Shingrix: Mild side effects are common, as I discovered

NOTE: If you are generally opposed to vaccines, this is your choice, you are free to opt out of treatments you don't want, and I support your right to do that. If you are interested in the Shingrix vaccine, read on. I won't entertain debates here about vaccines in general.

As you know, Shingrix is a killed-virus vaccine that helps prevent shingles. According to the American Journal of Managed Care, about a third of all people will get shingles if they have had chicken pox, and the risk seems to be climbing.  If you're on hydroxyurea like me, you're considered immune compromised, and that adds another shingles risk factor. 

Fortunately, Shingrix, unlike the old vaccine, Zostavax, is a killed-virus vaccine and so safer for ET patients. It's also much more effective (about 90 percent) in preventing shingles. If you're over 50, your family doc or hematologist has probably urged you to get the Shingrix vaccine.

In the past year, Shingrix was scarce because production did not keep up with demand. My family doctor explained with some exasperation that everyone who got the old shingles vaccine rushed to get the new one, which is more effective, and that created a run on the supply. So those of us who a) had not had the old vaccine and b) who are immune compromised and can't take Zostavax often had to get on a waiting list at the local pharmacy or clinic.

You may want to let your local pharmacist know that you have an immune compromising condition. Mine moved me to the "priority" list for when the vaccine became available. Recently, Shingrix makers ramped up production, and I got a call from my local pharmacist telling me that my number was up. I got my first shot Sunday. 

I woke up Monday with a sore arm, and by lunch time, I felt like I was getting the flu. The site around the shot was red and sore, I was running a fever of about 100, and had aches and chills. It was mild as the flu goes, but I didn't feel like doing much besides sitting on the couch and reading. I took acetominophen and ibuprofen, alternately, every four hours. Also drank lots of water.  I took my normal dose of hydroxyurea. 

By Tuesday morning, I had a slight headache that went away quickly and felt much better. It's Wednesday now, and I'm back to normal.

I wasn't terribly alarmed, but I have never had an adverse reaction to a vaccine before, so I did a bit more digging. The makers of Shingrix note common side effects. The Centers for Disease Control has more information about Shingrix side effects and notes that they may prevent people from doing normal activities for a couple of days. 

So how common are the side effects? The FDA reported that, during clinical trials: 

• About a third of patients had redness around the injection site 
• About half experience "myalgia," or mild flu-like symptoms and feeling chilly
• About a quarter report a low-grade fever

Could ET patients, especially those on chemo, be more likely to experience these side effects? I don't know. 

But, statistically speaking, there is a good chance you may feel a bit low for a day or two after the shot. The best thing to do is to ask your pharmacist about this before the injection, and to read up using the handy links I've provided for you here.

I'll get my second shot (yes, you need two injections, two to six months apart, to be fully "charged" against shingles) sometime after April, and I'll report back about how that went. 

Meantime, I remember my grandmother having shingles. They lasted for many weeks, were painful, and left her with scarring on her neck. This faded somewhat, but she never went anywhere without a scarf or high-necked blouse, and her skin remained very sensitive. In some people shingles can be much more severe, and I felt it was worth it to get the shot, even with the side effects.

For more about shingles, check out the Mayo Clinic's info.  

Be well!

Related: Thinking about shingles

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