Is the Shingles Vaccine now available in Thailand?

[bonzersmom]

Does anybody know if the shingles vaccine is now available in CM or BKK? I did a forum search and the most current post I could find was December 2012. Hopefully things have changed in the past 16 months?

If it is not available has anyone had any luck getting a vaccine mailed from the US?

[mesquite]

If all else fails, you can fly to Singapore and get the vaccination shot there.

Edited April 5, 2014 by mesquite

[northernjohn]

That seems like quite a strange request. We hear so little about people getting it. I have known two people in 72 years that had it and it was defiantly not nice. As a rule it is so rare people don't even think of it.

Is there a particular reason you asked for it?

[mizztraveller]

Shingles is actually one of the largest causes of hospitalisation for the elderly in the UK.

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[neilrob]

I had shingles two years ago and am still suffering from the after effects (and probably will the rest of my life). Definitely not nice and well worth getting the vaccine if available.

[BawBae]

Info here for clarification:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/shingles/vacc-need-know.htm

[northernjohn]

Info here for clarification:

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/shingles/vacc-need-know.htm

Thanks for the link.

I had not realized it was an old people thing. I qualify. As a previous poster said I knew one case where it was still bothering the lady two years later. The other case I knew was my uncle and he only mentioned it when he was going through the bad part. In later years you would not suspect there was any thing left bothering him.

I will look into it with my doctor.

Don't know about hospitalization the two cases I knew of never were hospitalized.

[thepool]

Zostavax is AFAIK is not yet available/authorised for use in Thailand

[neilrob]

Don't know about hospitalization the two cases I knew of never were hospitalized.

I was in hospital for several days---the first time I had been hospitalized in more than sixty years. My partner's nephew had it so severely that he spent days in intensive care.

[PMNL]

Still not available in thailand, was told they are working with thai FDA approval and research market demand.

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[northernjohn]

Still not available in thailand, was told they are working with thai FDA approval and research market demand.

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Does any one know how big of a problem it is.

If you have it for sure it is a problem but how prevalent is it?

[thepool]

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Still not available in thailand, was told they are working with thai FDA approval and research market demand.


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Does any one know how big of a problem it is.

If you have it for sure it is a problem but how prevalent is it?

Some information here

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12744889

[FlorC]

I just had it ( herpes zoster) in september last year. According to my mother I didn't have chickenpox as a child.

I do use badly washed towels from the motel..I don't know where I got it from. I just turned 50.

Hurts like hell for a week , aspirines help a lot. Nightmare nights . After 4 days went to the doc and got a lot of pills.

It took 3 months to get my skin back to normal . I let the motel know because there was a young child and when the blisters break , it is very contagous.

Reading other posts here , I think I had a milt case. Still not sure where I got it from.

Once you had it , small chance it will comeback. Thai doc + medicine = 479 THB.

[northernjohn]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Still not available in thailand, was told they are working with thai FDA approval and research market demand.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Does any one know how big of a problem it is.

If you have it for sure it is a problem but how prevalent is it?

Some information here

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12744889

That is a 11 year old article. I am sure there is better out there.

I was curious as to the number of cases of it.

It is always a matter of concern so are many things. I just wanted to know if it is an over reaction to one case.

I will be seeing my doctor this week and discuss it with her.

[Tywais]

I also had it less than a year ago but fortunately it was a fairly mild case compared to others and no hospitalization. Still pretty miserable with skin burning and major aches in the chest and rib area like I had done a major workout the day before. Sleeping was difficult as could not get a comfortable position so was turning all night. Took about 3 months for it to fully clear up. Read of instances it could go on for years.

I'm going to move this to the health forum as there have been other topics on it there and not CM specific. Will leave a link in the CM forum though.

[Lefty]

I was in Houston and this thread caused me to get shingles vaccine (Zostavax) , was done by my Kroger pharmacist Kroger price was about $220.I paid $38,.balance paid by my part D insurance company. Vaccine was in 2 parts and was stored in refrigerator so doubt you will get it shipped from US.

Lefty .

[kriswillems]

Maybe I ask an additional question?

If you had a chickenpox vaccination as a child, is a shingles vaccination still useful when you're an adult?

[Dukgae]

Have had it twice, once many years ago and it took about 2 months to clear up, second time a few years ago so I recognised the beginning of the symptoms (general achiness and very tender skin around your middle on one side only, before the blisters come up). If you get an antiviral drug into you less than 72 hours from the onset, it stops it getting so bad. A friend had it in his eye, it was very painful and took a long time to go.

[bubba]

I enquired with my physician at Bumrungrad about this in January. He made a call and came back to tell me that the vaccine (Zostavax) would be probably be available at Bumrungrad sometime in May. Not sure if that is still the timetable, but it appears that its approval and release will be soon.

