Vaccines for those of you age 40+

[jeremyp]

Chicken pox hardly ever represents a major problem. I could count on fingers of one hand all cases of chicken pox encephalitis I encountered in 1/2 century.

Maybe so but Shingles will occur in a lot of folks who had chicken pox and 1/5th of those cases will be serious. I'm 71 and am going through my 4th week of it and all my friends have either had it or know somebody who has. One woman has been in agony for 3 years.

[polevaultpower]

Chicken pox hardly ever represents a major problem. I could count on fingers of one hand all cases of chicken pox encephalitis I encountered in 1/2 century.

Maybe so but Shingles will occur in a lot of folks who had chicken pox and 1/5th of those cases will be serious. I'm 71 and am going through my 4th week of it and all my friends have either had it or know somebody who has. One woman has been in agony for 3 years.

There haven't been long-term enough studies to determine if life with the vaccine is better than life with natural immunity to the disease. The vaccine loses efficacy over time, adults are notoriously bad about getting booster shots, and getting chicken pox as an adult can be pretty serious.

There is currently no evidence that the varicella vaccine prevents shingles, largely because it is too new. The vaccine is a live vaccine, so you still have the virus in your body, which means you theoretically could still get shingles even if you never had chicken pox.

There is a shingles vaccine, jeremyp how many of your friends have had that? Just wondering...

[Pego]

Chicken pox hardly ever represents a major problem. I could count on fingers of one hand all cases of chicken pox encephalitis I encountered in 1/2 century.

Maybe so but Shingles will occur in a lot of folks who had chicken pox and 1/5th of those cases will be serious. I'm 71 and am going through my 4th week of it and all my friends have either had it or know somebody who has. One woman has been in agony for 3 years.

Yes, post-herpetic neuralgia is a horrible thing to have. Mrs Pego and I took the shot shortly after it became available.

[polevaultpower]

Most on this board seem to, at a minimum, frown upon parents who delay or decline any/all vaccines for their children.

Here is a pop quiz for T&FN members age 40+

When did you last have a flu shot?
When did you last have a Tdap shot?
Are you vaccinated against Hepatitis A?
Are you vaccinated against Hepatitis B?
Have you had the Meningococcal vaccine?
(Age 60+) Have you had the shingles vaccine?
(Age 65+) Have you had the Pneumococcal vaccine?

Bonus question: Without googling the answer, how many doses of how many vaccines does the CDC recommend before age 6?

[Daisy]

CDC recommend before age 6?

Just thinking of summer camp health forms, I'm thinking it's about 20-25

Last time I went to the doctor he gave me a whooping cough booster and a flu shot.

[gh]

....
(Age 60+) Have you had the shingles vaccine?
(....

And man, am I ever glad I did! The number of friends I've had who've been struck down by this nasty mother of late is kinda scary.

[Friar]

If you get it in the right place --the butt cheek-- it isn't that bad. One side gets infected, you are hurting for about a month. You have a week of nothing and then it attacks the opposite side (for another month).

I told a sister who had the CPs with me to get the shot and she's looked into it and says the price of the vaccine varies greatly. So shop around for a good deal if you are interested in getting it. I think some of the bigger chains are featuring the shot this month.

[Pego]

Most on this board seem to, at a minimum, frown upon parents who delay or decline any/all vaccines for their children.

Here is a pop quiz for T&FN members age 40+

When did you last have a flu shot?
When did you last have a Tdap shot?
Are you vaccinated against Hepatitis A?
Are you vaccinated against Hepatitis B?
Have you had the Meningococcal vaccine?
(Age 60+) Have you had the shingles vaccine?
(Age 65+) Have you had the Pneumococcal vaccine?

Bonus question: Without googling the answer, how many doses of how many vaccines does the CDC recommend before age 6?

I am a professional, yet I cannot answer the above. I think I had most of them, but that is not my point. People that establish standards know a lot more about it than I do. The clinic keeps my vaccination record and my internist advises me on those standards. My son and daughter-in-law are physicians somewhat older than your generation, but they also had their children immunized based on standards directed by their pediatrician.The same thing goes for my retirement fund. I have some idea how the funds are invested, but do not pretend than I can do it better than the professionals. I trusted teachers of my children, too.

[jeremyp]

Chicken pox hardly ever represents a major problem. I could count on fingers of one hand all cases of chicken pox encephalitis I encountered in 1/2 century.

Maybe so but Shingles will occur in a lot of folks who had chicken pox and 1/5th of those cases will be serious. I'm 71 and am going through my 4th week of it and all my friends have either had it or know somebody who has. One woman has been in agony for 3 years.

