I’ve just had my shingles vaccine. The first one. I’m supposed to have two.
Vaccinations are important. I have always had my flu jabs when offered, and I had all my Covid ones. I have never had any side effects except a sore arm for a day or so. So when the vaccine for Shingles was offered I wasn’t too worried about having that one. I did check what the side effects might be, – the likely hood of having side effect is about one in ten, to some degree. I had a good disscussion with the nurse about the likelyhood of getting the actual disease. And it sounds really painful and possible long lasting. So I got my jab yesterday. Then found out I need another in about eight weeks time.
Now, as I said, I support vaccinations and would not want to put anyone off. But on this occasion it seems I am the “one in ten” that had a bit of a reaction.
My neck is sore, my arm is aching
My body sweats, it’s shiver and shaking
My head feels like a heavy brick
My stomach thinks it might be sick
For every ten there will be nine
For whom the Shingle vaccine’s fine
But I must be the one in ten
So I don’t think I’ll be doing that again.
Update. Well it seemed to turn into a bit of a cold, and I concluded that it was probably nothing to do with the vaccine. After a couple of days I was much better. But when I was called for my second “shot”, I did, as a precaution, arrange it after a special event that I was due to attend. I’m glad I did, as, once again, I reacted with quite a nasty cold. My arm was itchy and sore for more than a week afterwards, too. Never mind. I am sure it would have been worse if I had got shingles.