Big Blue Huddle

Back in late April Linda and I got COVID for the first time. I was seven months after my first Booster. Initially I had no symptoms but they came on later in the week. By the time I called the doctor it was six days later so I couldn't take the medicine and had to let it run it's course. I took precautions with an inhaler and Montelukast which stops nasal drip into my chest.

The Dr said I could wait four months to get the second vaccine but I just took my second booster yesterday.

I did get an pneumonia shot to start the season as I had gotten pneumonia two years ago.

Linda's elderly mother recently contracted shingles about a month ago and is still experiencing pain after taking the medication for it. I need to take this vaccine at some point because I can see this is a serious illness. That's a two shot regimen.

It's crazy having to get all these vaccines but I know that because of them, it kept me from serious consequences. I also take Vitamin D and C along with other supplements.

How have you all faired so far?

My wife and I have had three doses, and we have both had covid (about two months ago). We will be getting our fourth dose in late August or September. One thing we didn't do was get the antiviral med (paxlovid?) once we had covid. Our cases weren't bad, but apparently that typically makes you get better a few days faster than if you don't take it.

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but one vax worth considering for anyone over 50 is the shingles vax. Our 15 year old daughter recently had shingles, and thankfully it wasn't too bad, although she was in a fairly substantial amount of pain for close to a week. It's much worse for adults though. I had an aunt who had it about 10 years ago at age 62, and she said it was three weeks of sheer hell. Anyone can get shingles who has had chickenpox or the chickenpox virus, as the virus lays dormant in your nerves and can get "triggered" by something as basic as a sunburn. I know everyone is sick of vaccines, but this is one worth looking at if you don't have it. From what I have read about and talked about with my aunt, I would rather get covid (in its current form) 10 times than get shingles once.

I'm pretty well vaxed (knock on wood)

I got the P&G vax as soon as it was available
I got a P&G booster as soon as I was told we needed a booster
I got a Pfizer booster 6 months later after a doctor told me the Pfizer was more effective than the other two. I have a vaccine card case about the size of a passport to protect my card (which is running out of room and may need a second card if I'm told to get boosted again

I have not had COVID

Concerning a shingles vax, I need to get one. Haven't had shingles, but know a few people that have and it sounds absolutely awful

I didn't get the Smallpox vaccination as a child because it was given at school the day I was home sick. All my siblings got it though. I think I'm safe there

I have also had both Pneumonia vaccinations so hopefully that works  :knockONwood:

Interestingly enough, there is some anecdotal evidence that suggests shingles could be triggered by the Covid vaccine.    I know a couple of people who ended up with Shingles a week or two after getting a dose of the vaccine.

I haven't gotten the shingles vaccine, but it's on my to-do list.

I have had the Covid vaccine and two booster doses (with the 3rd shot being full strength)

So far, if I have gotten Covid, it's either been very mild, or it's been symptom-free because I don't believe I have been infected. 

Hopefully, in the fall, there will be a bivalent vaccine available that will target Omicron specifically.  I will be first in line when that becomes available as in theory, it could prove much more effective (assuming we haven't moved on to another variant by then).

Only 1 vax of covid in Aug last year got the Maderna double tap.

I have yet to be diagnosed with it.

Pretty much the whole house got it beginning of Jan.

I felt run down for 24 hrs and then was perfectly fine going forward.  Never ran a fever or had any other symptoms other then feeling tired for 24hrs

I will be 50 in October and need to talk to the Dr about Shingles Vax.

They really need to change the name of the covid shot as it's not a vaccine.


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Quote from: Slugs Narrows on July 21, 2022, 09:15:56 AMOnly 1 vax of covid in Aug last year got the Maderna double tap.

I have yet to be diagnosed with it.

Pretty much the whole house got it beginning of Jan.

I felt run down for 24 hrs and then was perfectly fine going forward.  Never ran a fever or had any other symptoms other then feeling tired for 24hrs

I will be 50 in October and need to talk to the Dr about Shingles Vax.

They really need to change the name of the covid shot as it's not a vaccine.


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Paul, who told you the Covid shot is not a vaccine?

Quote from: MightyGiants on July 21, 2022, 09:03:57 AMInterestingly enough, there is some anecdotal evidence that suggests shingles could be triggered by the Covid vaccine.    I know a couple of people who ended up with Shingles a week or two after getting a dose of the vaccine.

I haven't gotten the shingles vaccine, but it's on my to-do list.

I have had the Covid vaccine and two booster doses (with the 3rd shot being full strength)

So far, if I have gotten Covid, it's either been very mild, or it's been symptom-free because I don't believe I have been infected. 

Hopefully, in the fall, there will be a bivalent vaccine available that will target Omicron specifically.  I will be first in line when that becomes available as in theory, it could prove much more effective (assuming we haven't moved on to another variant by then).

I was going to wait for the bivalent vaccine but that seemed too long a wait. I had so far the two initial Pfizer's and two boosters now plus the antibodies from the virus which btw was a very bad cold with running nose and cough for several days, a fever of over 100 before tylenol which brought it down. When I see people walking around in masks now, I tend to think some of them are infected and just go out and about. Most people have the free test kits at home and their cases are not reported. I wonder why China is in lockdown with such few reported cases. Is there more to that.

As far as the vaccine triggering Shingles, that would suck. big time. I think I want to wait a couple of weeks to now get the shingles vaccine and I wonder if what you reported was people who got them both at the same time. Healthline says they can be taken simultaneously in different arms. 

Btw, what happened to spellcheck?   

My wife got the Pfizer 2-dose back in January '21 when it was first available. I got the Moderna 2-dose a few weeks after her. We haven't had any boosters since. We had been COVID-free despite our two sons and their girlfriends, plus numerous co-workers having caught it. We got our first and only taste of it mid-May.

I had chills and body aches, but no fever, for the good part of a day. My wife was down for about three days. Chills and aches for her as well without a fever.

I've had several co-workers test positive twice just this year; all have been vaccinated and some have had the booster.

I will also add that when the mask mandates were dropped, I stopped wearing my mask. We are going to MSG this weekend to see Kevin Hart and Chris Rock. With the monkeypox outbreak up there, my wife and I will definitely be masked up.

On the shingles front, I have not had the chickenpox and as I understand it, am not at risk for shingles.

Quote from: T200 on July 21, 2022, 09:40:15 AMMy wife got the Pfizer 2-dose back in January '21 when it was first available. I got the Moderna 2-dose a few weeks after her. We haven't had any boosters since. We had been COVID-free despite our two sons and their girlfriends, plus numerous co-workers having caught it. We got our first and only taste of it mid-May.

I had chills and body aches, but no fever, for the good part of a day. My wife was down for about three days. Chills and aches for her as well without a fever.

I've had several co-workers test positive twice just this year; all have been vaccinated and some have had the booster.

I will also add that when the mask mandates were dropped, I stopped wearing my mask. We are going to MSG this weekend to see Kevin Hart and Chris Rock. With the monkeypox outbreak up there, my wife and I will definitely be masked up.

On the shingles front, I have not had the chickenpox and as I understand it, am not at risk for shingles.

Tim,

Right now most of the spread of monkeypox in the USA has been men having sex with men (contact with the lesions).  So if you want to mask up to be safe from Covid, great, but there is no need to make up from monkeypox.

Yes, if you have not had chickenpox you are not at risk for shingles

Thanks for that info, Rich!  :ok:

Quote from: MightyGiants on July 21, 2022, 09:53:03 AMYes, if you have not had chickenpox you are not at risk for shingles

I am fairly sure that if you have had the chicken pox vaccine you can get shingles (even if you never had chickenpox).

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on July 21, 2022, 10:14:02 AMI am fairly sure that if you have had the chicken pox vaccine you can get shingles (even if you never had chickenpox).

