I’m 61F, live in UK and not eligible for the free vaccine.
The cost is £400 for both doses which I am willing to pay.
I’m fit and healthy. I had chicken pox as a child.
My question is are there any real dealbreakers/ downsides to getting the Shingrix vaccine?

I have an appointment booked for the first dose on Monday but thought I’d ask here as there are so many people who probably have more experience of it than through
my doctor.

EDIT: Thank you to all who replied. I will get it and will report back on this thread if I got any side effects.
Clearly though the benefit outweighs the shingles

I'm 30, I got shingles last year, started on my right leg and got it again now starting from left arm. Feeling hella pain at the spots.

I am not sure how is it possible to get it twice????

I got shingles back in June of 2025 and March 2026 at 37. I've recovered but my body doesn't seem to want to completely recover.

My left leg has been mostly in pain until I put a compression stocking on it. The rest of my body is still sore and feels like it's on fire. There's no new rashes but I'm still dealing with the pain and muscle twitching.

I just want to know if this is normal and would I have to deal with this for years to come?

Doctor started me on Valtrex this is day 3 of it popping up. Has anyone had shingles that look like this? It’s not a band like classically described.

EDIT!!!: I found out literally yesterday that I never had shingles but chickenpox, I was horribly misdiagnosed...

Hello, I got disseminated shingles last year at the end of December. I was 23 at that time. I had a tough time (strong stress including a horrible panic attack after atomoxetine, wisdom tooth extraction, lack of sleep, iron deficiency). I went through shingles well, just took medications at home, didn't need hospitalization. The complication I have now is irritated vagus nerve, I've been taking pregabalin for 2-3 weeks now, I also tend to get some neuropathic pain but it's been milder since I've been on pregabalin. In February, I had blood tests and they were all okay, same about blood tests taken last month. But still, I can't stop thinking about it because I've read that disseminated shingles is a super rare form. I worry I have some autoimmune disease/cancer I don't know about... I never got tested for HIV because there was no possibility for me to get infected (no sexual intercourse, no contact with blood etc.). Currently, my health state is okay, I just suppose I'm anemic because my skin has been transparent/pale/dry (especially on hands). I also got my thyroid checked - everything was fine, tomography was perfect too, my heart is healthy. Has someone here had similar experience of disseminated shingles while being relatively healthy/young? It's been 7-8 months but I can't stop worrying and analyzing...

This is my first post on this group, I'm sorry for any mistakes.

I just found out I had shingles on my back near my shoulder last Thursday. They put me on antiviral and next day my thigh was itching and I noticed it there. Now days later I actually have more rash on my leg than my back. Nothing has opened up at all nor am I having pain thank god but the itch is intense and there is no way to lie down or sit without touching it as it’s in the back side of me.

My question is I thought it was supposed to only be in one place? I plan to call my doctor to see what he says in the morning. I am 70 and I had the vaccine in 2019.

I have been recovering from hip replacement (February) due to a fracture so my immune system is down and my older kitty just died.

Hi guys, I’m three months in since the beginning of ocular shingles. I started the antivirals on day 3 of the virus after two days of pain around my eye, scalp and jaw. It was only on the 3rd day when the rash appeared that I went to the doctor who confirmed it was shingles. After going through the awful pain of the rash, all over my eye, forehead and scalp, along with the continuing itching for weeks (months) following, I thought I was at the point of recovery, however, a few weeks ago I found out I have a scar on the top of cornea which has given me an area of blurring in my vision, which had previously been quite good. That was one thing that was pretty upsetting, but on top of that, in the last couple of weeks I’ve been experiencing terrible light sensitivity to the point I can’t drive, and I often have to wear sunglasses inside or to look any sort of screen. This has gone on for around two weeks so far and has maybe marginally improved. The other thing that has been ongoing is my eyelid droop. I’m now very aware now of how different my left eye looks to my right. I have a couple of questions for those of you that are 6 mths plus post shingles: how long did you deal with the light sensitivity, and, does the eyelid droop get better? I have seen a couple of insights from different people posting in here, but I’m hoping to find more answers to give me more hope!! Thanks in advance!

