No one is surprised these days when yet another vaccine is introduced, this time it is the Shingles Vaccine.
I have recently spoken with 2 of my older friends who, on the advice of their doctor, decided to get this new Shingles Vaccine. I know 2 people is a small sample group for research, but I can tell you that both of the friends I spoke with, got shingles after receiving the shingles vaccine. Neither of them had ever had an episode of shingles before, but each was miserable in their own way with the symptoms of shingles.
Let’s back up just a minute. Shingles, come from chicken pox virus. If you have had chicken pox, you have the virus in your system. Once the chicken pox flare up is gone, the virus lives within your body for the rest of your life. Some people, when their immune systems get compromised or as they age, will experience the painful symptoms of shingles. In all fairness, it can be quite serious some of the time. The virus lives in the NERVES so when if flares, it usually follows the path of a specific nerve. This can show up as a “line” of breakout” that looks a little like a herpes virus breakout. That is because it is actually a form of herpes, herpes zoster. We have discussed immunity and vaccinations in general at Asheville Chiropractic office Whittington Chiropractic several times during some of our “health discussions.”
You cannot “catch” shingles. It is not contagious. However, if you have not had chicken pox, you can catch chicken pox from someone with active shingles.
So,let’s get back to the shingles vaccine. This new “miracle” shingles vaccine is being highly touted by medical doctors, especially to the aging. Remember, these people are the ones most likely to blindly follow medical advice without any question. The vaccine costs between $200-$300 per dose! Now, the elderly do not pay this. Medicare does. (a topic for a whole other conversation) So, since the vaccine is “free”, and they are being told they “need” it if they have had chicken pox, lots of older folks are opting to get this questionable vaccine.
My father in law was told that 50% of the people who get the vaccine get shingles from it. This was the case for him. He was miserable on his 80th birthday, with an outbreak of shingles, which he has never had before until he got the shot.
He was also told that 30% of the population normally gets shingles anyway. So let’s do the math. According to his doctor, you have a 50% chance of getting shingles with the vaccine and 30% chance if you don’t? What sense is that? The selling point is, I guess, that they are told that if they do get shingles from the vaccine, the symptoms will not be as bad in comparison to what it would be like if they did not get the shot. For my father in law, this was not the case. Having shingles is definitely worse than not having shingles.
You figure the odds. For me? Just another vaccine, another nationally sponsored hoax to soak medicare and the elderly out of money and their health. I am sure there are some cases in which this vaccine might make sense. However, to give it to everyone, just because they are old? This borders on criminal to me. And, now that the vaccine manufacturers have been deemed by congress to be above the law and cannot be sued for harmful effects of their products, what is to stop this continuing onslaught of new vaccines for babies and adults.
Oh, and by the way, the effectiveness of this vaccine is shown by the drug companies own research to be between .25 and 1.70 % effective. Hardly a miracle drug by any stretch. So, I would advise anyone thinking about getting the shingles vaccine to think TWICE or THREE times and read up on it as well. Do not just take the advice that because it is FREE that it is a good thing
Let me know what you think? OK? Please post comments, I would love to here what you think or if you know someone with a story to tell.
