Shingles

[Rob Lister]

A friend of mine got shingles. His wife says it was so horrible that he tried to kill himself. There is a vaccine available but I don't know how effective it is. It is much hyped in the media. A little research tells me my chances are ~1 in 100. Further research tells me that if I get it it will be the worst thing I've every had. Further-further research tells me that if I have met my detuctable I can get vaccinated for ~$19 under my coverage. It is hard to justify not doing it but I do not know how effective the vaccine is.

[shemp]

Mrs. Shemp had it a few years ago. It was bad but not so bad that she wanted to die. Shingles is often brought on by stress. Large quantities of ethyl alcohol taken orally can prevent this.

[Witness]

Shingles is due to a reactivation of varicella zoster virus (VZV) within a person's body. Chickenpox is due to an initial infection with VZV. Once chickenpox has resolved, the virus may remain inactive in nerve cells. Risk factors for reactivation include older age, poor immune function, and having had chickenpox before 18 months of age. How the virus remains in the body or subsequently re-activates, is not well understood. Exposure to the virus in the blisters can cause chickenpox in someone who has not had it before but will not trigger shingles.

My emphasis: beware, old farts (with weakening immune system) like me, if you have had chickenpox in your youth – you never really get rid of the virus (a form of herpes).

[Rob Lister]

So I looked into it. I found that tricare covers the vaccine for ages 60 and over. I'm not there yet. Specifically, they say ...

Shingles Vaccine
Shingles is a viral disease that affects more than 1 million
Americans every year. More than half of those cases occur in
people age 60 or older. TRICARE covers the shingles vaccine
for beneficiaries 60 and older.

In my head, I'm bean counting. Medical coverage for those getting shingles is going to be many, many times the cost of the vaccine. I could probably work out exactly how much just from that snip. But I digress.

I can probably go to one of the navy facilities and get one there regardless of the rule but it would be a pain to get an appointment. In fact I'll probably turn 60 before I can get an appointment.

[Pyrrho]

I'll ask my doctor about it next time I see him.

[Rob Lister]

That would be cool, Pyrrho. I could just pay out of pocket. Rite Aid is charging $190. Tricare would cover all but $19 of that once I get to age 60. By not getting it, I'm betting $170 that I won't get it in the next 4 years. I really don't need to do the math here because the insurance company did it for me; it is a worthwhile risk. Unless I lose. Of course. Personal math is hard




Last edited by Rob Lister on Sun Jun 19, 2036 11:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

[hammegk]

I'll ask my doctor about it next time I see him.

Mine advised me to check with my secondary insurer, Medicare first.

[Doctor X]

Your oozing sores are HSV-2, Tink.

--J.D.

[Bruce]

Shingles belong on the roof, just like Ham and X belong on ignore.

[Ben Trovado]

I had a break out in college when I moved away from home and was disowned by my Mom for a while.

I was renting a room from a friend's family, and the mom was a nurse.

Keep in mind, I was 19: "Oh, that's shingles. It's caused by stress. . . . It can kill you."

Well thanks ever so much. That helped with the 'ol stress levels. But I actually stopped obsessively worrying about being disowned and after a couple weeks it went back away. Mine was on the stomach area, so not as worrisome as if it appears at the neck/head. That can get dangerous faster.

[Rob Lister]

I had a break out in college when I moved away from home and was disowned by my Mom for a while.

I was renting a room from a friend's family, and the mom was a nurse.

Keep in mind, I was 19: "Oh, that's shingles. It's caused by stress. . . . It can kill you."

Yea ma, it was the stress of being disowned. I'll try to find someone to pay for my casket. I'll tell them to invite you to the funeral. I'll understand if you can't make it.

Yea, I've heard that stress brings it about but how the fuck can they know that? I think it just fucking happens.

[shemp]

I gave you the stress preventative above. A 40% (or stronger) ethanol solution, aged in an oak cask, take two ounces, neat or over ice, orally every half hour.

[Rob Lister]

I gave you the stress preventative above. A 40% (or stronger) ethanol solution, aged in an oak cask, take two ounces, neat or over ice, orally every half hour.

arr. in my case the cure is worse than the disease. But thanks.

[Clayton Moore]

No curiosity as to why a relativity dormant disease like shingles is getting so up front and personal? Terry Bradshaw tells us 1 in 3 of us will get shingles in our lifetime.

[Doctor X]

I will try to take your question as serious and honest since I am always "measur'd in manner and speech," nay, some would say, "a RIVER to his people!"

I will assume you have never experienced shingles. "Shingles" is the popular term for a reemergence of a viral infection. It is "dormant," as in the viral genetic material persists in the nuclei of peripheral nerve cells. It can always recur. There are veritable shit-tons of bandwidth on the condition on the internet.

If you have an actual complaint, raise it. I would suggest you familiarize yourself with the basics which your question suggests you do not have before you do so.

--J.D.

[Clayton Moore]

I will try to take your question as serious and honest since I am always "measur'd in manner and speech," nay, some would say, "a RIVER to his people!"

I will assume you have never experienced shingles. "Shingles" is the popular term for a reemergence of a viral infection. It is "dormant," as in the viral genetic material persists in the nuclei of peripheral nerve cells. It can always recur. There are veritable shit-tons of bandwidth on the condition on the internet.

If you have an actual complaint, raise it. I would suggest you familiarize yourself with the basics which your question suggests you do not have before you do so.

--J.D.

What does that drivel have to do with an obscure disease, shingles, becoming a scourge that 1 in 3 of Americans will get in their lifetime?

[Clayton Moore]

Shingles is due to a reactivation of varicella zoster virus (VZV) within a person's body. Chickenpox is due to an initial infection with VZV. Once chickenpox has resolved, the virus may remain inactive in nerve cells. Risk factors for reactivation include older age, poor immune function, and having had chickenpox before 18 months of age. How the virus remains in the body or subsequently re-activates, is not well understood. Exposure to the virus in the blisters can cause chickenpox in someone who has not had it before but will not trigger shingles.

My emphasis: beware, old farts (with weakening immune system) like me, if you have had chickenpox in your youth – you never really get rid of the virus (a form of herpes).

It's odd that up until recently Doctors and medical science said if you DID NOT get chicken pox and become immune as a child getting adult chicken pox(shingles) was quite an ordeal. When did the about face take place?

[Doctor X]

I have no idea what I am blathering about. Your big words and knowledge makes me cry!

Sorry to make you cry. Nevertheless, in your tantrum you expressed not one single actual fact. Nor did you make an actual sound argument.

Relax.

--J.D.

[Doctor X]

It's odd that up until recently Doctors and medical science said if you DID NOT get chicken pox and become immune as a child getting adult chicken pox(shingles) was quite an ordeal.

No, they did not. Here is what they actually said.

When did the about face take place?

There never was one, son.

The Noble Readership will note that this one descended first to invective and fallacious tantrum.

Which, I gather, is the way he wants it. . . .

--J. "I Don't Like it Anymore Than You Men!" D.

[Clayton Moore]

It's odd that up until recently Doctors and medical science said if you DID NOT get chicken pox and become immune as a child getting adult chicken pox(shingles) was quite an ordeal.

No, they did not. Here is what they actually said.

When did the about face take place?

There never was one, son.

The Noble Readership will note that this one descended first to invective and fallacious tantrum.

Which, I gather, is the way he wants it. . . .

--J. "I Don't Like it Anymore Than You Men!" D.

http://www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/about/]they[

Page last reviewed: April 11, 2016
Page last updated: April 11, 2016

Which makes you eleven times the fool you didn't think you were.