DB,

This is still something we are learning about as those who were vaccinated get older

https://historyofvaccines.org/blog/chickenpox-vaccine-and-shingles-risk

Quote from: MightyGiants on July 21, 2022, 09:22:55 AMPaul, who told you the Covid shot is not a vaccine?

vac·cine
/vakˈsēn/
a substance used to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against one or several diseases

Immunity being the KEY WORD and this shot is proven not to make you immune!

Seeing as it doesn't produce immunity and only helps lessen symptoms (which is a good thing don't get me wrong it's saving lives) it's not a vaccine.  Calling it as such I think IN MY OPINION- is misleading!

People hear vaccine they think small pox, chick pox, measles, etc type that you get the shot and you won't catch it!

Seeing as "the president" is vaxxed and boosted till the cows come home and just got it, it doesn't provide immunity, again hence not a vaccine!


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Quote from: Slugs Narrows on July 21, 2022, 10:34:36 AMvac·cine
/vakˈsēn/
a substance used to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against one or several diseases

Immunity being the KEY WORD and this shot is proven not to make you immune!

Seeing as it doesn't produce immunity and only helps lessen symptoms (which is a good thing don't get me wrong it's saving lives) it's not a vaccine.  Calling it as such I think IN MY OPINION- is misleading!

People hear vaccine they think small pox, chick pox, measles, etc type that you get the shot and you won't catch it!

Seeing as "the president" is vaxxed and boosted till the cows come home and just got it, it doesn't provide immunity, again hence not a vaccine!


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(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220721/42310eafe632bfce664f7501af2bb490.png)


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Quote from: Slugs Narrows on July 21, 2022, 10:34:36 AMvac·cine
/vakˈsēn/
a substance used to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against one or several diseases

Immunity being the KEY WORD and this shot is proven not to make you immune!

Seeing as it doesn't produce immunity and only helps lessen symptoms (which is a good thing don't get me wrong it's saving lives) it's not a vaccine.  Calling it as such I think IN MY OPINION- is misleading!

People hear vaccine they think small pox, chick pox, measles, etc type that you get the shot and you won't catch it!

Seeing as "the president" is vaxxed and boosted till the cows come home and just got it, it doesn't provide immunity, again hence not a vaccine!


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https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/imz-basics.htm

Definition of Terms
Immunity: Protection from an infectious disease. If you are immune to a disease, you can be exposed to it without becoming infected.

Vaccine: A preparation that is used to stimulate the body's immune response against diseases. Vaccines are usually administered through needle injections, but some can be administered by mouth or sprayed into the nose.

Vaccination: The act of introducing a vaccine into the body to produce protection from a specific disease.

Immunization: A process by which a person becomes protected against a disease through vaccination. This term is often used interchangeably with vaccination or inoculation.

Paul,

I think it comes down to a matter of semantics. There is a clear distinction between vaccination and immunization.

It has been stated numerous times that the COVID vaccine DOES NOT make one immune. Its purpose is to help the body develop antibodies to fight the disease and lessen the effects of symptoms.

Quote from: T200 on July 21, 2022, 10:43:40 AMhttps://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/imz-basics.htm

Definition of Terms
Immunity: Protection from an infectious disease. If you are immune to a disease, you can be exposed to it without becoming infected.

Vaccine: A preparation that is used to stimulate the body's immune response against diseases. Vaccines are usually administered through needle injections, but some can be administered by mouth or sprayed into the nose.

Vaccination: The act of introducing a vaccine into the body to produce protection from a specific disease.

Immunization: A process by which a person becomes protected against a disease through vaccination. This term is often used interchangeably with vaccination or inoculation.

Paul,

I think it comes down to a matter of semantics. There is a clear distinction between vaccination and immunization.

It has been stated numerous times that the COVID vaccine DOES NOT make one immune. Its purpose is to help the body develop antibodies to fight the disease and lessen the effects of symptoms.

T

I get it but in our lifetime vaccine has = immunity.

Yes it's semantics maybe and NOW it is know that it doesn't make you immune but it's not how we were originally sold on this.

That is my issue with it! 

I'm for getting the shot, just hate the terminology associated with it.  Again just my opinion which isn't worth crap! Lol


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Quote from: Slugs Narrows on July 21, 2022, 10:48:30 AMT

I get it but in our lifetime vaccine has = immunity.

Yes it's semantics maybe and NOW it is know that it doesn't make you immune but it's not how we were originally sold on this.

That is my issue with it! 

I'm for getting the shot, just hate the terminology associated with it.  Again just my opinion which isn't worth crap! Lol


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If we're being honest, not every news outlet said the COVID vaccine would provide protection/immunization from getting COVID. There are some that did and some that did not. There are also pockets of the internet that falsely stated that the COVID vaccines would prevent infection.

It all comes down to education. The link I posted as well as the excerpt puts it clearly in black and white. Unfortunately the truth has been misrepresented and people don't do the research for themselves.

It's like my post above about monkeypox. I trust Rich's expertise and experience. Yet, I still opened up a tab and Googled "how is monkeypox transmitted." Trust... but verify.

Quote from: T200 on July 21, 2022, 10:56:39 AMIf we're being honest, not every news outlet said the COVID vaccine would provide protection/immunization from getting COVID. There are some that did and some that did not. There are also pockets of the internet that falsely stated that the COVID vaccines would prevent infection.

It all comes down to education. The link I posted as well as the excerpt puts it clearly in black and white. Unfortunately the truth has been misrepresented and people don't do the research for themselves.

It's like my post above about monkeypox. I trust Rich's expertise and experience. Yet, I still opened up a tab and Googled "how is monkeypox transmitted." Trust... but verify.

T

Sadly not everyone does their own research. They follow blindly and believe what's fed to them.  It's good that you do so!  If more people did things would be vastly different I believe.


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@Ed Vette is correct.  The Covid Vaccine is a vaccine.  The vaccine's effectiveness is not part of the definition.  Over time as the virus has mutated, the vaccine has been less effective in terms of preventing infections but is still very effective in preventing serious illness.

I can't stress enough that one needs to carefully vet their sources when discussing medical issues, as there is quite a bit of misinformation out there, as @Slugs Narrows comments demonstrated.

See, here is the problem when people on social media and even some less reputable news sites start commenting on fields like medicine/public health is that they skip over the basics.  One of the things I learned in life is the first thing one must do, regardless of the field one is endeavoring to learn, are you need to learn the language

Here are the vaccine basics (starting with definitions) from the CDC

Definition of Terms

Immunity: Protection from an infectious disease. If you are immune to a disease, you can be exposed to it without becoming infected.

Vaccine: A preparation that is used to stimulate the body's immune response against diseases. Vaccines are usually administered through needle injections, but some can be administered by mouth or sprayed into the nose.

Vaccination: The act of introducing a vaccine into the body to produce protection from a specific disease.

Immunization: A process by which a person becomes protected against a disease through vaccination. This term is often used interchangeably with vaccination or inoculation.


Now you will notice that a vaccine does not need to make one "immune"; it just has to provide "protection."

Seeing how one's health is at stake, I am surprised that so many people will listen to the uninformed and often incorrect opinions coming from unqualified people. 

I received my second Covid booster on May 20th, during the same visit I received my second of two Shingrix vaccines. I have not had Covid, nor has my wife who is waiting until fall for her second booster.

Quote from: Slugs Narrows on July 21, 2022, 11:02:19 AMT

Sadly not everyone does their own research. They follow blindly and believe what's fed to them.  It's good that you do so!  If more people did things would be vastly different I believe.


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I completely agree. But when you say "it's not how we were originally sold on this," it perpetuates the false narrative. I'm not trying to call you out but I see that statement as the same regurgitation by many who were against the vaccine from day 1.

Anyway... back on topic.

Quote from: T200 on July 21, 2022, 11:16:30 AMI completely agree. But when you say "it's not how we were originally sold on this," it perpetuates the false narrative. I'm not trying to call you out but I see that statement as the same regurgitation by many who were against the vaccine from day 1.

T

When Biden gets up and tells the people to get the shot to prevent getting covid which he did say and then AP fact checkers have verified it's an issue cause people will take that as fact and not do their own research!

