Getting the shingles vaccine

[tableauvivant]

I'm in my late 50s and have been offered a shingles vaccine by my surgery, I assume because I have MGUS + an abnormal light chain ratio and am considered immunocompromised.

I wasn't sure I'd had chicken pox as a child, so had a blood test (Varicella-zoster IgG level), the result of which "indicates previous exposure and therefore immunity." This is a bit confusing to me; if I have "immunity", why do I need the vaccine?

I’m guessing because you already have the virus in you.. isn’t it dormant? And the vaccine will stop it re surging as shingles.

Just my guess

I asked for the vaccine but was refused because of my age. A few weeks later I had shingles and was in agony. I am about to have the second vaccine. If you’ve been offered it by your surgery, I’d recommend you to take it.

You have immunity to chickenpox (varicella zoster) which means you have the chickenpox virus lying dormant in your body. You are not immune to shingles (herpes zoster) and can actually get it multiple times. Get the vaccine

I had chicken pox as a child and qualify for a shingles jab because previously having chicken pox does not provide immunity.

I qualify, but my surgery has no plans to provide the jab presently.

Shingles is a reactivation of the chickenpox virus so you can only get shingles if you've had CP before. The vaccine helps prevent it reactivating