Last year, on or about December 22nd, I was diagnosed with shingles, also called herpes zoster, within 48 hours of noticing a red, itchy rash and small fluid-filled blisters on my inner thigh. I did not experience a lot of pain but my doctor prescribed acyclovir and triamcinolone acetonide cream for the blisters. If that wasn’t bad enough, the doctor told me I could not attend Christmas services at my church because I may be seated near someone who was pregnant or was on a cancer drug. Nor could I be around my grandchildren for about 10 days as the two youngest had not yet received their chicken pox vaccinations. I was devastated and basically quarantined which caused me to have one of the worst Christmases ever.
I took down the Christmas tree and the most of the decorations which I had joyfully put up before the shingles. It made me even more depressed to look at them. One of my neighbors graciously invited me to join her at her daughter’s house for Christmas, but I just wasn’t up to it. It would be over two weeks before I celebrated Christmas at my home with my family. They were fearful of contracting or passing on the zoster virus.
The Mayo Clinic reports on their website that, “anyone who has ever had chickenpox can develop shingles. Most adults in the United States had chickenpox when they were children, before the advent of the routine childhood vaccination that now protects against chickenpox.” One of the “factors that may increase your risk of developing shingles include(s): Being older than 50. Shingles is most common in people older than 50. The risk increases with age. Some experts estimate that half the people 80 and older will have shingles.”
“The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of the varicella-zoster vaccine (Zostavax) for adults age 50 and older. Like the chickenpox vaccine, the shingles vaccine doesn’t guarantee you won’t get shingles. But this vaccine will likely reduce the course and severity of the disease and reduce your risk of postherpetic neuralgia.
The shingles vaccine is used only as a prevention strategy, however. It’s not intended to treat people who currently have the disease. The vaccine contains live virus and should not be given to people who have weakened immune systems.”
I believe my bout with herpes zoster didn’t spread or become painful because I saw my doctor and began taking the antiviral medication right away. Most people who get shingles will not get it again, but it is possible to get shingles more than once. So check with your nurse practitioner or doctor to see if the vaccine is right for you.
The Christmas tree is up and my house is decorated. I am hopeful and excited for this Christmas season and pray this Christmas will be merrier than the last! How could it not be since I am well and my grandchildren have all been immunized with the chickenpox vaccine.