Patti in Michigan - I agree with you. My neuro (I am on my second because I moved) and they both recommend that I NOT get any shots - even for singles. I will take my changes.
Patti in Wisconsin On Wed, Oct 19, 2011 at 9:35 AM, <pjv1...@chartermi.net> wrote: > Our local newspaper has a medical column in the Sunday edition by Dr. > Anthony Komaroff. > www.ask doctor k.com Sunday had a column titled "shingles vaccine is a > good idea for adults over 60". A healthy 65 year old woman asked - what is > shingles and should I get the shingles vaccine. The doctor explained > shingles and the vaccine. Here is a portion of the article. > > "Getting the vaccine does not gurantee that you will noy get shingles. But > it does reduce your chances by 50 percent or more. And it does an even > better job of reducing your risk of postherpetic neuralgia. > > I've had patients worry that the vaccine itself could give them shingles. > That's because the shingles vaccine is made with a weakened - not dead - > form of the virus. And a tiny percentage of people do get either a shingles > or chicken pox - like rash within a month or so of getting the vaccine. > > You may wonder if the risks associated with the shingles vaccine, though > minimal, outweigh its benefits. And if we were only talking about shingles, > you might be right. It's not pleasant, but most people get through shingles > just fine. > > Postherpetic neuralgia is another story. It can last for months, even > years, and be debilitating. The shingles vaccine can cut the risk of that > happening by two thirds. And I'd say that tips the balance in favor getting > the vaccine. I've voted with my feet. I got the vaccine, because I've seen > too many of my patients suffer from postherpetic neuralgia. Chronic pain > can disrupt a person's life" > > (end of article) > > Jim, > I think this is a question for a neurologist. Unfortunately, I haven't > seen mine in three years so I cannot ask for you. I think it would be good > of all our Tmers who are seeing a neuro to call and ask if the neuro votes > yes or no for the vaccine and post the results for us. > > ------------- > > Regarding the flu shot: > > I did not have a flu shot proir to my TM that was later lableled idiopathic > - undetermined cause. I was also asked dozens of times during my > hospitalization and rehab if I had had the flu shot thus determining that > all medical personal thought the shot causes TM. Not so. Medical personnel > asked if we had had the flu shot because they know the flu shot can cause > various reactions and it is one of the many questions they ask a patient. > The neuro who diagnosed me with TM asked if I had the flu shot during his > first observation of me. I saw him for five years post TM and learned that > he, his wife, and children received the flu shot annually. > I asked my PCP in September why he didn't ask me if I wanted a flu shot. > He said, "Do you?" I questioned if he takes one and he said he did not > because he is not prone to getting the flu and he will not push them on his > patients. That was the best answer I've received yet. I am not getting > the flu shot. > > ------- > Patti - Michigan >
