Duggars by the Dozen 42: Managing without TLC

[cacophony_grey]

I'm in my 40s and have already had shingles twice. When I was a kid, my grandpa had a complication from shingles known as neuralgia that lasted for almost 30 years. The nerve pain in his right arm was so bad that he only wore shirts and jackets with the sleeve cut off. Even in the dead of winter, he'd go out in only a down vest because he couldn't stand the "pressure" of a coat sleeve. My brothers and I grew up knowing never to approach my grandpa from his right side, and he and my grandma had to sleep in separate beds so she didn't accidentally bump up against him in the night.

I'm planning to get myself the shingles vaccine as a 50th birthday present in a few years.

Edited November 2, 2021 by cacophony_grey
Typo

[meep]

I've known two people to get shingles. Both in their 40s. One got it multiple times, all over their face and neck. The other on their butt. It seems absolutely miserable. I'm sorry to everyone who has gone through it. I hope to get the vaccine when I'm eligible.

[JermajestyDuggar]

You know what vaccine would be fantastic? A mono vaccine. That shit knocked me down for a month. I had strep and mono at the same time and I was constantly napping and tired all the time. I didn’t fully recover for months. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

Btw guys, I didn’t get mono from kissing 😝 I got it from sharing drinks at the bar with my girlfriends. We were seniors in college and getting senioritis pretty bad. We loved to all order different drinks and then taste each other’s drinks to see what we liked. Therefore I got mono from either my BFF or our other very close friend. The three of us had mono and strep all at the same time. My boyfriend at the time already had mono when he was younger so he never caught it from me. It put a real damper on senior year. 

[Bastet]

To those of you who are considering the shingles vax: while I don’t doubt for a moment the testimony of those who were thrown into hell for a week, this is by no means typical and you aren’t doomed to the same. I’ve had both shots and had no reaction at all. That said, I don’t think I’d choose to get it Christmas Eve. 😏 And note that everyone says they’d still get the shots. 

[Jackie3]

On 10/29/2021 at 2:08 PM, Casserole said:

Damn, I wish I had the confidence of a middle aged white man. 

Walking down the street in my city, I see broken and homeless middle-aged white men with no confidence at all. In my local Walmart, I see white men earning $12/hour facing eviction from their homes. The middle-aged white man who mows my lawn would not dream of running for state senator.

It's Jim Bob who has arrogance and moral blindness, not his entire race and age cohort.

[Expectopatronus]

16 hours ago, SassyPants said:

I had Varicella as a child in the early 60s and did have the 2 dose Shingrix vaccine for Shingles. My insurance did not cover these very expensive shots ( hundred of dollars/injection), but I did use a GoodRX coupon to save some of the costs. In the word of my pharmacist, “expensive, yes, but still better than Shingles.” All that said, these vaccines were the absolute worst I’ve ever had. The debilitating headache lasted a full week after each dose, and no medication relieved it. I seriously thought, can Shingles be worse than this? 

Short answer: yes. My dad had shingles and took more than a year to recover. The pain was unrelenting. It’s left him with permanent cognitive issues (a year of horrific pain meant a year without sleep, only able to eat minimal amounts of food which impacted his memory, processing speed etc). He dropped down to 140 lbs. It was terrible. I had the pox badly as a toddler and plan to get the vaccine the instant I’m eligible. My mom still fumes that rather than hospitalizing me, the paediatrician made her drive an hour each way for daily appointments. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

2 hours ago, Bastet said:

To those of you who are considering the shingles vax: while I don’t doubt for a moment the testimony of those who were thrown into hell for a week, this is by no means typical and you aren’t doomed to the same. I’ve had both shots and had no reaction at all. That said, I don’t think I’d choose to get it Christmas Eve. 😏 And note that everyone says they’d still get the shots. 

Which kind of reminds me of the Covid vax. My second dose was much easier than the first. When I hear so many people it’s the other way around. I just figure all bodies are different so all reactions will be different. Which is fine. But the unknown sometimes scares people. I think that’s why a small fraction of people put off their vaccines. It’s unfortunate.

[LanaBanana]

51 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

Which kind of reminds me of the Covid vax. My second dose was much easier than the first. When I hear so many people it’s the other way around. I just figure all bodies are different so all reactions will be different. Which is fine. But the unknown sometimes scares people. I think that’s why a small fraction of people put off their vaccines. It’s unfortunate.

