Book Board Chat

diane (furtima) I have read the same. In the case of my mother, she already was seriously ill. In the case of my aunt, they did find something else but not sure if her immune system was depleted. She ended up in the hospital with a TIA and they found something else. As she said at the time, "You go in for one thing and find out there are 20 more." Not that they found 20 things, just her sense of humor. In the case of my younger cousin, there was nothing else.

The point is that as we all grow older we are more likely to have things go wrong and getting the shingles vaccine ahead of that time doesn't hurt - well my arm was sore for a couple of days! I couldn't figure out why it hurt and then I remembered, oh yeah, that is where I got the shot! duh. Both DH and I have been seriously ill and it is something that could come back. Or something else might get us.

The doctor did say that while the shingles vaccine is not 100% effective in preventing it, studies have shown that those who have had the vaccine get much milder cases. Also in my reading about shingles, there is a high rate of re-occurance and some people even get it a third time. I tried to find if my aunt getting it now would help in the future. I think she said that her doctor said that she has to wait for a certain time period to pass where she is free of all of it before she could get it.

I haven't checked in with her lately and need to call. We usually talk on a weekly basis. Since I am thinking of her now, it would be a good time. We often find that we are thinking of each other when we call each other!