Golden Opportunities

Take your pick: the momentary discomfort of a shot, or weeks of excruciating pain from shingles? What’s new is that you actually have a choice. At last there’s a vaccine that actually prevents shingles! Here with the big news is Dr. Tim Brown, pharmacotherapy specialist at Akron General Medical Center and the Center for Family Medicine.

Question: What are shingles? What causes them? How common are they?

Answer: Shingles, or herpes zoster, come from the reactivation of the virus which causes chicken pox. The aging process itself can bring about this reactivation, as the immune system changes. Anyone who was ever exposed to the virus can have this happen.
There are 500,000 cases of shingles every year in the US, largely in the older population. The virus starts as a rash that follows the patterns of the body's nerve endings, in whatever area of the body the virus was reactivated. Then pain begins.
Pain that lasts 30 days after the rash is called post-herpetic neuralgia, and can be significant.
If a rash develops, see a doctor soon. Beginning treatment within 48 hours is critical.

Question: How are shingles treated?

Answer: There is no cure for shingles. It is managed by anti-viral medication.

Question: I understand that a vaccine has been developed to actually prevent shingles?

Answer: Yes, called Zostavax. It's similar to the chicken pox vaccine, as it contains a live virus that has been changed to not cause the disease, but instead to rev up the body's immune system to the virus.

Question: Who should get the vaccine? Do you need to get it yearly, or just once? Any side effects?

Answer: You should get the vaccine if you are 60 years old or older and have not had shingles. The closer to 60 you are when you get the drug, the better, because our immune systems are harder to get going the older we get.
You only need to have the vaccine once. It's effective in 64 percent of those who have it. In the remaining 36 percent of people, it causes any bout of shingles to have a shorter duration and to be less painful.
The only side effect would be pain, redness, and swelling at the site of the injection.

Question: Who should not get the vaccine?

Answer: Anyone who has already been diagnosed with shingles.
Remember, this is a live virus, so anyone who is immuno-suppressed should not receive the vaccine. This includes those with active cancer (i.e. receiving radiation treatments), HIV, or one who takes chronic steroids.
Do not have the vaccine if you are allergic to gelatin or to neomycin, an anti-fungal drug.

Question: Is the vaccine covered by insurance?

Answer: Right now, getting the vaccine is not a universal recommendation-you'll have to bring it up to your doctor if you are interested. You'll want to call your insurance companies-some will pay for it. As for Medicare, I understand that it may be covered under Medicare Part D, again depending upon the plan you have chosen. So call beforehand.
The vaccine costs about $250 if not covered.

Take your pick: the momentary discomfort of a shot, or weeks of excruciating pain from shingles? What's new is that you actually have a choice. At last there's a vaccine that actually prevents shingles! Here with the big news is Dr. Tim Brown, pharmacotherapy specialist at Akron General Medical Center and the Center for Family Medicine.

Getting this new shot is the shingle most important thing you can do to avoid the terrible pain of shingles! To learn more, give Akron General a call. The number's next. My thanks to Dr. Tim Brown.