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SHINGLES: What is it and How Can I Prevent It?Written by Zarina Jalal, PharmD (previously Pharm D Candidate) Albany College of Pharmacy and Health SciencesPaul Pagnotta, RPh, Owner, Four Corners Pharmacy

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1 out of every 3 people in the United States will develop shingles during their lifetime and anyone who has had chickenpox in their lifetime is at risk of developing the painful disorder1. Although shingles can affect any age group, more than half of all cases occur in adults over the age of 602.

What is Shingles?Shingles usually starts as a painful blistering rash along one side of the body or face3. One to fi ve days before the rash emerges, patients can experience pain, itching or tingling in that area. The blisters scab over in 7 to 10 days and the rash usually clears within 2 to 4 weeks. Anti-viral medications used as early as possible can decrease the length and severity of the illness. More than half of people over the age of 60 who do not receive anti-viral treatment will develop a complication known as postherpetic neuralgia (PHN)3. PHN is severe pain in the areas affected by the rash. In many cases the pain resolves within a few weeks to months following the infection, but for some it can last years2. Very rarely, shingles can lead to blindness, hearing loss, swelling in the brain, or death3.

What causes Shingles?Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes chicken pox. Shingles occurs in people who have previously had the chickenpox. Once the body fi ghts a chickenpox infection, the virus settles in nerves in the body and remains dormant. Many people will never be affected again. However, for some individuals, the virus reactivates causing the blistering and pain recognized as shingles2. It is not clear why the virus reactivates, but the risk for shingles increases with age2. Those who have a weakened immune system due to medications or other health conditions are at increased risk for developing shingles2. Examples include patients with HIV infection or certain types of cancer, patients receiving cancer chemotherapy, or those who have undergone an organ transplant. While a person with shingles cannot give someone else shingles, they can infect someone with the virus giving them the chickenpox (if the person has not had chickenpox or the chicken pox vaccine before)1. The virus is transmitted by direct contact with the

fl uid from the blisters, therefore precautions such as covering blisters and frequent hand washing can reduce the risk of transmission2. Until the blisters heal over, patients with shingles should avoid contact with pregnant women and patients with a weakened immune system.

How can I prevent Shingles?Although there is no way to completely prevent shingles, the vaccine ZOSTAVAX reduces the overall risk of shingles by more than 50%4. Additionally, those who do develop shingles despite getting the vaccination, are less likely to develop complications such as PHN4. This vaccination is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in all individuals over the age of 50. Even those who have had shingles can get the vaccine to reduce recurrence.

What should I know about the shingles vaccine?The shingles vaccine is considered a live attenuated vaccine5, meaning that it contains a weakened version of the virus. The most frequent side effects of the vaccine include headache and pain at the injection site5. Patients with a weakened immune system , those taking immune suppressant medications, patients allergic to gelatin or neomycin, and women who are pregnant should not get the shingles vaccine5. How can I get the shingles vaccine?Talk with your doctor about your risk of developing shingles and if the vaccine is right for you. If it is, you can get the vaccine at your doctor’s offi ce or by bringing your prescription to the pharmacy for administration at the doctor’s offi ce or the pharmacy (by appointment) . The vaccine may be covered by Medicare part D and other prescription plans.

Four Corners Pharmacy Shingles Vaccine clinic

will be held

Thursday December 6th.Please call 439 8200 for your appointment.You will need a prescription for the vaccine

from your doctor.

References: 1. CDC. Shingles Clinical Overview - Herpes Zoster [Internet]. [cited 2012 Feb 18]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/shingles/hcp/clinical-overview.html2. Insinga RP, Itzler RF, Pellissier JM, Saddier P, Nikas AA. The Incidence of Herpes Zoster in a United States Administrative Database. J Gen Intern Med. 2005 Aug;20(8):748–53. 3. CDC. Prevention of herpes zoster: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immuniza-tion Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep. 2008;57(05):1-30.4. Oxman MN, Levin MJ, Johnson GR, Schmader KE, Straus SE, Gelb LD, et al. A Vac-cine to Prevent Herpes Zoster and Postherpetic Neuralgia in Older Adults. N Engl J Med. 2005;352(22):2271–84. 5. ZOSTAVAX [Package Insert]. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck & Co. Inc., 2011.

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Season‛s Greetings my dear readers….

