chickenpox and shingles

[mellowtigger]

I've got that whole-body ache like the flu, and a temperature of 38.0C/100.4F. Ugh.

The medical clinic has reminded me for years that I need to get a shingles vaccine. I finally went to the pharmacy on Monday to get an injection. My upper arm where I got the shot aches the worst, but everything aches whenever I move it. Sit perfectly still, and I'm mostly fine.

Apparently it's a good thing that I waited. Since 2017, there's a new vaccine that does not use live virus yet it provides stronger protection. That's important to me, because I'm one of those weird people who got chickenpox on half his body. (I know it was something, and I think it was chickenpox.) Most people get full-body chickenpox, then later they get half-body shingles.  In theory, I'm still vulnerable to chickenpox infection in the neurons on the other half of my body. Chickenpox in adults is potentially awful, so I'd rather avoid it. This new Shingrix vaccine:

• provides protection in the 85%-95% range, which is great, so it's recommended even if you've had the old vaccination
• produces a stronger reaction for 2-3 days than other vaccines (hence my big aches, it seems)
• contains no thimerosal (a kind of mercury which I need to avoid)
• may be available only at the pharmacy, not the medical clinic (and I still don't understand why)
• requires 2 doses for full protection
• costs about $250/pair and probably (not guaranteed) is covered by insurance

- https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/shingles/public/shingrix/index.html
- https://www.consumerreports.org/shingles-vaccine/new-shingles-vaccine-shingrix-what-you-should-know/
- https://www.consumerreports.org/health/why-the-shingles-vaccine-cost-so-much/

Names are confusing, since observers over the years/centuries have applied different names to things they didn't know were related. Thanks to science, we now have a good identification and classification. I think I have this chart correct (HHV = human herpes virus):

• HHV-3 = varicella = chickenpox = herpes zoster = varicella-zoster virus = VZV
• HHV-3 = zoster = shingles = herpes zoster = varicella-zoster virus = VZV
  (same virus as above, but a different disease presents itself as a recurrence later in life)
• HHV-1 = cold sore = fever blister = herpes simplex virus Type 1 = HSV-1 (usually above the waist)
• HHV-2 = genital herpes = herpes simplex virus Type 2 = HSV-2 (usually below the waist)
• HHV-4 = "kissing disease" = "mono" = infectious mononucleosis = Epstein-Barr virus = EBV
• HHV-5 = cytomegalovirus = CMV
• HHV-8 = Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated herpesvirus = KSHV

Almost every human on the planet carries HHV-3. The large majority of Americans carry HHV-1 and HHV-4. The rest is varying degrees of saturation amongst the population.  Concern about herpes infection as a sexually transmitted disease seems almost quaint, since every human carries some variety of herpes virus.  They are successful little bundles of atoms.  They are annoying without usually being deadly, which is exactly the territory that a successful disease wants to occupy.

This vaccine reaction is supposed to last about 3 days, so I'm hoping to be back to normal by Friday.

And I still have that hole in my back. It's annoying to get old.

Edit 2019 June 12 Wed 16:35:
I'm doing so much better today.  No fever, and the aching is limited to my arm and shoulder where I got the injection.  Last night was rough, and I woke many times from pain or the uncomfortable sweating from the fever.  Today, though, is much better.  I'm over the worst of the reaction.

Comments

[mrdreamjeans]

I've had both shots. Mine were covered by insurance. I did have the Zostrax version, too ... I also had a bout with Shingles in 2000 ... on my leg. The rash went away after three weeks; the pain lasted for four months. I too had a strong reaction to the first shot ... Pretty much what you described, but it went away completely after two days. I had little to no negative reaction to the followup shot three months later.

[mellowtigger]

That's good to hear (about the lack of reaction to the 2nd shot). I'm still going to go on a Friday for that one, so I don't have to go to work and be productive if I do react again. But hopefully it'll be uneventful for me too.

[mrdreamjeans]

Good choice ... I am relieved you only take the Shingrex series once. :)