The Shingles Virus May Be Aging You More Quickly

[Nevilledog]

https://www.wired.com/story/shingles-virus-aging/

No paywall link
https://archive.li/FCEoR

IN 2010, A university lecturer from Colorado started experiencing worrying signs of cognitive decline.

The lecturer—a 63-year-old viral immunologist whose identity has been kept anonymous—suffered alarming symptoms, including impaired memory, waning concentration, and difficulty reading. While giving lectures to students, he found he had difficulty focusing and was often unable to finish sentences without pausing. But medical tests, including a brain biopsy, failed to get to the source of the problem, and over the next four years, his symptoms continued to progress.

His decline would have likely continued unabated had he not heard about a case of encephalitis—serious brain inflammation caused by a reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, most commonly associated with childhood chickenpox and, later in life, shingles.

Remembering that his own symptoms had been preceded by a brief case of shingles, subsequent tests confirmed the patient had indeed experienced a reactivation of varicella-zoster. And so he decided to treat the problem with a course of acyclovir, an antiviral drug commonly prescribed to shingles patients. To his colleagues’ amazement, the Colorado lecturer’s symptoms quickly faded away and his cognition returned to normal.

This remarkable case study, published in 2016, has inspired neurovirologists to look deeper into the connection between shingles and brain aging. For decades, shingles has been predominantly associated with a form of nerve pain known as postherpetic neuralgia, which can be so severe that it was once cited as the leading cause of pain-related suicide in the elderly. Now, research is starting to reveal the devastating impact that shingles can have on brain health.

*snip*

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. We got our Shingrix vaccines a couple of years ago.

The series was supposed to cost $500 per person, but our wonderful pharmacist tipped us off that, since we were over 65, if our physician wrote a prescription for the vaccine, rather than just “recommending” it, MSP (BC’s healthcare plan) would cover it.

Looks like DJT didn’t get his vaccine…

[irisblue]

2. I had chicken pox in the early 60s. I had the shingles vaccine 2 yrs ago.

This news is interesting.
TY Nevilledog for posting this.

[twodogsbarking]

3. Back when their was a wait list for vaccine Was on the list but I got shingles. If you get them go to a care facility

as soon as you can. The meds can decrease the severity and length.. That aside, they are not just a rash. The nerve pain is terrible. It can last months after until everything heals. If you have them on your crotch it is not at all fun. Get the vaccine if you can.

[LisaM]

7. Try years.

I had shingles in 2020 and still have severe facial pain from time to time. This study is interesting to me because I have concentration issues now.

[twodogsbarking]

9. Areas with more sensitive nerves seem to be hit the hardest. Bet to you.

[quakerboy]

4. Also worth noting the potential Covid connection

specifically that Covid seems to sometimes have the ability to reduce some of the "stored knowledge" of your immune system and make you susceptible to diseases you once may have had immunity to. And one of the ones ive specifically seen that happening for is chicken pox/shingles.

[neohippie]

5. Heard the Shingles Vaccine helps with Alzheimer's

I heard on NPR's show The People's Pharmacy that there is strong science that points more towards causation than just correlation that older people who have received the shingles vaccine are showing signs that the vaccine is helping reduce the affects of Alzheimer's disease and even prevent death from that disease

As well as science showing that it may also have some preventative affect.

This was discussed and they are now looking further at the data to try to see what exactly is happening

[Jack Valentino]

6. one of the vaccines I think I should get---

my elderly father suffered from shingles after the age of 80---


he didn't enjoy it

[bmichaelh]

8. Got Shingles Twice

I got Shingles twice; a rare occasion.

I got Shingles a few years ago after getting the vaccine; another rare occasion.

I am not advocating not getting the vaccine.

In 1990, was my first occurrence of Shingles.
A few months later, I was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma.
In 1986, I was diagnosed with Crohns disease.

In 2019, my lymphoma returned; my third time.
OT; I was able to achieve remission due to ACA and its ban on lifetime limits; first four treatments were unsuccessful.
Even though, I am in remission; I follow my doctor's advise and get maintenance treatments every 3 weeks.

The treatments more than likely lowered my immune system.

[twodogsbarking]

10. Hang in. We need you.