Talk To Your Doctor About Which Otc Medication Is Best For You
The CDC says you should “talk to your doctor about taking over-the-counter medicine, such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin, or antihistamines, for any pain and discomfort you may experience after getting vaccinated.”ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb
And you should also talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about your side effects, like “if the redness or tenderness where you got the shot gets worse after 24 hours” or “if your side effects are worrying you or do not seem to be going away after a few days.”
And for more on what not to do after you’ve been vaccinated, check out Don’t Do This for 2 Days After Your COVID Vaccine, Doctors Say.
Who Should Not Get Shingrix
You should not get Shingrix if you:
- Have ever had a severe allergic reaction to any component of the vaccine or after a dose of Shingrix.
- Currently have shingles.
- Currently are pregnant. Women who are pregnant should wait to get Shingrix.
If you have a minor illness, such as a cold, you may get Shingrix. But if you have a moderate or severe illness, with or without fever, you should usually wait until you recover before getting the vaccine.
Shingles Vaccine Side Effects: What To Expect
Shingles is a commonand preventableviral illness that can cause significant discomfort and serious health complications, including vision loss and long-term pain.
Caused by a reactivation of varicella zoster, the virus that causes chickenpox, shingles most often affects adults older than 50 years.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that healthy adults ages 50 years and older get the Shingrix vaccine. Shingrix is also approved for people 18 years and older whose immune system is weakened or compromised by a medical condition or immune-suppressing medications . Two doses of the vaccine, administered 2 to 6 months apart, are required for full vaccination.
You can get the Shingrix vaccine even if you:
- Dont know if you have had chickenpox
- Have had shingles
- Previously had the Zostavax vaccine
Also Check: How To Repair Nerve Damage From Shingles
Make Sure Youre The Right Age
The CDC recommends anyone 50 and older should get the shingles vaccine. This is because more than 99 percent of those over 50 years of age have had chickenpox and the varicella zoster virus stays dormant in their nervous system, waiting to reactivate with advancing age, says Leonard Friedland, M.D., vice president and director of scientific affairs and public Health for GSK Vaccines in Philadelphia. As people age, the cells in the immune system lose the ability to maintain a strong and effective response to the VZV reactivation, he says. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice currently does not recommend the shingles vaccination for people younger than age 50 years regardless of their history of shingles, Dr. Friedlander says. Though, if you are interested, talk to your doctor.
While younger people can get , their immune systems are more robust and should be sufficient to fight off the shingles virus immune systems naturally wean as we age, which is why those over 50 are more prone to incredibly debilitating complications. The most common complication of shingles is long-term nerve pain called postherpetic neuralgia about 10-to-18% of people who get shingles will experience PHN, Dr. Friedland says. And the risk of PHN increases with age. An older adult with shingles is more likely to develop PHN and have longer lasting and more severe pain than a younger person with shinglespeople younger than 40 rarely experience PHN, he says.
What Everyone Should Know About The Shingles Vaccine
Shingles vaccination is the only way to protect against shingles and postherpetic neuralgia , the most common complication from shingles.
CDC recommends that adults 50 years and older get two doses of the shingles vaccine called Shingrix to prevent shingles and the complications from the disease. Adults 19 years and older who have weakened immune systems because of disease or therapy should also get two doses of Shingrix, as they have a higher risk of getting shingles and related complications.
Your doctor or pharmacist can give you Shingrix as a shot in your upper arm.
Shingrix provides strong protection against shingles and PHN. In adults 50 years and older who have healthy immune systems, Shingrix is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles and PHN. Immunity stays strong for at least the first 7 years after vaccination. In adults with weakened immune systems, studies show that Shingrix is 68%-91% effective in preventing shingles, depending on the condition that affects the immune system.