There were issues on both sides of this, the Anti-Vax crowd was ignorant on their statements and so were others on the other side claiming it protected you more then it did.

Hence why I agree to do your own homework.  I knew getting the jab it wasn't going to stop me from being exposed or catching it but it would reduce the symptoms. I had friends and family that thought cause they got the shot they were immune cause they got the vaccine and their argument was just like Mumps measles etc they are now going to be immune.

I know Rich gets defensive on this topic and other may not agree with me but the wording and statement of things matters and when people are being told things just to push an agenda or things are mislabeled or explained it's an issue!  I'm not saying I'm perfect or right and hence why I say often in my opinion. And I will keep saying in my opinion this is not a vaccine.  Vaccines lead to antibodies that lead to immunity.  This isn't a preventative.  This is like taking theraflu in needle form.  It lessens the symptoms to help ya fight it off.  It's a medication to me more then anything.  Again my opinion/belief!

 


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Quote from: Slugs Narrows on July 21, 2022, 11:26:26 AMT

When Biden gets up and tells the people to get the shot to prevent getting covid which he did say and then AP fact checkers have verified it's an issue cause people will take that as fact and not do their own research!

There were issues on both sides of this, the Anti-Vax crowd was ignorant on their statements and so were others on the other side claiming it protected you more then it did.

Hence why I agree to do your own homework.  I knew getting the jab it wasn't going to stop me from being exposed or catching it but it would reduce the symptoms. I had friends and family that thought cause they got the shot they were immune cause they got the vaccine and their argument was just like Mumps measles etc they are now going to be immune.

I know Rich gets defensive on this topic and other may not agree with me but the wording and statement of things matters and when people are being told things just to push an agenda or things are mislabeled or explained it's an issue!  I'm not saying I'm perfect or right and hence why I say often in my opinion. And I will keep saying in my opinion this is not a vaccine.  Vaccines lead to antibodies that lead to immunity.  This isn't a preventative.  This is like taking theraflu in needle form.  It lessens the symptoms to help ya fight it off.  It's a medication to me more then anything.  Again my opinion/belief!

 


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Paul,

I don't get "defensive" I try to protect you from your own very dangerous habits.  Here is an excellent article about "doing your own research" in fields you are not remotely qualified in.

https://thinkingispower.com/the-problem-with-doing-your-own-research/


Here is another fact you seem to be unaware of.   As recently as last month, we (public health) have been finding that those who are not vaccinated are four times more likely to contract Covid than those who are vaccinated.

Now it's possible the new Omicron variants may change those figures, but I have witnessed repeatedly your research efforts have repeatedly produced wrong and often dangerously wrong results.   

So I am not being "defensive", I am trying to protect you and others from acting on incorrect information and assumptions. 

To each his own opinion-wise, but personally I don't see why this is a big deal. People refer to the flu vaccine as a vaccine, and everyone knows it doesn't stop you from getting the flu.

I don't like misinformation any more than the next guy, but I have never been bothered by the covid vaccine being referred to as a "vaccine", even knowing that it does not stop you from getting covid. Clearly it's not the only vaccine that has that description.

We got the Moderna Vax almost from the get-go. We also got the initial booster when it first became available, just never got the second booster as our doctor said it really wasn't that effective right now. He told us to wait until the fall and there would be several new options.

My wife and I both had Covis, we believe we got coming off our last cruise. Funny, she had symptoms, got tested and was positive and I got tested and was negative. A week later I was now positive and experiencing symptoms of a heavy cold. We both again contacted our doctor about the drug to take and he said as long as we had 'mild' symptoms, the drug would make us feel sicker with diarrhea and other side effects, so we opted not to take it. My wife had a cough that lasted maybe a month afterward but as of now, we are both good to go.

We both ahve had the original Shingles shot but not the booster, which on our list to do very soon.

Quote from: LennG on July 21, 2022, 12:18:49 PMWe got the Moderna Vax almost from the get-go. We also got the initial booster when it first became available, just never got the second booster as our doctor said it really wasn't that effective right now. He told us to wait until the fall and there would be several new options.

My wife and I both had Covis, we believe we got coming off our last cruise. Funny, she had symptoms, got tested and was positive and I got tested and was negative. A week later I was now positive and experiencing symptoms of a heavy cold. We both again contacted our doctor about the drug to take and he said as long as we had 'mild' symptoms, the drug would make us feel sicker with diarrhea and other side effects, so we opted not to take it. My wife had a cough that lasted maybe a month afterward but as of now, we are both good to go.

We both ahve had the original Shingles shot but not the booster, which on our list to do very soon.

I have a 90 year old friend who just got COVID with mild symptoms and his Dr prescribed the meds. He was told it could cause diarrhea. Three pills a day. So what's interesting and somewhat disturbing is how each Dr is different in how they treat.

I agree.
We have been on Lipitor, for high cholesterol for years. We take a 10mg pill every night. A good friend of ours, whole cholesterol level almost equals ours, different doctor takes a 30mg pill. I asked my doctor about this a while ago, and he just said he prefers the least medication as long as it is doing the job, which I agree with fully.
As for the Covid thing, he said without myself and my wife, having any major medical issues and with the Covid symptoms not severe he siad he could have that pill and its side effects but he felt we'd be fine without it, so we opted to forgo it.

Here is the thing, there is no higher medical authority than a doctor.   There is no such thing as super doctors.  That said, the CDC and others will have protocols, standards of care, and recommendations but they are often deferential to the physicians.  Many of them are not binding and ultimately, the only real accountability for doctors is malpractice, or if they are on staff at a hospital, they could be kicked off the staff.   I mean, medical licenses are pulled, but that is a very rare event.

Because of this, you will see doctors with different opinions providing different treatments.

In terms of treatment when you test positive for Covid, I figure this-  The President of the United States has access to and receives the best medical care available.

That said, our President tested positive for covid and:

QuoteBiden, 79, has started taking Paxlovid following his test result, officials said. This antiviral treatment has been found to decrease the risk of COVID hospitalization and death by 89%. Vice President Kamala Harris was similarly prescribed Paxlovid after testing positive for COVID-19 back in April, despite her being asymptomatic.

In light of the President and Vice President both receiving this treatment, I am thinking it's probably the best medical call.

Quote from: MightyGiants on July 21, 2022, 02:51:59 PMIn terms of treatment when you test positive for Covid, I figure this-  The President of the United States has access to and receives the best medical care available.

That said, our President tested positive for covid and:


In light of the President and Vice President both receiving this treatment, I am thinking it's probably the best medical call.

Is it possible to get paxlovid if you don't have covid? Ie, just to have it on hand in case you get covid? Or will they only give it to you if and when you actually test positive?

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on July 21, 2022, 03:00:15 PMIs it possible to get paxlovid if you don't have covid? Ie, just to have it on hand in case you get covid? Or will they only give it to you if and when you actually test positive?

It's my understanding you need a positive test.  If memory serves the FDA just authorized pharmacists to prescribe, so test positive at your drug store and you can then get the drug from them

Quote from: LennG on July 21, 2022, 12:57:53 PMI agree.
We have been on Lipitor, for high cholesterol for years. We take a 10mg pill every night. A good friend of ours, whole cholesterol level almost equals ours, different doctor takes a 30mg pill. I asked my doctor about this a while ago, and he just said he prefers the least medication as long as it is doing the job, which I agree with fully.
As for the Covid thing, he said without myself and my wife, having any major medical issues and with the Covid symptoms not severe he siad he could have that pill and its side effects but he felt we'd be fine without it, so we opted to forgo it.

The President was taken off his cholesterol and another medication, perhaps afib, while in this COVID Medication. Perhaps that's why your physician decided not to prescribe it to you.

Quote from: MightyGiants on July 21, 2022, 02:51:59 PMIn terms of treatment when you test positive for Covid, I figure this-  The President of the United States has access to and receives the best medical care available.