As I write this, I am still refl ecting upon Thanksgiving and the 30 days of Thankfulness that I participated in with my friends & family on Facebook. One of my days was dedicated to having the opportunity to write this article every month. I am always amazed by the number of people who drop by the shop to tell me how much they enjoyed what I wrote. Thanks! When “Our Towne” arrives…you may not even have the time to stop, relax & read this! The busiest season of the year is upon us. The frost is on the windshields, a nip in the air, and dusk begins somewhere around 4:30pm! Yikes…so little daylight and so much to do! But as I put the Christmas novels out on the top of the shelves…put the Christmas craft books out…and stop to browse thru each children‛s Christmas book…I also refl ect over those holidays past. Whether you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah…there is no denying that this time of the year when we enter into Winter is unique. Besides dressing in layers, digging out the gloves, hats, scarves, the ice scraper, & our shovels…many spend just a bit more time baking, cooking, crafting, shopping, wrapping etc. In your very busy schedule I hope that you might have time for 2 things:

#1 stop by Tattered Pages Used Books to Shop (for books or gift certifi cates) #2 Tell a friend or family member about Tattered Pages Used Books a locally owned & operated small business.

We are conveniently located in the Glenmont Center Square at the corners of Route 9W South & Feura Bush Rd. We are very excited to say that our good friends at “Romo‛s Pizza” will be opening in the storefront right next to our shop on Dec. 1st! We hope you will stop & browse…or come in and say hi to Seamus and me while waiting for your pizza!Just recently I have seen an increase in business from people who were new to the bookshop. I changed the lettering in our windows from “LIVE, LOVE, READ!” to BOOKS! BOOKS! BOOKS!...amazing how many people came in because they saw the simple word Books! We have been here for over 5 years in this location and would love another 5…but we can‛t do that without the help of our friends in our community. Please help us by telling others about the great deals that you can get Sun-Sat in our shop. We have 18,000+ titles on our shelves…most in next to new condition. We have our entire data base in our computer and can tell you if we have a book in our store with just a simple phone call to us. We have books that are newly published, brought in by our wonderful customers who participate in our trade credit program; as well as older, classic one of

kind books. So many of our books would make great gifts! I had a wonderful experience with a lovely young man, who loves classic literature, and was looking to add some John Steinbeck and John Cheever to his personal library. You should have seen his face when I showed him that the John Cheever that he was buying was an autographed fi rst edition for quite a bargain! He was so thrilled he said that he would have paid 4 times that amount! We have a saying here in the shop…you go into a box store for a book that is just released…you go into a used bookstore to have just the right books fi nd you! Some of the books recently acquired: John Sandford “Virgil Flowers” mysteries, latest paperbacks by Robyn Carr, Susan Mallery, Nora Roberts, JoAnn Ross, & Sherryl Woods. Many of your child‛s favorite chapter books are right here, as well from Beverly Cleary to JK Rowling. We have a really nice selection of Christmas & Hannukah picture books. You should see the number of Christmas related novels & romances that are already out on our shelves…many of them published this past year! We also have a nice selection of soup, casserole & Christmas cook & entertaining books. I want to gently remind all of you that the gift of reading & enjoying books is one of the greatest gifts that you can give a child. I have written about my grandchildren, nieces & nephews over the years. They know that they will always receive at least one book from me. I am always available to help match you up with just the right books for your Holiday gift giving. In closing I would like to share some personal news. On October 23rd, my grand-daughter Raven Marie was born. 6lbs7oz…19 ½”…and a head full of raven colored hair! My grand-daughter Trinity (6), her big sister, & I have already read her some books. When a book is treated like a great treasure, a child will see it as one as well. I was delighted to hear Trin ask her 21 year old aunt to come up to her room to take turn reading some books as we cleared the Thanksgiving dishes. She read “The Bickleby‛s Birdbath” & Alisha read “The Cat in the Hat”. The gift of reading…it is the gift that keeps on giving!As we come to the end of yet another year…may I extend the sincerest wishes to all on behalf of Barbara & Larry Boord, Linda, Seamus & me. May this Holiday Season bring you peace, joy, happiness, good health and a few good books!Trish

Patricia Eldridge is manager of Tattered Pages Used Books, 365 Feura Bush Rd. Glenmont, NY | Glenmont Center Square.

Open Mon & Friday 9-7, Tues., Wed., Thurs., Sat. 9-5. #447-9910 www.tatteredpages365.webs.com &

tatteredpages365@yahoo.com

Trish’s Pix Tattered Pages Used Books