Recommended Reading: How To Fix Loose Shingles
If I Feel Good Can I Do The Usual
You wont need to skip work, a workout, or a social outing right after you get your shot because symptoms might occur. After you get the vaccine, you’re good to go and live life, says Dr. Lee. You can exercise and go about all your normal activities. So, if your response is mild and you feel well enough, youve got the green light to go about your day. According to the CDC, only one in six people had reactions that prevented them from doing their regularly scheduled activities.
-
Shingles Stats: Centers For Disease Control And Prevention . Shingles .
-
Shingles Vaccine Effectiveness:Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for Use of Herpes Zoster Vaccines.
-
Shingles Vaccine Side Effects:Pharmacy and Therapeutics. Shingrix: A New Herpes Zoster Vaccine.
-
Pain Relievers and Vaccine Effectiveness:Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics. Effects of Antipyretic Analgesics on Immune Responses to Vaccination.
-
Rare Reactions to Shingles Vaccine: CDC. Shingles Vaccination.
How And When Is Methotrexate Taken
Methotrexate can be taken as a tablet, liquid or injection.
Methotrexate should be taken on the same day once a week. Youll be given a starting dose of methotrexate while your rheumatologist tries to bring your condition under control, but this might be increased if it isnt helping your symptoms.
Methotrexate tablets come in two strengths: 2.5 mg and 10 mg. To avoid confusion, its recommended you only be given one strength, usually 2.5mg. If you are prescribed both tablet strengths be very careful not to confuse them, as they can look quite similar.
If you are starting methotrexate injections, you’ll usually be given your methotrexate injection by a health professional. They will often show you how to inject yourself using either a syringe or injector pen, so you can do it at home. Let them know if you think you will have difficulty injecting yourself.
You must always wash your hands before and after handling methotrexate.
Recommended Reading: What Does Shingles On The Scalp Look Like
Side Effects Of The Shingles Vaccine: Is It Safe
Shingles is a painful rash caused by varicella zoster, the same virus responsible for chickenpox.
If you had chickenpox as a child, the virus hasnt completely gone away. It hides dormant in your body and can reemerge many years later as shingles.
About 1 in 3 people in the United States will develop shingles in their lifetime. This is why vaccination is important. But you should also be prepared for possible side effects. In this article, well discuss the side effects, and talk about who should get the vaccine.
Older adults are most likely to develop shingles. This is why the shingles vaccine is recommended for people ages 50 and older.
Shingrix is the only shingles vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration .
The Shingrix vaccine is a recombinant vaccine. This means vaccine manufacturers created it by altering and purifying DNA that creates an immune response to fight the virus.
The CDC recommends Shingrix for the prevention of shingles and related complications. The Shingrix vaccine is also recommended for anyone who has already gotten another type of shingles vaccine.
Currently, the CDC recommends healthy people ages 50 and older get the Shingrix vaccine. Doctors administer the vaccine in two doses, which are given 2 to 6 months apart.
The Shingrix vaccine has high success rates in protecting people against shingles.
The Shingrix vaccine is as much as effective in preventing shingles. The same is true for Shingrix and postherpetic neuralgia.
Does Acetaminophen Impact The Immune Response
Often, people elect to take an over-the-counter pain reliever, or give one to their children, prior to vaccines to help with the side effects. Remember a vaccination can cause injection site soreness and elevated temperature afterwards, Hepfer said. Acetaminophen can both relieve pain and reduce fever, but always speak with your pediatrician first to review dosage.
The discussion about acetaminophens impact on immunity comes with the fever-reducing effect. Typically, fevers are a sign your body is working to kill a virus. As a result, many people worry an over-the-counter drug that reduces fevers will impact how well your body fights the viral agents from a vaccine.
Hepfer said the jury is still out on this. While the administration of acetaminophen has been commonplace after childhood immunizations for fever and/or pain at the injection site, several newer studies question whether acetaminophen makes vaccines slightly less effective, Hepfer said. While acetaminophen is not contraindicated, the American Academy of Pediatrics notes that some pediatricians are no longer recommending it for prophylactic use against vaccine side effects.
