Shingles vaccinations

[bailie]

Have any of you had your shingles vaccinations after transplant? How long after is it recommended? I have a friend who got shingles at about 1 year following transplant.

[bailie]

Found the answer From Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle:

The Varicella-zoster (chickenpox/shingles) vaccine is currently not generally recommended, pending further research. If the benefits outweigh the risks, it may be given to help prevent chickenpox if the patient doesn't already have antibodies to the chickenpox virus.

[bailie]

Additionally,

Live attenuated varicella-zoster vaccine in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients.
Issa NC1, Marty FM2, Leblebjian H3, Galar A4, Shea MM5, Antin JH6, Soiffer RJ6, Baden LR2.
Author information
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients are at risk for varicella-zoster virus (VZV) reactivation. Vaccination may help restore VZV immunity; however, the available live attenuated VZV vaccine (Zostavax) is contraindicated in immunocompromised hosts. We report our experience with using a single dose of VZV vaccine in 110 adult autologous and allogeneic HSCT recipients who were about 2 years after transplantation, free of graft-versus-host disease, and not receiving immunosuppression. One hundred eight vaccine recipients (98.2%) had no clinically apparent adverse events with a median follow-up period of 9.5 months (interquartile range, 6 to 16; range, 2 to 28). Two vaccine recipients (1.8%) developed a skin rash (one zoster-like rash with associated pain, one varicella-like) within 42 days post-vaccination that resolved with antiviral therapy. We could not confirm if these rashes were due to vaccine (Oka) or wild-type VZV. No other possible cases of VZV reactivation have occurred with about 1178 months of follow-up. Live attenuated zoster vaccine appears generally safe in this population when vaccinated as noted; the overall vaccination risk needs to be weighed against the risk of wild-type VZV disease in this high-risk population.

[lisa3112]

Thanks for info. I'm day 130 and haven't had any as yet. :-)

[GoodDay5150]

Hi Bailie. I think that I was vaccinated a few yrs after my transplant, (but I got shingles anyway) last Fall. They were super painful, and no matter whether I was sitting or standing or laying down, my clothes would rub against them; they were on my right thigh. I have known some people who have gotten them when they were the same age as I was, and these people did not have weakened immune systems like we have. I had a hard time sleeping for a few days, but they healed pretty quickly once I started taking an anti-viral.

Mario

[vickij]

I am getting my vaccines now but was told when I started them to not get any live vaccines yet. I will see my Dr next month and nurse at Health Dept. wants me to ask him when I can get live vaccines since I have had all the other ones on the list.

[lisa3112]

Also just
FYI my grandmother had really painful shingles and acupuncture helped her immensely. Cheers, Lisa.

[bailie]

I agree, shingles can be very serious. I was curious about what different doctors around the country feel about some of these things. What I have come to realize is that so many doctors have so many different ideas about some of these things concerning MDS, AML etc. There are so many unanswered questions because of the wide varieties in these diseases and patients. Educated guesses are all over the board.

[Cheryl C]

I had shingles in my left buttock down into the left groin, earlier this year. It was extremely painful for several weeks, until I started to take olive leaf extract (1.5 times normal dose) as recommended by my brother. It resolved quickly after that.

After I recovered I investigated whether I should have the vaccine but I came up with contraindications for anyone with a compromised immune system.