Thanks for the info! I just called our insurance company, which usually is skimpy on coverage, but they will cover it fully with no copay required!
I called my doctor’s office and have an appointment to get the vaccination on Monday. My husband got shingles when he was 40 and I never want to go through that. As soon as he gets home, I’m going to request that he call for an appointment, also.
For us, the pharmacy is easier. They let you give them a big of notice so they can do the paperwork and then you just show up at your convenience. We will be taking my folks for shots en route to lunch. The meal will help reduce any sting of the shots. 
I asked our pharmacy, but they don’t administer the vaccine.
Like the idea of the meal afterwards!
Our CVS did our 1st round and will do the paperwork and our 2nd round. I like my folks to get their shots when we do, so it’s all taken care of together and I can be our collective memory. The pharmacy is good about faxing shot info to the MD as well.
They are good at catching it in case my folks get confused and try to get a shot they’ve already received as well. They’ve already caught it at least once.
ok, as planned, going to get shot #1 today. I am a little concerned about reported side effects - ie very sore arm, headaches, even flu-like symptoms, but I will give it a try. Will let you know.
Psyching up for shot #2, the first one, yah, I felt pretty lousy for a couple of days
Yes, I had a very sore arm.
DH had it administered in his butt, because a nurse had told him that can be less painful. He reported very little soreness, but he got a temperature of over 101 the next morning and felt horrible for about 12 hours.
I was fine for both shots but did have a sore arm (felt like someone punched it). H on the other hand was in bed running a low fever and felt like he had 24-48 hour flu (really felt poorly). Still he said it was nothing compared to when he had the shingles.
Thanks for all the reports — I’ll schedule mine for a Friday when I get them! Did anyone take Advil or Tylenol to relieve the symptoms?
I eventually did and H eventually did too. In retrospect, we probably should have taken ibuprofen MUCH sooner! We only needed one each.
I took ibuprofen for a couple of days.
I received the first shot about two weeks ago. Yes, the side effects were big. Within four hours of the injection I couldn’t move my are it hurt so badly. I hurt to even have a shirt sleeve brush against the injection site - even though there was no swelling or bruising. Forget sleeping on that side, or even using that arm in an attempt to change positions.
About 24 hours later I felt like I was getting the flu. My thought "&^%& I already HAD the flu, really, I’m going to have to go thru this again…I had headaches, fatigue and a low grade fever. This lasted for a week.
I will definitely go to get the second injection (must be at least 3 months later but no more than 6). I informed my practitioner’s office of these side effects and suggested that this was a ‘later in the week’ vaccine for those who needed to adhere to a work schedule.
I’m 58. Supposedly my insurance will cover it. We’ll see. However, again, no one know how long the immunity lasts.
We were told 2nd injection was at least 2 months later, which was when we got it. You can double check with the pharmacy or whomever gave you the 1st injection. Definitely plan to take it easy for a few days after your injection.
Wow, that sounds awful. I’ve had shingles, though, and it was REALLY awful. I wonder if moving/exercising/massaging the arm a lot throughout the first day would help.
Thanks for the report.
Our doc suggested we wait a year - he said he doesn’t like to be on the cutting edge of vaccines and such as he like to see the results on a larger pool of people.
I hardly had any reaction. Took the ibuprofen before having it and besides a little tenderness was fine afterwards. I guess different people react differently. I hardly react to any vaccines at all.
My insurance doesn’t cover it yet so I’m waiting. But when I do finally have it, I’ll take something first, as well as four hours later. Why not?
I don’t think I’ve ever reacted to a vaccine before, but I sure did to this one!
Since the reports on this vaccine were so positive, I was willing to take a chance on it. I do not ever want to get shingles and if I were to get it before I got the shot I would be really mad at myself.
Hmm. I’ve had shingles, so my odds of getting it again are a lot lower. But I REALLY don’t want it again, either. I’ve had influenza, and a few days of influenza-like symptoms would still be better than shingles, IMHO.
I don’t know if it was posted earlier in the thread, but here is the CDC description that includes side effects. It sounds like the younger you are, maybe the more likely side effects are.
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/shingles/public/shingrix/index.html