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The shingles vaccine may reduce the risk of dementia

economist.com

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Re: The shingles vaccine may reduce the risk of dementia

#61

Post by tptacek »

SoftTalker wrote: post #59
tptacek wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait, you can just pay for the shingles vaccine, before you're 50? Where do I do that? I had shingles in my 30s. It was the sickest I've ever been.

If you just want to pay out of pocket or with an HSA, etc. you can get many vaccines at a pharmacy. Might need to check if there are limited hours for that service or appointments needed. Not sure if Shingrix is one of them.

I've tried to get the shingles vaccine at Walgreens before and been turned down because I wasn't old enough.

Re: The shingles vaccine may reduce the risk of dementia

#62

Post by Jolter »

tptacek wrote: post #24
robot_jesus wrote: post #5

I'm in my 40s with genetic predisposition for Alzheimer's. Been seriously considering the past year or two paying out of pocket for Shingrix. I think it would be ~$500 total for two doses. Sure, I could wait 7 or 8 years until I qualify via insurance, but is that really worth the risk for what is an easily absorbed cost to me? Especially when I have a friend in her late 30s who just went through a very rough bout of…

Wait, you can just pay for the shingles vaccine, before you're 50? Where do I do that? I had shingles in my 30s. It was the sickest I've ever been.

If you have already had shingles as an adult, aren’t you fairly well protected for the next ten years or so, at least? I’d wager that you are one of the people least at risk since your immune system is already primed and readying suppress the virus that’s latently infecting you.

Re: The shingles vaccine may reduce the risk of dementia

#63

Post by SoftTalker »

tptacek wrote: post #61
SoftTalker wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you just want to pay out of pocket or with an HSA, etc. you can get many vaccines at a pharmacy. Might need to check if there are limited hours for that service or appointments needed. Not sure if Shingrix is one of them.

I've tried to get the shingles vaccine at Walgreens before and been turned down because I wasn't old enough.

Huh. Well maybe not then. Did you make it clear you'd pay out of pocket and not insurance?

Re: The shingles vaccine may reduce the risk of dementia

#64

Post by tptacek »

hobo123 wrote: post #60
hereme888 wrote: post #10

Replicated association, which is strong, but not proof. Initial study saw a 3.5% absolute reduction in dementia diagnoses over seven years with a very wide confidence interval. In Australia the study was replicated with 1.8% absolute reduction over 7.4 yrs. Canadian replication: 2% over 5.5 yrs. Infections generally increase the risk of future dementia. Like the more colds you have throughout life.

I wonder if infections do not cause more dementia, but are simply correlated with more. A weaker immune system may trigger many many things. And similar questions about obesity "causing" many diseases, sunburns causing skin cancer (although that sounds somewhat plausible) etc.

There isn't a causal mechanistic link between shingles and Alzheimers. We don't know why the Shingrix vaccine reduces incidence of Alzheimers.

(You should very much want to avoid any chance of getting shingles, though; it's a nightmare.)

Re: The shingles vaccine may reduce the risk of dementia

#65

Post by tptacek »

Jolter wrote: post #62
tptacek wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait, you can just pay for the shingles vaccine, before you're 50? Where do I do that? I had shingles in my 30s. It was the sickest I've ever been.

If you have already had shingles as an adult, aren’t you fairly well protected for the next ten years or so, at least? I’d wager that you are one of the people least at risk since your immune system is already primed and readying suppress the virus that’s latently infecting you.

You are more likely to have a recurrence of shingles after once having it before. At any rate, I had mine more than 10 years ago.

Re: The shingles vaccine may reduce the risk of dementia

#66

Post by tptacek »

SoftTalker wrote: post #63
tptacek wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've tried to get the shingles vaccine at Walgreens before and been turned down because I wasn't old enough.

Huh. Well maybe not then. Did you make it clear you'd pay out of pocket and not insurance?

Yes. I really want this vaccine.

Re: The shingles vaccine may reduce the risk of dementia

#67

Post by Jolter »

tptacek wrote: post #50
dymk wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article says that one possible reason the vaccine protects against dementia is incidental protection from other diseases. Getting chickenpox as a kid might protect you against shingles, but maybe not against those other diseases.

No! The opposite thing is true. Getting chickenpox as a kid drastically increases your likelihood of getting shingles as an adult. The initial chickenpox infection is the mechanism by which you're set up for shingles: you get it, fight it back, and it remains dormant in your nerves. Shingles is not simply chickenpox; it's the secondary infection you get from a resurgent zoster outbreak based in your nerves. Don't get…

Well, now… I can tell you second hand that catching chicken pox as an adult is no picnic either.

Re: The shingles vaccine may reduce the risk of dementia

#68

Post by SoftTalker »

hereme888 wrote: post #10

Replicated association, which is strong, but not proof. Initial study saw a 3.5% absolute reduction in dementia diagnoses over seven years with a very wide confidence interval. In Australia the study was replicated with 1.8% absolute reduction over 7.4 yrs. Canadian replication: 2% over 5.5 yrs. Infections generally increase the risk of future dementia. Like the more colds you have throughout life.

I'm one of those people (knock on wood) who never gets sick. I never get colds or seasonal flu, and I don't get routine flu vaccines. Never got COVID either, even when several people in the house had it (I did get the J&J vaccine for that, however).

I did have chicken pox as a kid, but have not had shingles nor the vaccine (yet). A co-worker was laid up for a week after his shingles vaccine, but that's obviously just one data point.

But, I've been considering getting the Shingrix series even if I have to pay for it. I turn 60 this year. Shingles doesn't sound fun.

Re: The shingles vaccine may reduce the risk of dementia

#69

Post by hereme888 »

alfiedotwtf wrote: post #38
hereme888 wrote: post #10

Replicated association, which is strong, but not proof. Initial study saw a 3.5% absolute reduction in dementia diagnoses over seven years with a very wide confidence interval. In Australia the study was replicated with 1.8% absolute reduction over 7.4 yrs. Canadian replication: 2% over 5.5 yrs. Infections generally increase the risk of future dementia. Like the more colds you have throughout life.

> like the more colds you have in life Whoa wait what? This is the first time I’ve heard of this - is this actually common knowledge?

Not common knowledge, but should be in this day and age. For example, someone who worked in daycare and often got sick with the flu or similar, has a higher risk of dementia (statistically-speaking).

When I learned it, it was in the context of the influenza and similar common viruses.

It's actually more nuanced than that. If you want to read more: https://www.openevidence.com/ask/bccc3cc2-e15d-4fb0-a0c5-16f...

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