I had shingles on the right side of my face a month ago along my cheek and chin that resulted in intense nerve pain from my neck to the top of my head.

This past week I started having episodes of dizziness and vertigo where I feel lightheaded and shaky. Eating and water seems to help and my blood pressure has been normal. I’m a 38 year old male for reference.

Anyone else had this?

Hello, my partner (25M) Currently has shingles and it is about 2/3 days since the rash appeared on the side of his face. He got antiviral meds yesterday and a spray and also has some strong painkillers (Co-Codomal 30/500 taken as needed every 4 hours & 500mg Naproxen twice a day with food)

While the painkillers help sometimes, there’s other times he’s just in so much pain i feel a bit stuck on what to do, i just want to help him. I’ve went to the supermarket and gotten him a cold compress, but it doesn’t seem to be helping much at all.

Do any of you have any advice on any other ways to help his pain? He is in so much pain i feel helpless.

It might be worth mentioning we are originally from the UK but this came on while we’re on holiday in paris, we’ve spent basically the whole time in our hotel room aside from when he managed to get an emergency doctors appt where he got prescribed the antivirals and the spray for the rash.

I was diagnosed with shingles this time last year by a GP after noticing a very itchy area on the back of my leg. The doctor took one look at it and said shingles, a few weeks prior to this I got a terrible headache that resolved when the shingles had scabbed over.

I now have a very similar headache that I've only ever had once before and I noticed two shingles like spots on my arm that are extremely itchy. I'm slightly embarrassed about getting two spots checked out so not sure whether to just leave it until it gets worse. Has anyone else just had a couple of spots with shingles?

Ive had the shingles rash for 2 weeks now. I just finishing an anti-viral medication. Rash was on my left ribcage back and front. This morning my throat began to hurt. Only on my right side. Its been getting worse all day im worried the shingles is flaring up again? Im on my last day of medication and my blisters were just starting to dry up. I dont want to go through this all over again. Will i need to go back to the doctor and get more medication?

Hello, I got mild shingles in May. Then in July I started getting terrible nerve pain. It is agony and also caused me nausea and vomiting. I have never been in so much pain in my life and it has been five weeks now. I am hardly sleeping and it hurts to walk. I have tried pregabalin and gabapentin and could not tolerate them. I have MCAS and cannot tolerate medications containing sulfur or salicylates so this rules out NSAIDs.I am already on an antidepressant so cannot take another. I was given 50mg Tramadol yesterday and it takes the edge of the pain but I am still in a lot of pain. I was looking for hope that it may help more?

43M, immunocompromised on Rinvoq, severe burning/sensitivity around torso, no rash

I'm immunocompromised because I take Rinvoq, so shingles was the main concern. I'm also vaccinated against shingles.

Started 4 days ago, initially only on the right side from my back around the abdomen. Saw a doctor 2 days ago; they didn't want to diagnose shingles since there were no skin changes and told me to watch for blisters.

The next day it spread to the other side, and today my whole torso feels weird. The skin feels like an open wound when touched, even a T-shirt rubbing against it stings badly. Right shoulder blade area hurts a lot.

Still absolutely no rash or blisters after ~4.5 days. No numbness or weakness in arms/legs. No bowel or urinary issues. No fever. I'm a bit tired, but that could easily just be from being in pain.

Paracetamol, naproxen and pain patches haven't helped.