Don’t Miss: What Is The Start Of Shingles
Redness At Injection Site
Redness at and around the injection site is common and may appear immediately or some days after receiving Shingrix. This redness commonly develops due to a localized immune system response, which shouldnt cause further concern.
Arm redness should disappear within a few days after receiving the vaccine. However, if you experience redness with a rash or severe pain, let your doctor know as soon as possible.
Common Vaccine Side Effects Versus A Reaction To A Vaccine
Just like how most medications have side effects, vaccines also have varying levels of side effects, Hepfer said. For the most part, vaccine side effects are minor and temporary. Unless your health care provider recommends against a vaccine for you or your child for a health reason, the side effects are not big enough to warrant skipping a vaccine.
The most common side effects from a vaccination are pain, swelling and redness at the injection site. You or your children may also notice a mild fever as well as general soreness on the arm or leg of the injection.
There is a difference between a common side effect and an allergic reaction to a vaccination, Hepfer said. An allergic reaction may be a rash, difficulty breathing or even something more severe. If that happens, you need to contact your health care provider. However, an elevated temperature is generally nothing to be concerned about.
Hepfer notes an elevated temperature after a vaccination is actually a good thing. It means your immune response is working.
Read Also: Do You Need Shingles Vaccine If You Had Chickenpox Vaccine
Who Shouldnt Receive Shringrix
Although vaccines go through rigorous safety testing to ensure they are safe, they arent suitable for everyone. You shouldnt receive Shingrix if you:
- have an active shingles infection
- have a severe illness or a fever of 101.3°F or higher
- have had a severe allergic reaction to Shingrix or any ingredient in the vaccine
- have no immunity to varicella based on a blood test carried out for other reasons
- are pregnant or breastfeeding
If you currently have shingles, another serious illness, or a fever of 101.3°F , wait until these issues have resolved to receive a Shingrix vaccination.
Weighing The Risks Vs Benefits
The vaccine to prevent shingles will help you to avoid shingles symptoms, which in most cases are quite mild but may cause intense pain in some people.
Shingles symptoms come in two stages: the prodromal stage and the eruptive stage. In the first stage, your symptoms may include:
About three to five days later, you develop a prickly and painful pimple-like rash. These pimples turn into blisters during this eruptive stage, and your skin may be red and swollen. Shingles sores also can affect your mouth, which is another symptom the vaccine can prevent.
Shingles isn’t generally life-threatening. It can be, though, if your immune system is compromised. During an outbreak and after the rash clears up, some people may experience complications that require immediate medical attention.
Common ones include:
- Postherpetic neuralgia : Damaged nerves cause lingering pain for three months or more.
- Bacterial skin infections: When shingles blisters pop, bacteria can get in.
- Eye damage: One branch of the trigeminal nerve goes to the eye. Damage there can lead to eye damage, which can be severe.
While you may experience side effects with the vaccine, the benefits outweigh the risks of shingles symptoms and complications in most people.
If you were vaccinated with Zostavaxa shingles vaccine that is no longer being givenask your healthcare provider about getting the Shingrix vaccine.
Don’t Miss: Does Walgreens Offer Shingles Shots
What Side Effects Are Possible With This Medication
Many medications can cause side effects. A side effect is an unwanted response to a medication when it is taken in normal doses. Side effects can be mild or severe, temporary or permanent.
The side effects listed below are not experienced by everyone who takes this medication. If you are concerned about side effects, discuss the risks and benefits of this medication with your doctor.
The following side effects have been reported by at least 1% of people taking this medication. Many of these side effects can be managed, and some may go away on their own over time.
Contact your doctor if you experience these side effects and they are severe or bothersome. Your pharmacist may be able to advise you on managing side effects.
- general feeling of being unwell
- pain, redness, itching and swelling at the injection site
Some people may experience side effects other than those listed. Check with your doctor if you notice any symptom that worries you while you are taking this medication.