That said, our President tested positive for covid and:


In light of the President and Vice President both receiving this treatment, I am thinking it's probably the best medical call.

The vast results of rebound were about 5% and none of them required hospitalization.

I had three Covid shots and pretty much will stop there. I've seen people in really bad shape after getting the second booster, including my neighbor. They go from doctor-to-doctor, but they don't find anything to fix them. There's no reason for me for getting the 2nd and possibly subsequent bosters. I still wear mask, wash my hands, avoid large gathering, etc., for protection. I find it ironic that back in the days, when Covid infection rates were ~5%, CDC required us to wear mask. Nowadays, when the infection rate is ~10%, the CDC says, nah, you ok...

I haven't had Covid infection as of yet, but the long Covid looks scary. The CDC data (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2022/20220622.htm) shows, that 1-in-13 adults have long Covid. That's lot of people already suffering from it and this number will increase as the infection continuous to spread. And spread it will, since the Covid shot will not prevent getting infected, mildly infected is still an infection...

Quote from: Cr00zng on July 21, 2022, 10:39:25 PMI had three Covid shots and pretty much will stop there. I've seen people in really bad shape after getting the second booster, including my neighbor. They go from doctor-to-doctor, but they don't find anything to fix them. There's no reason for me for getting the 2nd and possibly subsequent bosters. I still wear mask, wash my hands, avoid large gathering, etc., for protection. I find it ironic that back in the days, when Covid infection rates were ~5%, CDC required us to wear mask. Nowadays, when the infection rate is ~10%, the CDC says, nah, you ok...

I haven't had Covid infection as of yet, but the long Covid looks scary. The CDC data (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2022/20220622.htm) shows, that 1-in-13 adults have long Covid. That's lot of people already suffering from it and this number will increase as the infection continuous to spread. And spread it will, since the Covid shot will not prevent getting infected, mildly infected is still an infection...

 How are you doing Otto? Long time no see.

Glad you are OK and hope you visit more often. Not that our  guys here aren't great company ( =))  =)) ).

Quote from: T200 on July 21, 2022, 11:16:30 AMI completely agree. But when you say "it's not how we were originally sold on this," it perpetuates the false narrative. I'm not trying to call you out but I see that statement as the same regurgitation by many who were against the vaccine from day 1.

You should check out what the president says about the vaccine.....you would think he would have been better informed


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From what I am hearing, all the vaccines and boosters are really ineffective against this new strain.

Anyone hear any different?

Quote from: LennG on July 23, 2022, 09:37:02 AMFrom what I am hearing, all the vaccines and boosters are really ineffective against this new strain.

Anyone hear any different?

The new strains seem to be effective in infecting vaccinated people.   As far as we have seen, the vaccine still helps prevent serious illnesses.   Of course, with treatment drugs available, it's really hard to get a good indicator of the serious illness issue since the drugs introduce a new variable.

I mean to really circle back, we are not even 100% sure how much of the current infections are due to the new strains and how much is due to the vaccination aging in most of the population (not many recent vaccinations except in children)

Quote from: Nyfg83 on July 22, 2022, 10:12:08 PMYou should check out what the president says about the vaccine.....you would think he would have been better informed


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Maybe he was.

At the end of the day, we owe it to ourselves to learn as much as we can from what is available to make the best informed decision we can for ourselves and our families.

The president, past or present, has no bearing on those decisions.

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on July 21, 2022, 08:42:25 AMI'm pretty well vaxed (knock on wood)

I got the P&G vax as soon as it was available
I got a P&G booster as soon as I was told we needed a booster
I got a Pfizer booster 6 months later after a doctor told me the Pfizer was more effective than the other two. I have a vaccine card case about the size of a passport to protect my card (which is running out of room and may need a second card if I'm told to get boosted again

I have not had COVID

Concerning a shingles vax, I need to get one. Haven't had shingles, but know a few people that have and it sounds absolutely awful

I didn't get the Smallpox vaccination as a child because it was given at school the day I was home sick. All my siblings got it though. I think I'm safe there

I have also had both Pneumonia vaccinations so hopefully that works  :knockONwood:

Quoting myself because of the complete irony of it all

I wrote this above response last Thursday. Friday morning I woke up with a scratchy neck and shoulder and didn't think a whole lot about it. I've always had an itchy spine. By Friday night it became irritable and my girlfriend said I had a rash all along the back of my neck. So I called the doctor who's out of town for a couple of weeks and their NP's were booked. Thought, "Oh well, probably nothing and it will go away". It started to really get worse on Sunday so this morning I demanded my health center to see me even though my doctor isn't available. Just got back from the doctor's office

Long story short: I got shingles  :Faint:

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on July 25, 2022, 10:43:33 AMQuoting myself because of the complete irony of it all

I wrote this above response last Thursday. Friday morning I woke up with a scratchy neck and shoulder and didn't think a whole lot about it. I've always had an itchy spine. By Friday night it became irritable and my girlfriend said I had a rash all along the back of my neck. So I called the doctor who's out of town for a couple of weeks and their NP's were booked. Thought, "Oh well, probably nothing and it will go away". It started to really get worse on Sunday so this morning I demanded my health center to see me even though my doctor isn't available. Just got back from the doctor's office

Long story short: I got shingles  :Faint:

Ugh... very sorry to hear this. The good news is that barring exceptionally rare circumstances the disease will go away after a few weeks (hopefully even faster) and does not pose any sort of life-threatening situation. My daughter started to feel better within a day or two after she went on the antiviral meds. Granted, I realize the prognosis is usually better for kids, but the doctor told us for adults it's a wide range. Hopefully your pain is manageable (obviously all kinds of meds for this depending on severity) and hopefully it goes away soon. Again sorry to hear about it, and I hope you feel better.

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on July 25, 2022, 10:43:33 AMQuoting myself because of the complete irony of it all

I wrote this above response last Thursday. Friday morning I woke up with a scratchy neck and shoulder and didn't think a whole lot about it. I've always had an itchy spine. By Friday night it became irritable and my girlfriend said I had a rash all along the back of my neck. So I called the doctor who's out of town for a couple of weeks and their NP's were booked. Thought, "Oh well, probably nothing and it will go away". It started to really get worse on Sunday so this morning I demanded my health center to see me even though my doctor isn't available. Just got back from the doctor's office

Long story short: I got shingles  :Faint:

ouch  :hurt:

Hope you feel better soon

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on July 25, 2022, 10:43:33 AMQuoting myself because of the complete irony of it all

I wrote this above response last Thursday. Friday morning I woke up with a scratchy neck and shoulder and didn't think a whole lot about it. I've always had an itchy spine. By Friday night it became irritable and my girlfriend said I had a rash all along the back of my neck. So I called the doctor who's out of town for a couple of weeks and their NP's were booked. Thought, "Oh well, probably nothing and it will go away". It started to really get worse on Sunday so this morning I demanded my health center to see me even though my doctor isn't available. Just got back from the doctor's office

Long story short: I got shingles  :Faint:

I'm sorry to hear that, Ric. My MIL came down with it over a month ago and even after the antiviral she still had pain and itch for weeks. Linda tried a Lidocaine prescription by Rugby to dry it up but nerve endings pain remained and then she used IcyHot and that helped a lot. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220725/ee7c604e86154a5d51cb2ce7e411ad98.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220725/db4407b93fa3850f265163fbb617a058.jpg)


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It's funny, I asked for a shingles shot last year and they told my my insurance doesn't cover it (I have Aetna) and it would cost me a hundred and something dollars. I said, forget it...I'll take my chances and complain to Aetna (which I did to no avail)

Regardless, just got back from the drug store and it cost Aetna 130.00 to cover the prescriptions which are unique to shingles. And shingles can come back again and again and nearly 1/3 of all adults who had chicken pox as a kid will get shingles. Seems like a bad business decision by Aetna to not pay for a preventive shot and then pay through the backside for medical relief

Regardless, I'm going to get the shingles shot as soon as this episode is over no matter how much it cost out of pocket

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on July 25, 2022, 01:36:49 PMIt's funny, I asked for a shingles shot last year and they told my my insurance doesn't cover it (I have Aetna) and it would cost me a hundred and something dollars. I said, forget it...I'll take my chances and complain to Aetna (which I did to no avail)

Regardless, just got back from the drug store and it cost Aetna 130.00 to cover the prescriptions which are unique to shingles. And shingles can come back again and again and nearly 1/3 of all adults who had chicken pox as a kid will get shingles. Seems like a bad business decision by Aetna to not pay for a preventive shot and then pay through the backside for medical relief

Regardless, I'm going to get the shingles shot as soon as this episode is over no matter how much it cost out of pocket

I am a big fan of old sayings.   One of them is about an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

I am 100% getting it, and I made that decision prior to JBG's unfortunate news this AM (my daughter just had it). The likelihood of getting this disease is clearly not all that remote, and the vaccine is reportedly highly effective.

