. My coworker is about to get it, and she’s not thrilled because she heard terrible things. She believes that it’s effective and necessary, but she obviously doesn’t enjoy the pain.

I just got my second covid booster shot, and I had a mild fever and a sore arm for a day. It’s a bit surprising because I had very mild reactions to the previous shots.
 
I asked my GP for this vaccine twice in the last year. They said they’d ask the insurance to authorize it, but never got one.
 
In a few years I’ll need to get my shingles shot, and I’m not looking forward to it. My coworker is about to get it, and she’s not thrilled because she heard terrible things. She believes that it’s effective and necessary, but she obviously doesn’t enjoy the pain.

I just got my second covid booster shot, and I had a mild fever and a sore arm for a day. It’s a bit surprising because I had very mild reactions to the previous shots.
As I have said, I got the Shingrix vaccine as soon as it was available in the USA. No adverse reaction or other problems beyond a sore arm. Getting shingles is the real nightmare in this story. Get vaccinated ASAP.
 

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