Re: Biologics and Shingles- The Bad News and The Good N...

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/1/2006 3:20:53 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,

cornth1313@... writes:

believe shingles to be an even more

prevalent side effect than TB reactivation, which is currently part

of the pre-biologic screening process.

where did you read this? Before I started Enbrel, I read the 60+ pages of

side effect info on the Enbrel website (in the " for doctors " section) and saw

a lot of things, but don't recall shingles being one of them...??? Would

love to know the source...

[Guest guest]

,

The Enbrel data sheet lists chicken pox. I'm not a medical person, but I've

alway been told the same virus causes both chicken pox and shingles. I know

I've read somewhere that data is inconclusive that the chicken pox vaccine

will help prevent shingles as the population ages.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

here

http://www.luhs.org/HEALTH/kbase/htm/aa18/665/aa18665.htm

Etanercept decreases the activity of your body's immune system,

which increases the risk of a serious bacterial infection. Some

people who take etanercept develop an infection that requires oral

antibiotics; a smaller number of people will develop an infection

that requires intravenous antibiotics and hospitalization. Contact

your health professional if you develop any of the following

symptoms:

Fever or chills

Increased frequency or burning of urination

A cough with yellow sputum or shortness of breath

A skin infection

Severe abdominal pain or diarrhea

A severe sore throat

Sinus pain with yellow mucus

A painful, burning rash in a band across one side of your body

(shingles)

Painful, widespread mouth sores

I developed my first case of shingles 14 months into my enbrel

therapy. After that I was switched to remicade becuase enbrel

stopped working for me. about a year into the remicade I got my

second attack of shingles.

All that I am saying is that all the biologics cause this for some

people and now that there is a vaccine it makes since to get the

shingles vaccine prior to beginning biologic therapy. All over the

internet you will read of people on, remicade, enbrel, raptiva, et

al acquiring shingles.

I'm just trying to add a preventative measure that is not to

expensive to save others the agony, and I don't put that lightly

that I have endured.

The vaccine is new and started selling under the name zostavac or

something like it, it comes from merck and retails for 143.00/vial.

Lori

>

>

> In a message dated 6/1/2006 3:20:53 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,

> cornth1313@... writes:

>

> believe shingles to be an even more

> prevalent side effect than TB reactivation, which is currently

part

> of the pre-biologic screening process.

>

>

> where did you read this? Before I started Enbrel, I read the 60+

pages of

> side effect info on the Enbrel website (in the " for doctors "

section) and saw

> a lot of things, but don't recall shingles being one of

them...??? Would

> love to know the source...

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

It helps in the sense that you can't get shingles unless you have had

the chicken pox. When a person has the chicken pox, the disease runs

its' course then the virus retreats into the spine waiting sometimes

forever, until the immunesystem is compromised to a point where the

disese then makes a mutable reappearance in the form of shingles. So

if you get the chicken pox vaccine, and you never get the chicken pox,

you will never get shingles.

>

> ,

> The Enbrel data sheet lists chicken pox. I'm not a medical person,

but I've

> alway been told the same virus causes both chicken pox and

shingles. I know

> I've read somewhere that data is inconclusive that the chicken pox

vaccine

> will help prevent shingles as the population ages.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

There is also another simple approach to our fear of shingles. I've

had it twice. The secret is to have a prescription for acyclovir ready

in your medicine cabinet. As soon - if not sooner - you notice the

tell tale symptoms, if you start taking the acyclovir you will avoid

the worse parts of the problem.

This is a standard therapy for folks with recurrent herpes or

recurrent shingles. I am sure most rheumatologists would write a

prescription for this use. The acyclovir should last 2 years on the

shelf, and getting a new bottle every 2 years is cheap insurance

against shingles. Remember, the vaccine only decreases incidence 50%,

so even with the vaccine I think this is a good idea to have around.

Cheers -

[Guest guest]

Yes, it's a good idea. I have a whole bottle just for that purpose--

- In , " math_nawi " <math_nawi@...>

wrote:

>

> There is also another simple approach to our fear of shingles. I've

> had it twice. The secret is to have a prescription for acyclovir

ready

> in your medicine cabinet. As soon - if not sooner - you notice the

> tell tale symptoms, if you start taking the acyclovir you will

avoid

> the worse parts of the problem.

>

> This is a standard therapy for folks with recurrent herpes or

> recurrent shingles. I am sure most rheumatologists would write a

> prescription for this use. The acyclovir should last 2 years on the

> shelf, and getting a new bottle every 2 years is cheap insurance

> against shingles. Remember, the vaccine only decreases incidence

50%,

> so even with the vaccine I think this is a good idea to have

around.

