Shingles Vaccination

[ladyalex]

I cannot understand the NHS website , so am asking here.
I am in Scotland if that makes a difference.
Lordalex turned 70 in June this year.
I wondered if he was due a shingles jag. I asked at the surgery today and they said he would be 'called' if he met the criteria.....but could not tell me what the criteria were.
(Our surgery are not good at all at 'calling'....when they ran out of flu vaccine last year they said they would call but never did....)
Anyway, the NHS info on the website says that if you were aged between 70 and 79 on 1st September 2018 you should get the jag.
Well, Lordalex can never get it then as he was not and can never be between 70 and 79 on 1st September 2018.
I phoned the helpline to check and they seemed to me to be making it up as they went along. " He 'should' be 'called' when he is 70 as they will 'probably' change the date in September, so he should get it next year."
was the gist of what they said...none of which makes sense.
Does anyone have any experience of this?
It infuriates me when 'information' websites and call centres are as unclear as this.
Or am I being thick?
Thanks .
:-))

[ladybirder]

It will happen. The dates that include him will come eventually but keep your eye on it. Nobody called me I just happened to be told by a friend and I had one month left to get there. His Lordship's a bit young at the moment I think.

[jno]

that may just be the advice left on the website since last year. You may find they update it to 2019 when the vaccine is available this year. Check again every week or so. Your local chemist may also be able to advise and maybe even give the jab.

[Theland]

Definitely go for it. I am 68 and still getting over shingles after about two months. It is horrible.

[ladyalex]

Thanks, folks.
Hadn't thought of the local chemist.....usually get a lot more sense out of them than the surgery etc, so will ask there next time I am in.

[Mamyalynne]

Good luck with it all, it really does read like a conundrum I know - tried to help a neighbour with it not long ago.

[ladyalex]

Sorry to hear that Theland....I had shingles for the second time in March/April of this year and would not wish it on anyone. Hence my concern that Lordalex gets the vaccine asap .
Fortunately this time around I got to the GP in time to get the antiviral meds which made a huge difference. I was still pretty miserable though and had a lot of pain.
What helped most with the pain was a very soothing cream called Dermacool that the GP prescribed.

[ladybirder]

You're not the first to be flummoxed on here M'Lady.

https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Body-and-Soul/Health-and-Fitness/Question1291706.html

[ladyalex]

Thanks, Mamya.....glad I am not alone in finding it so difficult to get this information.

[Buenchico]

Quote (from the NHS Scotland website):

"People between the ages of 70 and 79 on 1 September 2018 are eligible for the free shingles vaccine.

People aged 80 and over won't get the shingles vaccine because it’s less effective as people get older.

If you're eligible, phone your GP to make an appointment to get your vaccine."

Source:
https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/immunisation/vaccines/shingles-vaccine

[Buenchico]

Oops! Sorry! That only tells you what you already know.

However printing out that page, and then waving it under the nose of the receptionist at the GP's surgery, might get your hubby an appointment ;-)

[Mamyalynne]

That's part of the problem Buen , Lord Alex wasn't 70-79 on that date, he's only been 70 since June '19.

[douglas9401]

I'd say that the website needs updating annually and hasn't been done for this year yet.

[ladyalex]

Thanks, everyone.
I'll keep am eye on the website for a week or two then maybe try the surgery again...thanks for that idea Douglas.

[supersandy06]

The aim is for every older person to be immunised eventually but it is being done in "batches" of ages (and therefore birthdays). Any signs of shingles get emergency GP treatment for antivirals asap. It won't cure it but will reduce the symptoms and the sooner the antivirals are given the more effective they are.

[jourdain2]

I turned 70 on Monday. I had shingles last year; it was horrible and I have no wish to repeat the experience - there is chicken-pox around here and I run a mile from suspect children. I was told in Nov. last year, when getting my 'flu jab, that I could apply when I was 70. I intend to go next week to fix up an app'tm't so I will try to find out what is currently what and let you know if it turns out to be any help.

[ladyalex]

Thank you jourdain.
I hope you get on better at your surgery than I did at mine...they said 'if your husband meets the criteria he will be called '. I asked what the criteria were, but they could not tell me, just repeated the 'he will be called' mantra. So far they have a 100% record of not calling us for flu jags, pneumonia jag......I have always had to contact them, sometimes several times as they had 'run out of' or 'didn't have yet ' the appropriate vaccine, so my confidence in them is low.
I'd change surgeries but reports are that the other one available is just as bad. Sigh.....

[ladyalex]

Just updating this post as well as the other one.

I checked the NHS Inform Scotland website today and they have changed the date.
It now says that if you are between 70 and 79 on 1st September 2019 you are entitled to a shingles vaccination and should contact your GP surgery to make an appointment for one.
I have printed the page off and intend to try again at the surgery ...but not for a week or so as we are off on hols !
So, result I think....well at least the start of a result.