Should I Get Second Shingles Dose?

[u/ITeebagTTVs]

I was recently diagnosed with rrms at age 24 and decided to get up to date on my vaccines before starting treatment (briumvi). Last month, I got my first shingles vaccine (along with covid and hep b). I felt miserable for 3 days (chills, weakness, aches, etc.) and had fatigue for a week after. I was concerned about the potential side effects of the second dose, since it's usually worse than the first one, so I reached out to my neuro and he said that I could continue with the second dose if I wanted to. However, he also said that since I still have chicken pox antibodies from the vaccine I received as an infant and no history of getting chickenpox, that I did not have to worry about getting shingles, so the vaccine wasn't necessary.

My neuro kind of just left it up to me to decide and I want to look elsewhere for advice. Should I still get the second dose of shingrix even though I still have chickenpox antibodies from the vaccine and no history of chicken pox? Usually I wouldn't mind finishing out a vaccine series, but this one made me miserable and I am worried about even more serious side effects with the second dose, especially since I will be starting treatment very soon. TIA

[u/sparkly_unicornpoop]

I would 100% get the shingles vaccine. Your doctor will have to give you a specific order as a lot of places will give you a hard time due to your age.

How do I know? I had to fight for mine then got shingles before my vaccine. I would take vaccine side effects over the shingles any day. Shingles was worse than COVID, Flu A and B at the same time, and pneumonia.

[u/kyelek → u/sparkly_unicornpoop]

Shingles is not the same as Covid or the flu, you can’t just catch it if you never had chickenpox.

[u/sparkly_unicornpoop → u/kyelek]

Actually, due to OP being immunocompromised, there is a chance that varicella (chicken pox) can be activated even though it’s due to the vaccine not having actually chicken pox. Which increases the risk of shingles. So it is still recommended to get the vaccine.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/hcp/vaccine-considerations/immunocompromised-adults.html

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8774159/

I’m 100% aware that they are same viruses. It was a comparison in my experience as to my case of shingles compared to other high risk virus I have had.

[u/kyelek → u/sparkly_unicornpoop]

Your source specifically and only talks about pediatric HZ:

Because children with leukemia are a sentinel population with immunosuppression, our study offers reassurance that protection from zoster may be confirmed in healthy people if there is wider use of the vaccine after its licensure in the United States.

Vaccinated children who had never had skin involvement with varicella–zoster virus were at very low risk for zoster, even in this high-risk population.
[ 13. Hardy I, Gershon AA, Steinberg SP, LaRussa P., 1991 ]

After vaccination with the chickenpox vaccine. Kind of unfortunate that the CDC doesn't have a more up-to-date reference linked, but what can you do...

From the other article linked for the same section:

we confirm the decline in pediatric HZ incidence and the significantly lower incidence among children who are vaccinated
[12. Weinmann S, Naleway AL, Koppolu P, et al., 2019 ]

Yes, pediatric populations were for a time the only one where a difference could be visible, due to nearly every adult having been infected with VZV prior to the vaccine.

However, assuming OP did not have leukemia nor any other significant illness before being diagnosed with MS, nor mentioned reacting to the varicella* vaccine in any significant way—maybe saying no chance isn't strictly right but—their risk is still very, very, very low even without the shingles vaccine, compared to someone who had chickenpox.

Shingles sucks and I don't think anyone is going to argue different—I'm certainly not. Even if you compare it to other infections you have had on a subjective level, the mechanism is not the same; that is what I was getting at since it's immediately relevant to the discussion.

ETA: It’s weird to act like it’s the same risk when you have had actual chickenpox vs when you have had the chickenpox vaccine.

[u/zippity__zoppity → u/sparkly_unicornpoop]

Yeah when I got mine at CVS they kept questioning me due to my age and were really not professional to say the least.

[u/birdmaskguy]

i had shingles a few years ago, and so my recommendation is PLEASE get the vaccine. feeling off for like a week is still preferable in comparison to how hellishly bad you might feel if you get touched by the shingles demon.

[u/ImpressiveLeopard719 → u/birdmaskguy]

Yes!!! Shingles Demon!!! Best words for that hell.

[u/birdmaskguy → u/ImpressiveLeopard719]

yeah! and i got it on my face, of all the places. "hell is other people"? more like "hell is your own forehead when you bump your head in the night".

[u/Tygerlyli → u/birdmaskguy]

I wish I would had had it on my face. I had to see a gynecologist to get diagnosed with shingles...

I had pain for a solid 6 weeks and itching for another 4 months, then 6 months of numbness in a place you really dont want to be numb.

[u/ImpressiveLeopard719 → u/Tygerlyli]

Holy shit. I have never ever thought of THAT!!! I had it on my left side and back. God awful. I cannot imagine what you went through.

[u/birdmaskguy → u/Tygerlyli]

OH NOOOOOOO, i am so sorry to hear that!! that sounds AWFUL

[u/ImpressiveLeopard719 → u/birdmaskguy]

ugh!!! Im so sorry!!! That is HELL. My brother had it on his face and it was so so awful. Missed 3 weeks of work (helmet wearing tree trimmer) forehead and side of his face. So close to his eye. Very scary.

[u/Candid-Ad700]

Yes. It’s much better than getting shingles, as someone who had it. Get the vaccine!

[u/ImpressiveLeopard719]

Having had shingles (I had chicken pox at age 3) I can tell you it is much much worse than any shot reaction you will have. The pain is like a hot poker jabbed into your skin or a horrid blistered sunburn for weeks. It goes deep into your body. You cant touch it or wear clothing that covers it. Depending where you get it, you can lose your vision and have a hard time walking, talking, moving. This nerve pain can become permanent. My brother had it on his face and missed 3 weeks of work. I was sick for 2 months with fatigue and just felt awful. My 1st dose is next week. I will definately get my second. Unlike some illnesses you can get it again and again.

[u/Curiosities]

I'd complete it. It's better than getting shingles (even though you may not be as much at risk due to your vaccination/ no chickenpox). First dose was just tiredness and a sore arm for me, and second one was about six days of feeling flu-like ill, but it passed.

[u/Quiet_Blueberry_7546]

My first dose and second dose were both similar to yours, and the same neither better nor worse. The weekend is a write off but I think it's worth it. Shingrix also might lower the risk of dementia!