Shingles - and availability of vaccines?

Life Health & Fitness
21

Reviving this thread:

Has anyone gotten the vaccine against shingles here in Taiwan? Seems it could be useful.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2019/01/01/2003707150

1 Like
22

Never got a vaccination here, but I was vaccinated the old fashioned way back in the states — by contracting chicken pox in kindergarten.

Interestingly, it’s also a type of herpes. But it’s unrelated to HSV 1 and 2, which are the ones that cause cold sores and genital sores, respectively.

23

Actually that is the problem. If you had the measles disease then you need the shingles vaccine or you will suffer shingles.

24

I’ve just had the new two-shot Shingrix vaccine, in the States. It’s been available for only about a year, and shortages are common. Be sure to ask for Shingrix and not the older, less effective Zostavax. You can also get it at a slightly earlier age than Zostavax. See https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/shingles/news/20180212/new-shingles-vaccine_what-you-need-to-know.

1 Like
25

I suspect that I wil have to go to the Priority Care Center at Adventist for that shot. They have the latest. At a price, but they have it.

26

Shingles was always an alte kakker’s affliction where I come from, and frequently an early indicator of cancer.
Then we suddenly began to see it here in the 90s in ridiculously young foreigners, like early to mid 20s, come to teach English, especially after the explosion of the Kid’s ESL industry (which allowed English teachers for the first time to get their hours in a more-or-less 9 to 5 schedule). After the first 3 or 4 months here, mostly of non-stop boozing (cheap and easy then) and just eating garbage (as one does when partying on that level), their immune systems would just play out and the shingles would come.

Totally bizarre phenom.

2 Likes
27

I once knew a country boy who never ate seafood and hardly ate vegetables or fruit, mostly just subsisted on meat, simple carbs, and awful microwaveable foods like pizza pockets. Unsurprisingly, he had to spend an hour on average on the toilet every few days, and he is the only person I know who’s ever gotten shingles under the age of 20.

Disrespect your body enough, and it will come…

28

Has anyone got the Shingrix shingles vaccine while in Taiwan? Is it available?
I am not talking about Zostavax, Varilrix, or Varivax - I do not want those.

31

A cousin of mine in Australia (mid 70’s age) got the shingles a couple of years back, in her back even and it took weeks to be diagnosed. Still suffers pain. Scared me enough to research and learn of the Zostavax shot which I willingly paid up for (in Aus, you have to be over 70 to get it for free).

1 Like
32

Available at Tzu Chi hospital and other select few. Make appointment through general doctor.

33

Thanks. Very helpful answer.

34

Has anyone found which hospitals have the Shingrix vaccine in Taipei?

35

None. It’s not been approved yet.

36

Just got off the phone with Tzu Chi Hospital and was told they do not have the Shingrix vaccine. Quoted less than 6k for the 1 shot.

37

Wait. They don’t have it and can get it for 6k?

Is it they do not have that shingles shot in particular or any at all?

Is it they do not have

38

Sorry my English is poor. Will explain better. Tzu Chi Hospital does NOT have the Shingrix vaccine. However, they have the old vaccine no longer available in the US. It is a single shot vaccine one jab only. The lady said the cost would be slightly less than 6k for the old vaccine. Hope that clears it up for you.

1 Like
39

Yep, now it’s clear.

Do not worry, me no Native speaker either.

1 Like
40

Thread bump to see if anyone has ever successfully received the elusive Shingrix vaccine in Taiwan—approved (at least in North America) for folks 50 years or older—and if so, where?

@Icon @Occam have you heard anything?

Thanks in advance to anyone for their help.

Guy

1 Like
41

Thanks for the reminder. I’ll call Priority Care and see what they say now that the dust has settled.

Anyone else knows of any fancy medical facilities here? I am thinking maybe Shinkong of Far Eastern? Maybe they got it.

Edit
Found a study from Cheng Kung. Add that one to the list.

42

Was told I was too young for the vaccine so you might want to look into that part of it. Every time I’ve had it in the last 20 years I’ve been given famciclovir and that seems to sort it out.