I feel somewhat fortunate that it's on the back of my neck and around my right shoulder. It burns and feels like little needles sticking in me and itches like crazy, but I can't itch it. It's an irritable pain, not an unbearable pain unlike a slipped disc pinching the sciatica, or an abscessed tooth, or passing a kidney stone, or getting shot in the leg from a .38 as each of the aforementioned has happened to me and those pains are downright nasty to deal with. Fortunate because if it was on my butt I couldn't sit down and use my computer or binge watch Better Call Saul as I am currently doing. If it was on my legs, my pants would constantly irritate it. If it was on my face, it'd make me even more undesirable to look at, etc. So I'm glad it's where it's at and hope it doesn't migrate to other parts of my body. I'm not sure where most people get it. I can tell you though, it friggin sucks!  :crazy:

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on July 25, 2022, 02:08:24 PMI feel somewhat fortunate that it's on the back of my neck and around my right shoulder. It burns and feels like little needles sticking in me and itches like crazy, but I can't itch it. It's an irritable pain, not an unbearable pain unlike a slipped disc pinching the sciatica, or an abscessed tooth, or passing a kidney stone, or getting shot in the leg from a .38 as each of the aforementioned has happened to me and those pains are downright nasty to deal with. Fortunate because if it was on my butt I couldn't sit down and use my computer or binge watch Better Call Saul as I am currently doing. If it was on my legs, my pants would constantly irritate it. If it was on my face, it'd make me even more undesirable to look at, etc. So I'm glad it's where it's at and hope it doesn't migrate to other parts of my body. I'm not sure where most people get it. I can tell you though, it friggin sucks!  :crazy:

Great outlook, and it all makes sense.

My understanding is that if it spreads, it will likely only spread along the same "nerve line" that it is on. This is what both doctors we consulted (our daughter's pediatrician and a top dermatologist) said. So if it's not on your face now and the nerve line that it's on is not connected to the facial ones, hopefully you should be able to take comfort that that's not a risk. Obviously, this is a question for a doctor only though. I certainly do not intend to be out of my depth! I did ask this very question myself of two good NYC doctors though, and they both gave the same answer, so I am just relaying that.

Yeah, the doctor drew a line with her finger explaining nerve lines and why it is where it is. Didn't really understand it, but apparently it follows certain nerves. I'm on my 4th day and it hasn't expanded beyond where it was 3 days ago (knock on wood) so hopefully it's isolated to just the current area

Doctor also told me that it's extremely rare for people under their mid-30s to 40s to get it and that it's almost unheard of in children because of all the bevy of vaccinations given to babies and toddlers in the last 40 years (she ran off the name of the vaccine that kids get, but it was foreign to me)

I was asked if I had chicken pox as a kid and I said "I don't remember and don't know" to which she replied, "I'm sure you did because the shingles virus comes from chicken pox and lives in you the rest of your life. Shingles usually pop up when you are under more stress than usual

@Jolly Blue Giant

Definitely sorry to hear about that, Ric. Hope it clears up in short order. Does it interfere with your sleep?

 So sorry Ric. Hope your case is mild and you get thru it OK.

Thanks guys...I'll survive, it's just annoying as hell. Nowhere near as bad as when I had kidney stones

Feel better Ric. And then go get your vaccine.

I still have soreness on my left side from the booster and I want to wait until that's clear before I get the Shingles shot. Btw, there are two versions and one is more highly effective but they don't give that one to persons after a certain age.

Rich, what's the latest on Monkey Pox?

Quote from: Ed Vette on July 26, 2022, 08:50:23 AMI still have soreness on my left side from the booster and I want to wait until that's clear before I get the Shingles shot. Btw, there are two versions and one is more highly effective but they don't give that one to persons after a certain age.

Been reading up on it and the CDC says Shingrix is the better alternative to Zostavax. What has me surprised, is that the CDC also says you should get two Shingrix shots 2-6 months apart. Also, if you have shingles, don't get the vaccination at the same time; hence, the reason I have been researching this

Anyway, this site from the CDC is a lot more informative than what I can write: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/shingles/public/shingrix/index.html

Quote from: Ed Vette on July 26, 2022, 08:51:18 AMRich, what's the latest on Monkey Pox?

Right now, it's mostly limited to men having sex with men.  The number of cases is relatively small in NJ, but it is slightly troubling that the small number is roughly doubling every week.  They have a vaccine in limited numbers and just started to make it available to people who feel they are in a high-risk group (after originally limiting it to just being who came into contact with an infected person).  That said, the vaccine is still in short supply.  There is also an anti-viral treatment available that has been released from our strategic stockpile. Interestingly enough, if you are old enough to have gotten the Smallpox vaccine, you are probably immune as the two diseases are very similar.

Right now, we are not seeing fatalities with monkeypox, which is welcome news (it seems most deaths from this disease are in third-world countries where access to healthcare is more limited).  I will say that while the disease is mostly among men having sex with men, I suspect in time, and much like HIV, that could change with time.

So while I think currently gay men should exercise caution and perhaps seek vaccination, I don't think there is a reason the general public should be worried (at least not at this time).  This outbreak certainly isn't welcome news among the exhausted ranks of public health who were hoping for a bit of a break after having dealt with Covid over the last couple of years. 

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on July 26, 2022, 09:12:04 AMBeen reading up on it and the CDC says Shingrix is the better alternative to Zostavax. What has me surprised, is that the CDC also says you should get two Shingrix shots 2-6 months apart. Also, if you have shingles, don't get the vaccination at the same time; hence, the reason I have been researching this

Anyway, this site from the CDC is a lot more informative than what I can write: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/shingles/public/shingrix/index.html

If you are going to "do your own research" the CDC is an excellent and definitive site for good information.    :ok:

Quote from: MightyGiants on July 26, 2022, 09:38:34 AMRight now, it's mostly limited to men having sex with men.  The number of cases is relatively small in NJ, but it is slightly troubling that the small number is roughly doubling every week.  They have a vaccine in limited numbers and just started to make it available to people who feel they are in a high-risk group (after originally limiting it to just being who came into contact with an infected person).  That said, the vaccine is still in short supply.  There is also an anti-viral treatment available that has been released from our strategic stockpile. Interestingly enough, if you are old enough to have gotten the Smallpox vaccine, you are probably immune as the two diseases are very similar.

Right now, we are not seeing fatalities with monkeypox, which is welcome news (it seems most deaths from this disease are in third-world countries where access to healthcare is more limited).  I will say that while the disease is mostly among men having sex with men, I suspect in time, and much like HIV, that could change with time.

So while I think currently gay men should exercise caution and perhaps seek vaccination, I don't think there is a reason the general public should be worried (at least not at this time).  This outbreak certainly isn't welcome news among the exhausted ranks of public health who were hoping for a bit of a break after having dealt with Covid over the last couple of years. 