Typically people that have symptoms after first dose rather than the second is due to them already having COVID-19 previously (knowing or unknowingly). More severe symptoms from the second dose is due to the body recognizing the proteins and going into ‘attack’ mode. Whereas if your body was previously exposed to the virus, it’ll react after the first dose. 

[Dandruff]

54 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

Which kind of reminds me of the Covid vax. My second dose was much easier than the first. When I hear so many people it’s the other way around. I just figure all bodies are different so all reactions will be different. Which is fine. But the unknown sometimes scares people. I think that’s why a small fraction of people put off their vaccines. It’s unfortunate.

I had the same experience with the COVID vax and was hoping the third shot would be even easier.  It wasn't.  The symptoms were closer to what I had with the first shot, not quite as intense, but the fatigue lasted longer.  None of them were especially bad.

The Shingrix shots, OTOH, really messed me up.  Took about a week to shake the effects of the first shot and closer to a month for the second.  Truly awful, though I don't regret getting them.  One side of my family seems prone to repeated bouts of shingles and I don't need that in my life (had chicken pox as a child).

[fluffernutter]

I thank the stars that I had no reaction to either moderna shot I got in march of last year or the Pfizer booster I just got last week. I got the flu vaccine last month and didn't react to that, either. Maybe I'll keep this trend going when I get the shingles vaccine in a year! 

[SorenaJ]

1 hour ago, fluffernutter said:

I thank the stars that I had no reaction to either moderna shot I got in march of last year or the Pfizer booster I just got last week. I got the flu vaccine last month and didn't react to that, either. Maybe I'll keep this trend going when I get the shingles vaccine in a year! 

I am the same. I had both Pfizer shots over the summer, and I had no symptoms at all (except for a sore arm the first time). I had the flu shot in October, and no symptoms, not even a sore arm. 

[Nashville92]

I had Moderna and had strong reactions to both.  With my first the worst pain was under my arm, my lymph nodes had swollen and it ached terribly.  The pharmacist said my symptoms were due to me previously having Covid.  The 2nd dose I had pretty bad pain in my arm and was exhausted.  The odd thing is my mom and grandma both have had Covid and got the Moderna shots and had very mild to no symptoms 

[libgirl2]

6 hours ago, Bastet said:

To those of you who are considering the shingles vax: while I don’t doubt for a moment the testimony of those who were thrown into hell for a week, this is by no means typical and you aren’t doomed to the same. I’ve had both shots and had no reaction at all. That said, I don’t think I’d choose to get it Christmas Eve. 😏 And note that everyone says they’d still get the shots. 

My friend had hers and had no reaction. I have gotten a flu shot every year no problem. My first Moderna shot I was fine with a very sore arm. My second I was bedridden with fever for almost two days. I got the booster on Friday. 50% strength.... I had headache and fever all day Saturday and most of Sunday. I plan on getting it but I think I might wait and do another Friday so I have a couple of days to feel better, though I do not look forward to sending my husband out for groceries. I told him we could do an online order but he refused. Then he griped the whole time and when I saw he bought something expired he said he just knew he would screw up. ACtually, I blamed the store. 

1 hour ago, Nashville92 said:

I had Moderna and had strong reactions to both.  With my first the worst pain was under my arm, my lymph nodes had swollen and it ached terribly.  The pharmacist said my symptoms were due to me previously having Covid.  The 2nd dose I had pretty bad pain in my arm and was exhausted.  The odd thing is my mom and grandma both have had Covid and got the Moderna shots and had very mild to no symptoms 

My co-worker had no reaction but she did to the booster. She also said her lymph nodes feel swollen. 

 

Edited November 2, 2021 by libgirl2

[feministxtian]

I had the Pfizer 2 dose this past spring. The first shot I was fine, the second one knocked me out exactly 24 hours after I got the shot. Felt kinda crappy and took a nice, long nap. Then I was fine. I need to see about the booster here soon.

[Not that josh's mom]

I've had annual flu vacs as long as I can remember, pneumonia vacs,  2 shingles vacs, 2 Covid vacs and I'll get the Covid booster soon. Sometimes a sore arm. Sometimes feel a bit off for a day or two. But I am just getting over a "cold" that has had me down and out for three weeks with antibiotics and steroids. It was far worse than any of the vacs. I'll continue to get any vaccinations or boosters that are offered.  

 

[EmCatlyn]

On 11/1/2021 at 7:40 AM, Sullie06 said:

I was born in 1983. Graduated HS in 2001. I never had the Chicken Pox and I've never been vaccinated either. My brother, who was born in 91, was offered the vaccine when he started HS but he had already had the pox when he was little so I don't believe he got it. We're in NY. 