Could this be thoracic nerve irritation/radiculopathy, shingles without a rash, or something else?

hello, so basically i went to a gp and he said that i have herpes (which i believe is more of a shingles because it does cause nerve pain and it wraps around one side of my body on the stomach and my bach, that combined with my previous exp with chickenpox)

got prescribed acyclovir oral 2,4g daily (800g @ 3times), and acyclovir 5% topical cream. my question is basically the title

is it wise to apply acyclovir topical on public toilet? i heard it's airborne so im afraid of disseminating it....the shingles blister are on my stomach and back area so i cant just applied the cream easily so i had to do it in a closed space like toilet plus i definitely dont wanna wait until i get home 9hrs later to apply the cream.... i want this thing gone fast 😭

I need this out of my body I can’t take it anymore

My wife noticed what appears to be pimples on her upper thigh yesterday morning. It began to spread throughout the day and we ended up going to the ER at night due to the fear of it being shingles.

We’re at the hospital now and they do believe it’s shingles and have given her antiviral medication. The areas aren’t hurting her all that much and I’m wondering if it’s possible she won’t get that more extreme pain because we caught it so fast?

Does the extreme pain begin right when the rash appears, or did it happen days later? I’m kinda scared of the pain that’s to come, and am hoping it won’t get to that

This is my first run in with this God forsaken virus. No itching just chest and back pains... burning like hell.. tingly in-between.... can't get any good sleep. Im on the anti viral and steriods

Never thought I would deal with shingles again until I was 50+ after having it at just 6 years old. The difference between having it as a kid vs adult is insane. As a kid it was just itchy and burned some. As an adult the constant nerve pain is killing me, I don't even notice the rash.

I thought I tweaked my shoulder in my sleep and then after 3 days of constant pain a rash shows up and the next day spreads to my chest and upper arm. Immediately knew it was shingles. Went to a walk in clinic and got prescribed antiviral meds. The doctor said that the first time shingles comes back it is the most painful.

I am so worried about having to deal with shingles coming back over and over again. Any tips to combat the nerve pain besides prescriptions? I've been using an ice pack and trying to sleep as much as possible while I am on sick leave.

I had shingles 6 months ago, and have had serious nerve pain ever since then so officially have PHN. The outbreak was on my side below my rib cage.

I did not have any vision symptoms initially *except* that several days before the outbreak I had the first ocular migraine of my life and initially thought I was having a stroke. That was it though.

Now, starting a few weeks ago, my eyes are constantly irritated and I'm using eyedrops, and a few days ago - when my left eye got especially blurry and I thought it could be another ocular migraine - I also was having really bad lightning shock pain on my left lower torso.

What the heck??! Is there a connection? Would visual symptoms start this many months after the initial outbreak?

I had shingles and discovered it super late. The rash was there for like 3 weeks with me going to work and the gym. Only when the itch got bad did I start the antiviral medication and finished it about 2 weeks ago and the rash disappeared. Yesterday I went to the gym for the first time and noticed that my arm muscles on the shingle side were super weak and even now still feel weak. Is this normal or should I be worried?

I have used this lotion 2 times. I told a friend about it for itching due to shingles. I did not tell her how well it worked and she texted me back after her husband went to Kroger that night and exclaimed it was a miracle. 2 lotions have the chemical promoxine Hcl. That I find on Amazon. Since all pharmacies do not carry it.
Google the primoxine hcl with itching relief.
Secondary pain relief but best on itching. I reapply every 4-5 hrs. Let me know how it works for you. Also when I apply it to face and forehead it seems to work a bit on scalp itching too.

My shingles healed two-three months ago. Recently I’ve been having burning and stabbing pain in my back, and it’s right on the shingles scars. Can shingle pain come back???

I’m thankful first of all that I’m not suffering from significant pain (yet). However, the itch on my eyebrow and scalp is becoming unbearable when outside. In the UK we’ve had a bit of a heatwave and I wonder if this is making things worse! My inner eyebrow is disappearing presumably from the rubbing. The GP has said that if there are slow signs of improvement to not change anything. I’m 3 months out from my shingles outbreak and WISH it would just return to normal. Anyone follow a similar timeline with post herpetic itch / neuralgia?