That's pretty much verbatim to what my doctor told me yesterday. Good summary

@MightyGiants I updated your post. Didn't want folks to think you're out here spreading Monkeypox  :P

Quote from: T200 on July 26, 2022, 10:46:44 AM@MightyGiants I updated your post. Didn't want folks to think you're out here spreading Monkeypox  :P

LMAO...what a difference one little letter ("n") can make when typing away  =))  :Faint:

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on July 26, 2022, 10:49:54 AMLMAO...what a difference one little letter ("n") can make when typing away  =))  :Faint:

=))  =))

I actually did laugh out loud and said, "Oh sh*t  :o  , lemme fix that!"  :D

@T200 @Jolly Blue Giant

At least I had the typo in the relatively safe confines of our forum.  Some poor soul made the same typo on Twitter.  I think you can imagine how that went.

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on July 25, 2022, 08:42:36 PMThanks guys...I'll survive, it's just annoying as hell. Nowhere near as bad as when I had kidney stones

Feel better

And nothing hurts as bad as stones!!!


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I've never had stones... praying that doesn't happen to me. Sounds nothing short of awful. I have a friend who just had one, and it sounded hellish.

Quote from: Slugs Narrows on July 26, 2022, 02:07:45 PMFeel better

And nothing hurts as bad as stones!!!


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Stones are a bitch. I wasn't sure what was going on when I had them. Felt like a knife in my back being twisted back and forth. I have a high tolerance of pain and in fact, after an MRI on my back before surgery, the surgeon told me I "must have the highest toleration of pain of anyone he ever knew" as I walked in on my own accord

My stone adventure turned beyond my tolerance of pain after a full day of trying to get through it on my own. Finally drove myself to the hospital at midnight and I was told I was passing a stone (which I hadn't figured out and just thought I was dying) and put me on a morphine drip...which is about the only way to deal with it. Can't imagine how they dealt with it in the old days. Probably the reason few people lived beyond 50 yrs old... they probably shot themselves just to get away from the pain  :hurt:

I got shot in the leg when I was 18 by my younger brother playing with a Colt .38 Police Special with hot loads he loaded himself to mimic the ballistics of a .357. Lucky for me, it was a ricochet shot off the kitchen stove that took much of the velocity away. Got me right in the calf and lodged up against my bone. Didn't feel a thing. I thought a balloon had popped and the air went up my pant leg...then I thought he lit off a firecracker and pieces flew up my leg. I looked over at the table where my brother was looking horrified with his mouth dropped open while holding a smoking pistol. I yelled at him, "you idiot, you shot that thing in the house". He couldn't even answer me he was so stunned. So I started looking around the floor thinking the shot must have been near me and a piece of the floor went up my pant leg. After looking around, I finally looked at the back of my leg that was covered in blood. I nicely said, "You f... idiot - you shot me". He was still in the same frozen position with his mouth open. Anyway, to make a long story short, it doesn't hurt to get shot - can't even tell - for about 2 minutes anyway...then it is an awful pain, like an abscessed tooth only on your entire leg. I stayed awake as they operated and took the bullet out of my leg from the other side. A cop was in the room and had to leave as he was getting sick when the surgeon put something into the bullet hole and out the other side of my leg. Anyway - it was a pain for the next few days that rivaled everything passing a stone can give and more. Thank heavens back in the day I was given as much Darvon (an opioid based pain killer that is now banned, but really works) as I wanted and went through several bottles of the pills

Storal of the morey: Don't get shot!  :doh: 

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on July 26, 2022, 02:34:24 PMStones are a bitch. I wasn't sure what was going on when I had them. Felt like a knife in my back being twisted back and forth. I have a high tolerance of pain and in fact, after an MRI on my back before surgery, the surgeon told me I "must have the highest toleration of pain of anyone he ever knew" as I walked in on my own accord

My stone adventure turned beyond my tolerance of pain after a full day of trying to get through it on my own. Finally drove myself to the hospital at midnight and I was told I was passing a stone (which I hadn't figured out and just thought I was dying) and put me on a morphine drip...which is about the only way to deal with it. Can't imagine how they dealt with it in the old days. Probably the reason few people lived beyond 50 yrs old... they probably shot themselves just to get away from the pain  :hurt:

I got shot in the leg when I was 18 by my younger brother playing with a Colt .38 Police Special with hot loads he loaded himself to mimic the ballistics of a .357. Lucky for me, it was a ricochet shot off the kitchen stove that took much of the velocity away. Got me right in the calf and lodged up against my bone. Didn't feel a thing. I thought a balloon had popped and the air went up my pant leg...then I thought he lit off a firecracker and pieces flew up my leg. I looked over at the table where my brother was looking horrified with his mouth dropped open while holding a smoking pistol. I yelled at him, "you idiot, you shot that thing in the house". He couldn't even answer me he was so stunned. So I started looking around the floor thinking the shot must have been near me and a piece of the floor went up my pant leg. After looking around, I finally looked at the back of my leg that was covered in blood. I nicely said, "You f... idiot - you shot me". He was still in the same frozen position with his mouth open. Anyway, to make a long story short, it doesn't hurt to get shot - can't even tell - for about 2 minutes anyway...then it is an awful pain, like an abscessed tooth only on your entire leg. I stayed awake as they operated and took the bullet out of my leg from the other side. A cop was in the room and had to leave as he was getting sick when the surgeon put something into the bullet hole and out the other side of my leg. Anyway - it was a pain for the next few days that rivaled everything passing a stone can give and more. Thank heavens back in the day I was given as much Darvon (an opioid based pain killer that is now banned, but really works) as I wanted and went through several bottles of the pills

Storal of the morey: Don't get shot!  :doh: 

That's a hell of the story. That sounds like it was awful, but at least it wasn't worse. Seems like you got hit in one of the better places to get hit.

With stones, what are the main things to do to be preventative? I know always being very well hydrated is the big one. Anything else? I would love to get through my life without having one.

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on July 26, 2022, 05:08:54 PMThat's a hell of the story. That sounds like it was awful, but at least it wasn't worse. Seems like you got hit in one of the better places to get hit.

With stones, what are the main things to do to be preventative? I know always being very well hydrated is the big one. Anything else? I would love to get through my life without having one.

Everyone has stones. Fortunately, most the time they don't move so there is no issue. Your kidney is like a very fine sponge that filters liquids before going to your bladder. Little calcium deposits build up over time and stay stuck in that sponge and continue to grow bigger. The problem starts when for whatever reason, that calcium deposit breaks loose and decides to make it's way to your bladder. In order to get there, it cuts a path through the sponge like material in your kidney; hence, the reason if feels like there is a knife stuck in you and it's cutting back and forth is because that's what is happening - your kidney is literally being cut. Most people think that the pain in passing a kidney stone is when it works its way through the urethra and "Mr. Hanger", but that is not painful at all. All the pain is when the calcium deposit cuts the path through the kidney

Doctors told me I shouldn't eat nuts, crunchy peanut butter, draft beer, and a bunch of other things, but I think that's hooey. What I did was go through several months of lithotripsy, which is an ultrasonic energy or shock waves that is applied indirectly to the stone located with fluoroscopy. In short, if larger stones are found in your kidney from an x-ray, you can have them broken up so they flush out in tiny bits and pieces without pain. They knock you out  :sleeping: for a half hour or so (sedation, not anesthesia) and lay your naked body in a pool of some liquid. A machine is then hovering over your body and a technician looking at a monitor with cross hairs uses a joy stick to move the cross hairs to the stone, pushes a button and it sends the shock waves to break it up. Since I was out while it was going on, the doctor explained to me what is going on. He said it's like someone snapping a rubber band in the same spot a hundred times a second for several minutes. You are sedated because you couldn't stand the pain nor could you hold still if you were awake.