The chicken pox vaccine was being talked about when my daughter got the chicken pox in 1991, but it did not become standard until a couple of years later.  My daughter brought it home from pre-school and gave it to her brother who was not quite two.  (Poor baby, he was so miserable! His sister at least understood that she was sick.)  I did not get shingles.

My mom got shingles in her early forties, a little after my brother and I had the chicken pox. It was a very difficult time for her in other ways (we had just moved to a strange country) and she always said the stress probably made her more susceptible.

[GreenBeans]

17 hours ago, fluffernutter said:

I thank the stars that I had no reaction to either moderna shot I got in march of last year or the Pfizer booster I just got last week. I got the flu vaccine last month and didn't react to that, either. Maybe I'll keep this trend going when I get the shingles vaccine in a year! 

I got a reaction after both shots of Moderna (a bit of a fever and flu-like symptoms, but only for half a day each time). Slightly annoying, but no big deal overall. I’ll take that any time over the (fairly low, but still not zero) risk of hospitalization, ventilation or death, thank you very much. Not eligible for a booster yet where I live. No side effects at all from my flu shot.

I will have to check out the shingles vaccine, but I don’t think I’m eligible for it here. My parents both got it, though, and did not appear to have any noticeable side effects (at least they didn’t mention anything).

It can’t be said often enough: Get your vaccines, everyone! All of them (in line with recommendations of actual degreed medical professionals of course)! It’s absolutely worth it, and some (mild or not so mild) discomfort over a couple of days at most is so much better than getting sick.

Edited November 3, 2021 by GreenBeans
Riffles

[HereticHick]

Sorry if its been posted already, but Jim Bob's  state Senate special election is set for Feb. 8, with the party primary on Dec. 14:  https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2021/11/02/special-election-for-district-7-senate-seat-sought-by-jim-bob-duggar-slated-for-february-8

Expect to see assorted Wissmanns, Bontragers, Bates and Bowers descending on NW Arkansas to wield campaign signs.

All the media announcements I've seen of this election feature pictures or video of Jim Bob. He's gonna win y'all. 

[Sullie06]

I had zero reaction except a sore arm with both doses of Moderna. My husband had no reaction either. My best friend had a mild reaction for about 12 hours after the first dose but she's a nurse and had antibodies so she had either been exposed or had a mild case at sometime prior to being vaccinated. 

[FiveAcres]

Purely anecdotal:

I have had shingles twice. The first time I had symptoms for over a week before I went to see my PCP. (I diagnosed myself the morning of the appointment and the PCP concurred.) She would have prescribed the antivirals even though I had probably missed "the window" when they are thought to work. The second time I came down with symptoms on the weekend and was feverishly googling to find out how long "the window" lasts. I managed to see my PCP first thing Monday morning and started taking the antivirals as soon as I could. My symptoms were much fewer and never progressed to the open sores.  I did have some fatigue the second time: I don't know whether it was the shingles or the antivirals. 

The symptoms I recognized the second time were the weird pains and phantom sensations that I had the first time. The pain is nothing like run-of-the-mill arthritis pain. The phantom sensations were like having large, invisible ants marching up and down my arm.

And yes, I will get the shingles vaccine. Getting the pneumonia vax is next on my list, and then I will start working on the Shingrix series. 

[CanadianMamam]

I am 38 and am currently recovering from shingles and it is agony. 

[viii]

I have Pfizer for both COVID shots and had zero reaction - not even a sore arm. I had my flu shot in October and it knocked me down for about 48 hours. I had zero energy, my whole body ached, I had chills... still would get it again though, if I had to. 

[libgirl2]

1 hour ago, viii said:

I have Pfizer for both COVID shots and had zero reaction - not even a sore arm. I had my flu shot in October and it knocked me down for about 48 hours. I had zero energy, my whole body ached, I had chills... still would get it again though, if I had to. 

I guess you just never know how your body will react. 

[Jewels64]

On 11/1/2021 at 9:02 PM, meep said:

I've known two people to get shingles. Both in their 40s. One got it multiple times, all over their face and neck. The other on their butt. It seems absolutely miserable. I'm sorry to everyone who has gone through it. I hope to get the vaccine when I'm eligible.

I am in my mid 40s and had shingles twice on my butt in my late 30’s. I was awful!