There haven't been long-term enough studies to determine if life with the vaccine is better than life with natural immunity to the disease. The vaccine loses efficacy over time, adults are notoriously bad about getting booster shots, and getting chicken pox as an adult can be pretty serious.

There is currently no evidence that the varicella vaccine prevents shingles, largely because it is too new. The vaccine is a live vaccine, so you still have the virus in your body, which means you theoretically could still get shingles even if you never had chicken pox.

There is a shingles vaccine, jeremyp how many of your friends have had that? Just wondering...

None of them. But my wife is getting it ASAP.

[jeremyp]

Chicken pox hardly ever represents a major problem. I could count on fingers of one hand all cases of chicken pox encephalitis I encountered in 1/2 century.

Maybe so but Shingles will occur in a lot of folks who had chicken pox and 1/5th of those cases will be serious. I'm 71 and am going through my 4th week of it and all my friends have either had it or know somebody who has. One woman has been in agony for 3 years.

Yes, post-herpetic neuralgia is a horrible thing to have. Mrs Pego and I took the shot shortly after it became available.

My dermatologist has just said that, because of the length of time I've had it without reduction in nerve discomfort, that that's what I have. I'm getting a neurologist to give me a second opinion. If it gets no worse I can live with it, but I have a friend who got better, then a few months later was in agony.

[gh]

so much for magic bullets....

<<It turns out that this year's flu shot is doing a startlingly dismal job of protecting senior citizens, the most vulnerable age group. The vaccine is proving only 9 percent effective in people 65 and older...>>


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/Fl ... z2LfeAyMpE

[mcgato]

And I recall a thread from a few years back where gh wondered why anybody wouldn't get a flu shot. I recall arguing against him. Good memories.

Shingles question: I had shingles when I was in about 4th grade. Am I more or less likely to get them again? I am currently in my early 50s. I'm not looking for a definitive diagnosis, but I figure some of the doctors on board may know a thing or two about shingles.

[Pego]

And I recall a thread from a few years back where gh wondered why anybody wouldn't get a flu shot. I recall arguing against him. Good memories.

Shingles question: I had shingles when I was in about 4th grade. Am I more or less likely to get them again? I am currently in my early 50s. I'm not looking for a definitive diagnosis, but I figure some of the doctors on board may know a thing or two about shingles.

I cannot give you statistics, but I have never seen a recurring case of Herpes zoster.

As far as the flu vaccination is concerned, 1 year of poor results does not invalidate the basic concept. Next year will likely be different.

[gh]

And for a day of a sore deltoid, decreasing my chances of infection by 9% is well worth it.

If you've ever had a legit "I think i'm gonna die" case of the flu, as I did at age 49, you'll do just about anything to avoid its happening again.

[mcgato]

I cannot give you statistics, but I have never seen a recurring case of Herpes zoster.

Thanks Pego, that was the info I was looking for. I will talk to my doctor about it on my next check up just to be sure.

As for the flu vaccine, I argued my case on the old thread. I just wanted to goad gh a bit, but I have no more to say about it.

[bambam]

Most on this board seem to, at a minimum, frown upon parents who delay or decline any/all vaccines for their children.

Here is a pop quiz for T&FN members age 40+

When did you last have a flu shot?
When did you last have a Tdap shot?
Are you vaccinated against Hepatitis A?
Are you vaccinated against Hepatitis B?
Have you had the Meningococcal vaccine?
(Age 60+) Have you had the shingles vaccine?
(Age 65+) Have you had the Pneumococcal vaccine?

Bonus question: Without googling the answer, how many doses of how many vaccines does the CDC recommend before age 6?

I am a professional, yet I cannot answer the above. I think I had most of them, but that is not my point. People that establish standards know a lot more about it than I do. The clinic keeps my vaccination record and my internist advises me on those standards. My son and daughter-in-law are physicians somewhat older than your generation, but they also had their children immunized based on standards directed by their pediatrician.The same thing goes for my retirement fund. I have some idea how the funds are invested, but do not pretend than I can do it better than the professionals. I trusted teachers of my children, too.

Superb answer from Pego. I've had all the above except for the meningococcal vaccine, and the Tdap shot, which I've never heard of.

[polevaultpower]

bambam you must not live in an area that had any big pertussis outbreaks recently. WA DoH spent quite a bit of money on advertisements to encourage all adults in WA to get vaccinated for it, pertussis is the P in TDaP/DTaP.

[gh]

I'm guessing that bam certainly had DPT back in the day; Tdap is a fairly recent formulation.

