Neurological effects such as vision loss and brain inflammation are among the possible side effects of the shingles vaccine Zostavax.

What Is Shingles?

Shingles is a viral infection that is thought to be caused by a reactivation of the varicella zoster virus which also causes chickenpox. The virus can lie dormant in the central nervous system for a long time after individuals get chicken pox as children.

Shingles usually presents itself as a red rash that usually only affects a small area on one side of the body, commonly developing as a stripe around the side of the torso.

Patients may also experience intense pain, burning, numbness, and/or tingling. The rash may itch and can result in fluid-filled blisters which break open. Other symptoms may include a fever, headaches, light sensitivity and fatigue.

Although shingles usually isn’t fatal, the condition can lead to serious complications including:

• Postherpetic neuralgia (nerve damage that results in chronic pain after a shingles infection);
• Vision loss (usually associated with shingles in or around the eyes);
• Encephalitis (brain inflammation);
• Facial paralysis;
• Hearing and/or balance problems;
• Skin infections (if blisters caused by shingles are not treated appropriately).

Is There A Shingles Vaccine?

Because shingles complications increase in risk as people age, it is recommended that people receive a shingles vaccine at age 50 or 60. There are two shingles vaccinations available: Zostavax and Shingrix. While Shingrix is a recombinant vaccine, Zostavax uses a live form of the vaccine.

Zostavax was approved by the U.S. food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006 and is recommended for people ages 60 and older. The vaccine provides five years of protection from a shingles infection.

Shingrix is a much newer shingles vaccine and was only approved by the FDA in 2017. Studies of the vaccine suggest that Shingrix may provide longer protection than that provided by Zostavax. The vaccine can be given to individuals ages 50 and up, even if they have previously had the Zostavax vaccine.

Because there are more side effects associated with live vaccines such as Zostavax, Shingrix is the shingles vaccine recommended by the ACIP and the CDC.

In fact, going forward, Zostavax will no longer be used in the United States. In June, Merck announced that it would no longer be selling the vaccine in the United States. According to the CDC, the vaccine is still safe and may be used through its expiration date – before or by November 2020. However, in a Twitter statement, the agency noted that “Shingrix remains the preferred vaccine recommended for adults 50 & older to prevent shingles and its complications.”

Although this means that future patients may not have to worry about Zostavax complications, patients who received the vaccine in the past may have struggled with life-changing side effects.

What Are the Serious Side Effects of The Shingles Vaccine?

With any shingles vaccine, individuals may experience redness, soreness, swelling or itching at the injection site. Other mild symptoms may include headaches and a rash.

Zostavax can have its own unique side effects. In some cases, getting the live shingles vaccine can cause patients to get shingles. This can expose patients to the serious risks associated with shingles.

There are also serious side effects of the shingles vaccine associated with Zostavax. These may include:

• A severe allergic reaction (swelling of the face, hives, warm/red skin, trouble breathing, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, rapid pulse);
• Hearing loss;
• Necrotizing retinitis (inflammation of the retina);
• Ramsay Hunt syndrome (a condition of facial paralysis and hearing loss typically caused by the shingles vaccine);
• Retinal uveitis (inflammation of the uvea layer of the eye);
• Vision loss/blindness;
• Paralysis;
• And more.

Some severe shingles vaccine side effects may even lead to death, including acute myelitis, Bell’s palsy, and encephalitis. Unfortunately, many of the side effects associated with Zostavax may be permanent – especially if they deal with vision or the neurological system. These side effects have prompted two black box warnings from the FDA.

Opposed to the severe potential side effects of the Zostavax shingles vaccine, Shingrix is only associated with these and other mild symptoms. As with any vaccination, some people may feel tired or ill for a few days after getting Shingrix.

However, Shingrix was not always available. People who previously got the Zostavax vaccine before Shingrix was available or who had been given Zostavax instead of Shingrix may have been forced to endure significant shingles vaccine side effects.

Individuals who suffered from injuries as a result of the Zostavax vaccine may be able to take legal action. A qualified lawyer can review your case to determine your eligibility for legal action. If you qualify, you could recover compensation for injuries, medical bills, and more.