Originally Posted by
GeezerCouple
Did you have a reaction to the first Shingrix shot? If so, was it less or worse than with the second shot?
Too many people have nasty reactions to that, so even though any such should be over long before 3 weeks, I'd like to be able to do those last minute errands and packing without being miserable, etc., and also... without risking being someone who just has a worse reaction that lasts longer.
And yes, at least with that older shingles vaccine, there's at least some protection.
(I only know one person who had shingles, and he's someone who generally doesn't complain. But he certainly had a lot of complaints about that episode!)
I don't remember any significant reaction to the first Shingrix shot beyond a sore arm for a couple of days. However, the CDC says that reactions can occur with either or both shots.
I actually had a very small shingles outbreak a week or so before a trip to France twenty years ago. I had one patch about the size of the back of my thumb and a couple of other blisters on my back. I was somewhat uncomfortable from that tiny outbreak for the whole trip and six months after. I don't want to experience a full attack.