Can I Give Shingles To Others
No one can catch shingles from you, but they can catch chickenpox if they have not already had it or had the shot. The chickenpox virus lives in the spots from shingles, and the virus can be spread until the spots are completely dried up. If you have shingles, you should stay away from babies younger than 12 months and pregnant women.
Read Also: What Is A 3 Tab Shingle
When To Seek Medical Advice
Shingles is not usually serious, but you should see your GP as soon as possible if you recognise the symptoms. Early treatment may help reduce the severity of your symptoms and the risk of developing complications.
You should also see your GP if you are pregnant or have a weakened immune system and you think you have been exposed to someone with chickenpox or shingles and haven’t had chickenpox before.
Will The Injection Site Be Sore
As with many vaccines, you may experience some soreness, redness, and mild swelling in the arm where you were administered the shot . To soothe it, ice the area. You can also take an over-the-counter pain reliever or anti-inflammatory such as Tylenol or Advil. If you develop itchiness on your arm, you can take an anti-histamine such as Benadryl, says Dr. Lee. When should you be concerned? If the area is blistering or has a lot of redness, call your physician to make sure youre not developing a skin infection, she advises.
Read Also: What To Expect When You Have Shingles
Is Shingles Contagious
It is not possible to catch shingles from someone else with the condition, or from someone with chickenpox.
However, it is possible for someone who has never had chickenpox to catch it from someone with shingles, as the shingles blisters contains the live virus.
In the UK, chickenpox is so common during childhood that 9 out of 10 adults have already had it and will not be at risk from someone with shingles.
Can Reactions Occur
Shingrix is pretty immunogenic, explains Dr. Lee. That means, like the COVID-19 vaccines, a lot of people develop a robust immune response, which can include fevers, headache, chills, and muscle and body aches within a day or two of receiving either dose, she says. However, these are usually temporary side effects lasting two or three days. When I took the shingles vaccine, I had all of the immune side effects, Dr. Lee adds. I was under the weather the next day and had to take a day off from work.
Read Also: What Triggers An Outbreak Of Shingles
Will I Feel Flu
Whether its your first or second shot, you may feel like you caught a mild flu in the days that follow. One in five people will have fevers or more systemic symptoms that kind of wipe them out, Dr. Weisenberg says. According to research, 44.5% experienced fatigue, while 37.7% developed a headache, and 20.5% spiked a fever. The same studies showed that side effects lasted an average of two to three days, and reactions were more likely after the second dose.
Go Over Your Allergies
If you are allergic to any of the vaccines ingredientslike soap bark, neomycin, or polysorbateor had an allergic reaction to a previous dose of Shingrix, you should not get the vaccine, Dr. Friedland says. You should also talk to your doctor if you have a weakened immune system due to HIV/AIDS or another disease that affects the immune system or are on immune system-suppressing drugs or treatments like adalimumab , infliximab , or etanercept .
Also Check: How Long Do The Blisters Last With Shingles
But Don’t Take Tylenol Before Your Vaccine
Brady explains that it is not recommended to take Tylenol or any other OTC medication in anticipation of potential vaccine side effects. “Certain pain relievers may inhibit the vaccine from doing its job resulting in potentially fewer antibodies,” he said.
Though Fauci says Tylenol isn’t one of them, it’s still best to avoid pre-vaccination. “People are gonna come back and forth and say, ‘Well, it could mute or dampen the immunological response to the vaccine itself.’ I don’t see any biological mechanisms why something like Tylenol would do that,” he told CSBN.
While there is little data on how these medications specifically affect the COVID vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends avoiding them until after your shot. “It is not recommended you take these medicines before vaccination for the purpose of trying to prevent side effects, because it is not known how these medications may impact how well the vaccine works,” the CDC’s website reads. And for more essential COVID news, check out This Common Medication Can Make Your Vaccine Less Effective, Study Says.