Anyway, there's not a whole lot you can do about kidney stones and I don't think most doctors would suggest lithotripsy unless you already have had issues with kidney stones. Both my daughters have had children and both have passed kidney stones and both say adamantly that passing stones was more painful. It sucks...just like shingles sucks  :cuss:

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on July 26, 2022, 05:42:10 PMEveryone has stones. Fortunately, most the time they don't move so there is no issue. Your kidney is like a very fine sponge that filters liquids before going to your bladder. Little calcium deposits build up over time and stay stuck in that sponge and continue to grow bigger. The problem starts when for whatever reason, that calcium deposit breaks loose and decides to make it's way to your bladder. In order to get there, it cuts a path through the sponge like material in your kidney; hence, the reason if feels like there is a knife stuck in you and it's cutting back and forth is because that's what is happening - your kidney is literally being cut. Most people think that the pain in passing a kidney stone is when it works its way through the urethra and "Mr. Hanger", but that is not painful at all. All the pain is when the calcium deposit cuts the path through the kidney

Doctors told me I shouldn't eat nuts, crunchy peanut butter, draft beer, and a bunch of other things, but I think that's hooey. What I did was go through several months of lithotripsy, which is an ultrasonic energy or shock waves that is applied indirectly to the stone located with fluoroscopy. In short, if larger stones are found in your kidney from an x-ray, you can have them broken up so they flush out in tiny bits and pieces without pain. They knock you out  :sleeping: for a half hour or so (sedation, not anesthesia) and lay your naked body in a pool of some liquid. A machine is then hovering over your body and a technician looking at a monitor with cross hairs uses a joy stick to move the cross hairs to the stone, pushes a button and it sends the shock waves to break it up. Since I was out while it was going on, the doctor explained to me what is going on. He said it's like someone snapping a rubber band in the same spot a hundred times a second for several minutes. You are sedated because you couldn't stand the pain nor could you hold still if you were awake.

Anyway, there's not a whole lot you can do about kidney stones and I don't think most doctors would suggest lithotripsy unless you already have had issues with kidney stones. Both my daughters have had children and both have passed kidney stones and both say adamantly that passing stones was more painful. It sucks...just like shingles sucks  :cuss:

Thank you for that explanation. I knew a bit of that but most of it was new info for me. Appreciate it.

Kidney stones have always scared me. I am better with some kinds of pain than others; that is one where I think I'd definitely struggle. And I know how common they are. I keep reading that roughly 10% of the population is affected by them (the bad kind obviously). That's a lot of people.

I did ask my GP once what I could do to avoid them, and he kind of echoed your answer although he did say that not drinking enough water seems to raise the risk. Unfortunately, drinking tons of water does not eliminate the risk.

I have also heard that they are worse than natural childbirth.

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on July 26, 2022, 02:34:24 PMStones are a bitch. I wasn't sure what was going on when I had them. Felt like a knife in my back being twisted back and forth. I have a high tolerance of pain and in fact, after an MRI on my back before surgery, the surgeon told me I "must have the highest toleration of pain of anyone he ever knew" as I walked in on my own accord

My stone adventure turned beyond my tolerance of pain after a full day of trying to get through it on my own. Finally drove myself to the hospital at midnight and I was told I was passing a stone (which I hadn't figured out and just thought I was dying) and put me on a morphine drip...which is about the only way to deal with it. Can't imagine how they dealt with it in the old days. Probably the reason few people lived beyond 50 yrs old... they probably shot themselves just to get away from the pain  :hurt:

I got shot in the leg when I was 18 by my younger brother playing with a Colt .38 Police Special with hot loads he loaded himself to mimic the ballistics of a .357. Lucky for me, it was a ricochet shot off the kitchen stove that took much of the velocity away. Got me right in the calf and lodged up against my bone. Didn't feel a thing. I thought a balloon had popped and the air went up my pant leg...then I thought he lit off a firecracker and pieces flew up my leg. I looked over at the table where my brother was looking horrified with his mouth dropped open while holding a smoking pistol. I yelled at him, "you idiot, you shot that thing in the house". He couldn't even answer me he was so stunned. So I started looking around the floor thinking the shot must have been near me and a piece of the floor went up my pant leg. After looking around, I finally looked at the back of my leg that was covered in blood. I nicely said, "You f... idiot - you shot me". He was still in the same frozen position with his mouth open. Anyway, to make a long story short, it doesn't hurt to get shot - can't even tell - for about 2 minutes anyway...then it is an awful pain, like an abscessed tooth only on your entire leg. I stayed awake as they operated and took the bullet out of my leg from the other side. A cop was in the room and had to leave as he was getting sick when the surgeon put something into the bullet hole and out the other side of my leg. Anyway - it was a pain for the next few days that rivaled everything passing a stone can give and more. Thank heavens back in the day I was given as much Darvon (an opioid based pain killer that is now banned, but really works) as I wanted and went through several bottles of the pills

Storal of the morey: Don't get shot!  :doh:

Jesus Jolly!!!   Crazy story!!!!

As for the description of the stone pain spot on!!!!

I remember the first time I had them!

I woke up in the middle of the night to pee.  Never ever do I wake up to pee.

Went to the bathroom, as I'm peeing start to get a pain in my lower back, right side!

Next thing I remember is being on the floor in the fetal position knees at my chest and my wife shaking me if I'm ok and I could barely speak the pain was so bad.

Wife called the parents they rushed over got me up and to the hospital.

I'm lying on the bed knees still at my chest.  They shot me up with something.  Said we will be back, came back and said how ya feeling, I said I'm still waiting for the pain meds.  They said we gave it to you already, I said well give me more I don't feel anything.

They came back with something else.  Shot me up with it and instantly my knees started pulling away from my chest and straighten.  It was the best feeling in the world and I remember saying wow can I take some of that home!!!

I had 2 stones in that kidney one was 9mm the other smaller!  Took 2 different procedures to get rid of them!  Was brutal!

I had them 1 other time after that and have had "gravel" as well over the years!

I go every few years now to get my kidneys checked cause I don't want to be found on the bathroom floor again lol


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Quote from: Slugs Narrows on July 27, 2022, 07:54:14 AMJesus Jolly!!!   Crazy story!!!!

As for the description of the stone pain spot on!!!!

I remember the first time I had them!

I woke up in the middle of the night to pee.  Never ever do I wake up to pee.

Went to the bathroom, as I'm peeing start to get a pain in my lower back, right side!

Next thing I remember is being on the floor in the fetal position knees at my chest and my wife shaking me if I'm ok and I could barely speak the pain was so bad.

Wife called the parents they rushed over got me up and to the hospital.

I'm lying on the bed knees still at my chest.  They shot me up with something.  Said we will be back, came back and said how ya feeling, I said I'm still waiting for the pain meds.  They said we gave it to you already, I said well give me more I don't feel anything.

They came back with something else.  Shot me up with it and instantly my knees started pulling away from my chest and straighten.  It was the best feeling in the world and I remember saying wow can I take some of that home!!!

I had 2 stones in that kidney one was 9mm the other smaller!  Took 2 different procedures to get rid of them!  Was brutal!

I had them 1 other time after that and have had "gravel" as well over the years!

I go every few years now to get my kidneys checked cause I don't want to be found on the bathroom floor again lol


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Good lord... horrible. I really don't want to go through that, although it seems like so many get them at some point.

Here for the shingles vaccine and Medicare doesn't cover. $198.00.

That's just the first dose. I think I get charged again for the second dose.

Quote from: Ed Vette on July 28, 2022, 03:03:50 PMThat's just the first dose. I think I get charged again for the second dose.

Medicare doesn't but perhaps your Supplemental does? I have Blue Shield of California, (Medigap part G), which costs me a bit more in premiums, but vaccines are covered 100%. For Shingles it didn't actually come into play for me though since I received my second of two Singrix vaccines a couple weeks before I turned 65.

Quote from: Sem on July 28, 2022, 03:29:10 PMMedicare doesn't but perhaps your Supplemental does? I have Blue Shield of California, (Medigap part G), which costs me a bit more in premiums, but vaccines are covered 100%. For Shingles it didn't actually come into play for me though since I received my second of two Singrix vaccines a couple weeks before I turned 65.