Here is an information page from the US FDA regarding Zostavax:

http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/QuestionsaboutVaccines/ucm070418

[bubba]

If all else fails, you can fly to Singapore and get the vaccination shot there.

Or Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong:

http://news.malaysia.msn.com/malaysia-news/preventing-shingles-is-now-a-reality-with-zostavax-r

[bubba]

Zostavax is AFAIK is not yet available/authorised for use in Thailand

Zostavax was approved by Thai FDA three years ago:

http://drug.fda.moph.go.th/zone_search/files/sea007o.asp

I am guessing that due to the cost of the vaccine, market demand has been taken into account before getting MSD to set up distribution.

[Sheppo]

Shocking diseas. Got it 6 years ago Caused bad inflamation of eye and face. Still every so often my eyebrow itches and will not go away. I hope each time it does not spread like before

[ThaiTerry]

That seems like quite a strange request. We hear so little about people getting it. I have known two people in 72 years that had it and it was defiantly not nice. As a rule it is so rare people don't even think of it.

Is there a particular reason you asked for it?

Had the Shingles vaccine a couple of years back, no problem. Got it in the US.

[Mrjlh]

Better up to date info: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/shingles/expert-answers/shingles-vaccine/faq-20057859

[Issangeorge]

About 12 years ago age 51 before I moved to Thailand permanently, I got it on vacation here. First I had pain in my left chest (I was worried it was my heart) I was in the village at the time and didn't know any doctors in the area. A few days later I was in Bangkok and I started to get a rash on my left torso. I went to a clinic and immediately the doctor diagnosed it as shingles. He gave me some antiviral medicine and it started to clear up, but still lingered for a month. I was returning to Canada at that time and my doctor there said it was shingles and kept me on the same medicine. I don't remember the rash blistering. I think I was very lucky and had a mild dose. Our family have a friend who was an orthopedic surgeon and he contacted the disease and it basically ended his surgery career. He continued on consulting, but didn't do surgery anymore. I think hr was in his early sixties when he got it.

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[greenwood0311]

I was unaware that there is a vaccine to stop you getting it. But I did suffer from it a few years ago now and had it on my face.

It will either go from your ear and down you face, or from your ear up your face.

The one that goes down your face will give you a lot of pain, but is the one that goes up your face that is most dangerous.

If you get the one that goes up your face, you have the chance of it getting into your eyes and the worst scenario is that you can get encephalitis and that is life threatening.

It took about a month or so of tablets to clear it up and have never suffered again. I have no idea of why I got it, but can tell you it was one of the most painful ilnesses I have had in my life.

[SpokaneAl]

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That seems like quite a strange request. We hear so little about people getting it. I have known two people in 72 years that had it and it was defiantly not nice. As a rule it is so rare people don't even think of it.

Is there a particular reason you asked for it?

In the US, medical experts recommend that people 60 and older obtain the shingles vaccine.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/shingles/vacc-need-know.htm

[430xc]

Shingles is from the chicken pox virus called herpes zoster. When you get chicken pox (usually as a child), the virus remains dormant in your body for many years. It can become active anytime but usually after the age of 60, when it can cause problems. There are many things that can trigger re-activation of the virus but we do not totally understand the process.

Zostavax is a vaccination of the weakened chickenpox virus and stimulates an immune response. Zostavax will not totally prevent shingles and it is not used to treat shingles. Zostavax MAY decrease the chance of shingles from occuring and if shingles does happen, it will usually decrease the severity and duration of the shingles outbreak.

Zostavax is administered subcutaneously, usually in the back part of the upper arm(triceps area) and is not very painful. The vaccination comes from the manufacturer frozen and MUST remain that way until it is prepared for administration. I would definitely NOT consider having a dose shipped to Thailand from anywhere.

The cost in the USA at a pharmacy is about $200 USD, if you do not have insurance that pays part of all. It is recommended for individuals over 60 years old. Most pharmacists and retail pharmacies in most states can give the vaccination and does not require a visit to a doctor or prescription from a doctor.

Many people think it is worth the cost to get the vaccination. I suggest you talk with your doctor or an experienced pharmacist to get more information about the benefits and risks involved.

Hope this information helps.

430xc

[JSixpack]

The cost in the USA at a pharmacy is about $200 USD, if you do not have insurance that pays part of all.

I think you can get from the public health dept free or at nominal cost.

[rotary]

It is terrible, I had it a couple of years ago and just now getting over it 100%. It left my arm without feeling for many months.

Facts are if you have had chickenpox there is a good chance you will have shingles at some point in time.