>

> Cheers -

>

[Guest guest]

I myself havent had shingles yet but i have just had my first bad viral

infection and low white cell count still don't feel quite back to normal yet but

I am glad to just have the usual aching sensation back instead of pain swollen

mouth and blisters everywhere. The only down side is that my ps has come back

with avengence. As i say any one want a game of join the dots. Talk later

Lynn. ps hope you are all well

cornth1313 <cornth1313@...> wrote: Yes, it's a good idea. I have a whole

bottle just for that purpose--

- In , " math_nawi " <math_nawi@...>

wrote:

>

> There is also another simple approach to our fear of shingles. I've

> had it twice. The secret is to have a prescription for acyclovir

ready

> in your medicine cabinet. As soon - if not sooner - you notice the

> tell tale symptoms, if you start taking the acyclovir you will

avoid

> the worse parts of the problem.

>

> This is a standard therapy for folks with recurrent herpes or

> recurrent shingles. I am sure most rheumatologists would write a

> prescription for this use. The acyclovir should last 2 years on the

> shelf, and getting a new bottle every 2 years is cheap insurance

> against shingles. Remember, the vaccine only decreases incidence

50%,

> so even with the vaccine I think this is a good idea to have

around.

>

> Cheers -

>

[Guest guest]

As I read these posts I get more and more " edumacated " as Jethro Bodine would

say. Not only did I have so much trouble with TMJ that I had to wear a splint

but I ALSO had shingles...many times. I have not had it for 5 years. But I get

it at the base of my spine. Nasty little virus. After my PA diagnosis, I assumed

that the doctors had misdiagnosed psoriasis for shingles in the past. Guess not.

So now all the pieces of my puzzling medical are coming together. You guys are

answering questions that I did not know I had. I am one of those perky people,

always full of vitality and great mental energy as well. But there have been

times when my body betrayed me and I could never figure it out. It seemed it was

one thing after another. If I had been a negative person, I could have

understood the weak immune system I had. But I did all the right things...I took

supplements, ate right, was always active and fed my brain well too. I practiced

positive thinking and random acts of

kindness and all of that mess. But I could not get my body to get with the

program. It helps me somehow to know that it was all related rather than just a

series of slaps in the face. I'm going to keep reading these posts and learning.

And today when I think of 5 things I am thankful for (which I do daily), one of

them will be that I'm thankful to have encountered a group of people who are so

willing to share so that we all can learn and grow and find a better level of

health. -Betz

math_nawi <math_nawi@...> wrote: There is also another simple approach to

our fear of shingles. I've

had it twice. The secret is to have a prescription for acyclovir ready

in your medicine cabinet. As soon - if not sooner - you notice the

tell tale symptoms, if you start taking the acyclovir you will avoid

the worse parts of the problem.

This is a standard therapy for folks with recurrent herpes or

recurrent shingles. I am sure most rheumatologists would write a

prescription for this use. The acyclovir should last 2 years on the

shelf, and getting a new bottle every 2 years is cheap insurance

against shingles. Remember, the vaccine only decreases incidence 50%,

so even with the vaccine I think this is a good idea to have around.

Cheers -

[Guest guest]

Hi Betz:

I agree, I have learned allot on this board. Now I know why my mouth can't

open wide enough for the dentist(PA), why my arm pits are sore(CFS), The

sensitive skin (all), and so on....I am on a couple other boards but they

are all answering some of my question.

Jeanette

Re: [ ] Re: Biologics and Shingles- The Bad News

and The Good N...

> As I read these posts I get more and more " edumacated " as Jethro Bodine

> would say. Not only did I have so much trouble with TMJ that I had to wear

> a splint but I ALSO had shingles...many times. I have not had it for 5

> years. But I get it at the base of my spine. Nasty little virus. After my

> PA diagnosis, I assumed that the doctors had misdiagnosed psoriasis for

> shingles in the past. Guess not. So now all the pieces of my puzzling

> medical are coming together. You guys are answering questions that I did

> not know I had. I am one of those perky people, always full of vitality

> and great mental energy as well. But there have been times when my body

> betrayed me and I could never figure it out. It seemed it was one thing

> after another. If I had been a negative person, I could have understood

> the weak immune system I had. But I did all the right things...I took

> supplements, ate right, was always active and fed my brain well too. I

> practiced positive thinking and random acts of

> kindness and all of that mess. But I could not get my body to get with the

> program. It helps me somehow to know that it was all related rather than

> just a series of slaps in the face. I'm going to keep reading these posts

> and learning. And today when I think of 5 things I am thankful for (which

> I do daily), one of them will be that I'm thankful to have encountered a

> group of people who are so willing to share so that we all can learn and

> grow and find a better level of health. -Betz

>