Since I have had 2 & 1/2 years of leuprolide chemo I knew I was at a much greater risk for Shingles, so I got the Zostivax (17% effective) shot a couple years ago. Then I got the Shingles 'belt' all the way around my belly for about 3 & 1/2 months. After a month or so layover, it returned as a partial belt patch for another 3 months or so, then it came back again this past March for another 3 & 1/2 months, only this time it was on the backs of both calves. It just cleared up the last half of June.
That is a lot of why I chose to get the Shingrix. I just got the first shot last week so I gotta warn you to hang on tight for a bit here. My deltoid muscle ached something fierce for 3 - 4 days, but that was not it for me.
This past Sunday, 3 days after I got the shot, I hit the wall. Body aches (muscles and joints), serious fatigue, nausea, the chills and a headache to write home to ma about. Cut the morning hike in half, laid down on the floor in my office with a sheet over me from 11 AM to 1:30 PM when I went downstairs and laid on the couch under a sheet with the chills until 5 PM. No lunch, no dinner, nothing to drink either - the mere thought made me fear I was gonna puke. Got up and went to bed, slept in until 4:15 Monday morning (usual get-up time). Still had some serious carry-over yesterday. I know I am in the minority on these side-effects, but they were significant.
Gratefully, my lovely little lady Labrador stuck right by my side through all of that crap. I will plan on some down time with the follow-up shot.....when they can get it for me.