It falls under plan D which is paid prescriptions. I have G also but I don't think it falls under that.

Quote from: Ed Vette on July 28, 2022, 03:44:33 PMIt falls under plan D which is paid prescriptions. I have G also but I don't think it falls under that.

Yes, you're correct. Now I need to check mine closer to see if they cover my annual flu shot.

https://twitter.com/BNOFeed/status/1553451652732125185

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on July 30, 2022, 02:48:19 PMhttps://twitter.com/BNOFeed/status/1553451652732125185

This is not uncommon when you take Paxlovid

To date I have had the two initial(Pfizer) vaccinations taken Feb/Mar 21' and one booster Dec 21'. I contracted Covid exactly one year ago with relatively minor symptoms. I had a low grade(100) fever for 2-3 days, and cold like symptoms including some loss of taste which returned pretty quickly.

Ric, how are you doing with the shingles?

Quote from: Ed Vette on August 01, 2022, 10:40:43 AMRic, how are you doing with the shingles?

Thanks for asking Ed. I'm doing fine. Took my last pill (Valacyclovir) this morning and all the blisters have dried out and scabbed over and the itching and burning is gone. I was also given Gabapentin for pain and only used them a few times. I'm going to survive this temporary hell, but it hasn't been fun. I am getting the shingles shots (both of them) once it's completely gone

I would suggest to everyone on this board to get the shingles shots. I took it for granted because I thought it could never happen to me and I've always been healthy and rarely catch anything. Haven't even had a cold in years. Now I know that probabilities can even hit those who have a great immune system and have avoided all kinds of medical issues that typically hit everyone  :(

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on August 01, 2022, 11:22:02 AMThanks for asking Ed. I'm doing fine. Took my last pill (Valacyclovir) this morning and all the blisters have dried out and scabbed over and the itching and burning is gone. I was also given Gabapentin for pain and only used them a few times. I'm going to survive this temporary hell, but it hasn't been fun. I am getting the shingles shots (both of them) once it's completely gone

I would suggest to everyone on this board to get the shingles shots. I took it for granted because I thought it could never happen to me and I've always been healthy and rarely catch anything. Haven't even had a cold in years. Now I know that probabilities can even hit those who have a great immune system and have avoided all kinds of medical issues that typically hit everyone  :(

Each dose is about $200. Not covered by my paid prescription plan. Make sure to hydrate for several days after. There are side effects. Suggest getting it in the right arm. I had a chest pain that I would have thought was a heart attack if I had the shot in the left arm. Also resulted in some tendonitis.

Quote from: Ed Vette on August 01, 2022, 11:49:05 AMEach dose is about $200. Not covered by my paid prescription plan. Make sure to hydrate for several days after. There are side effects. Suggest getting it in the right arm. I had a chest pain that I would have thought was a heart attack if I had the shot in the left arm. Also resulted in some tendonitis.

Actually, I didn't meet my tier deductible on the plan.

Quote from: Ed Vette on August 01, 2022, 11:49:05 AMEach dose is about $200. Not covered by my paid prescription plan. Make sure to hydrate for several days after. There are side effects. Suggest getting it in the right arm. I had a chest pain that I would have thought was a heart attack if I had the shot in the left arm. Also resulted in some tendonitis.

Another data point. I got my second Shingrix vax and my second Covid booster on the same day, different arms. Aside from sore arms and being mildly tired the next day, I had no other reactions from the shots. Everyone is different so YMMV.

Good news / Bad news

Good news: Shingles are all cleared up  :ok:
Bad news: I'm passing a kidney stone  :hurt:  :hurt:  :hurt:

I am in soooo much pain

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on August 13, 2022, 07:15:16 AMGood news / Bad news

Good news: Shingles are all cleared up  :ok:
Bad news: I'm passing a kidney stone  :hurt:  :hurt:  :hurt:

I am in soooo much pain

Good grief!! I am so sorry to hear that JBG. I hope the stone is on the smaller side and that this passes quickly. Needless to say, you have had WAY MORE than your fair share of serious pain recently. This too shall pass, however I have a ton of sympathy and hope you get through this incredibly soon.

Thoughts are with you my friend.

Thanks Dave...this really sucks. I haven't gone to the hospital to get a morphine drip and am trying to tough it out at home. Drinking gallons of water while rotating Tylenol and Advil and probably over doing it with the meds

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on August 13, 2022, 08:23:10 AMThanks Dave...this really sucks. I haven't gone to the hospital to get a morphine drip and am trying to tough it out at home. Drinking gallons of water while rotating Tylenol and Advil and probably over doing it with the meds

Hang in there JBG. Easy for me to say from the cheap seats obviously, as I'm not presently experiencing what you are, but I know some very tough people who have had stones and said there is no understating the pain. So I am super sympathetic. Especially since you just got over another highly painful condition. I am really sorry about that.

The good news is that as bad as this is, it is only temporary. I respect that you are trying to tough it out at home, but I personally wouldn't be shy about going in for something stronger if it becomes completely unbearable. It's not like you're going in for a mild headache or some mild back pain. Kidney stones are up there with the most painful conditions there are.

Sounds like you and the wife deserve a great vacation somewhere really nice when this is over!

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on August 13, 2022, 07:15:16 AMGood news / Bad news

Good news: Shingles are all cleared up  :ok:
Bad news: I'm passing a kidney stone  :hurt:  :hurt:  :hurt:

I am in soooo much pain

Ouch!  feel better soon

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on August 13, 2022, 07:15:16 AMGood news / Bad news

Good news: Shingles are all cleared up  :ok:
Bad news: I'm passing a kidney stone  :hurt:  :hurt:  :hurt:

I am in soooo much pain

I hope you pass it soon and it doesn't have to be broken up. Sounds like you've had this before.

WOW Ric you trying for the medical man of the year award.

I know we all like to 'tough it out' but when there is help, go for it and don't try and be a hero.

Hope it all ends well for you and soon.

To circle back to the topic, here are some very interesting stats


https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#rates-by-vaccine-status

JBG,

How are you feeling? Any improvement?

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on August 17, 2022, 08:29:36 AMJBG,

How are you feeling? Any improvement?

Thanks for asking Dave. I'm still going through pain and have passed a small speck of a stone, but I'm apparently not through because it has started up again, just not as severe....yet  ~X(

There was one night I nearly got out of bed at 2 in the morning to go to the hospital, but I toughed it out and the next day it wasn't as bad. The hard pains come and go, but getting further apart. Irritating, but I'm hanging in there. Hopefully it'll all be gone in the next few days  :knockONwood:

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on August 17, 2022, 08:51:45 AMThanks for asking Dave. I'm still going through pain and have passed a small speck of a stone, but I'm apparently not through because it has started up again, just not as severe....yet  ~X(

There was one night I nearly got out of bed at 2 in the morning to go to the hospital, but I toughed it out and the next day it wasn't as bad. The hard pains come and go, but getting further apart. Irritating, but I'm hanging in there. Hopefully it'll all be gone in the next few days  :knockONwood:

JBG,

I am glad to hear that the "attacks" are spacing themselves out more and that you managed to pass a fragment of a stone at least. This is certainly progress. I'm sorry you're not completely over it yet, although my very rudimentary research on the subject suggests that that is not an unexpectedly bad outcome.

I hope it is all over within the next few days. Sounds like you're heading in the right direction at least.

From an AARP newsletter.

Starting on Jan. 1, 2023, Medicare enrollees won't have any out-of-pocket costs for vaccines that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends for adults. 

Medicare Part B, which applies to doctor visits, diagnostic tests and other outpatient services, already fully covers some vaccines, including flu shots, pneumonia vaccines, hepatitis B inoculations and coronavirus vaccines (initial shots as well as boosters).

But other vaccines, most notably the expensive vaccine for shingles, are covered under the Part D prescription drug plans, and many of those plans currently require enrollees to share the cost of those shots. The new law eliminates that cost-sharing.