[Master Po]

Appreciate Pego's perspective, and now that I know what some of these are, I think I can say that I've had all shots except the one for shingles, which You all now have me scared about and the one that sounds like meningitis, which I don't know anything about (the shot, I mean). Will talk w my doc about these.

And completely agree w gh re flu shot. Ditto for pneumonia vaccine.

[gh]

at my recent physical my doc said no need for meningococcal shot; he recommends only for those in high risk.. as does the CDC, where this comes from

<<As an adult, do I need it?

See also: Adult Immunization Schedule

You should get either the MPSV4 vaccine or the MCV4 vaccine if:

You are a college freshmen living in a dormitory
You are a military recruit
You have a damaged spleen or your spleen has been removed
You have terminal complement deficiency
You are a microbiologist who is routinely exposed to Neisseria meningitidis (the causal pathogen)
You are traveling or residing in countries in which the disease is common.>>

[bambam]

For meningococcal vaccine, absolutely mandatory if your spleen has been/is removed. Friend of mine's brother lost his spleen in the 80s in a car accident and died a few years later from fulminant meningitis.

[lonewolf]

I had a flu shot a few years ago.. other than that, I do not know and there is no one alive who knows if I had any of those shots... since I am working on my 9th decade of life and can't remember ever being sick (unless I accidentally ingest pork fat) should I consider getting some of these exotic vaccinations?

[mal]

I had a flu shot a few years ago.. other than that, I do not know and there is no one alive who knows if I had any of those shots... since I am working on my 9th decade of life and can't remember ever being sick (unless I accidentally ingest pork fat) should I consider getting some of these exotic vaccinations?

Congrats reaching that tenure. Is it worth it? My thoughts are that I am barely able to stand or walk down stairs and I am on my 6th decade. I can't imagine wanting to be around another 20.

As for vaccines. Wouldn't have them on my mind. You clearly have a great immune system. If you aren't a sickly person, I see no reason for you to medicate. (I stayed at the Holiday Inn last night).

I have an immune deficiency (neutropenia), but never get sick. This year my family made me take the flu shot. Had never had it before, and with the strain going around I am not sure it did any good. But I didn't get sick.

I spent 30 years working in pharma. I took as few meds as I could. None that I didn't specifically need. If you are healthy, you are doing things right. At this stage the only prophylactics you should entertain should be the latex ones.

[polevaultpower]

I had a flu shot a few years ago.. other than that, I do not know and there is no one alive who knows if I had any of those shots... since I am working on my 9th decade of life and can't remember ever being sick (unless I accidentally ingest pork fat) should I consider getting some of these exotic vaccinations?

The pertussis vaccine is only recommended through age 64. I think older than that, they just assume that everyone got it as kids and has a natural immunity. I'm sure your immune system is far superior than that of most people my age and younger!

[Pego]

I had a flu shot a few years ago.. other than that, I do not know and there is no one alive who knows if I had any of those shots... since I am working on my 9th decade of life and can't remember ever being sick (unless I accidentally ingest pork fat) should I consider getting some of these exotic vaccinations?

The pertussis vaccine is only recommended through age 64. I think older than that, they just assume that everyone got it as kids and has a natural immunity. I'm sure your immune system is far superior than that of most people my age and younger!

My clinic insisted on every employee that has contact with patients to have one. The fact that I most likely had pertussis at the age of 5 and my age in the seventies only resulted in the company nurse's "understanding," smiling nod as she poked me with the shot .

[schigh]

The vaccine wasn't initially recommended for age 65 and older because that's the way the vaccine was licensed (how they did the trials). It's now recommended for that age group: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6125a4.htm

Neither the vaccine nor the disease provides lifetime immunity in the case of pertussis.

[bambam]

I had a flu shot a few years ago.. other than that, I do not know and there is no one alive who knows if I had any of those shots... since I am working on my 9th decade of life and can't remember ever being sick (unless I accidentally ingest pork fat) should I consider getting some of these exotic vaccinations?

To be honest, lonewolf, you are probably self-immunized after this amount of time. You've likely been exposed to it all.

[Friar]

Nothing mentioned about when the slow moving V enters the urethra. Quite a trip and not all bad.

I got this outbreak 48 hrs after Halloween (87?) which I insisted to my nurse/sister, triggered things, with a massive sugar spurt. I hadn't eaten any candy in a year (maybe longer). Nobody else who had the CP's with me has come down with Shingles yet.

[gh]

the word "urethra" is off-limits on this board! (groan) (too many vivid memories)

[Pego]

the word "urethra" is off-limits on this board! (groan) (too many vivid memories)

If you misbehave, I'll tell you stories about the catheters from the fifties. Uggh! .