I got my vaccine on a Friday, felt headachy and rundown all weekend. By Tuesday I was getting an outbreak. I hadn't had one in a pretty long time and I take acyclovir when I do. Coincidence or a side effect of the vaccine?
Can the shingles vaccine cause a genital herpes outbreak?
Question posted by artsyrsc on 13 Nov 2014
Last updated on 25 January 2024
70 Answers
JMB333
27 Dec 2023
I also got an outbreak shortly after receiving the Shingles vaccine. I had never been diagnosed or had outbreaks before this. The blood test showed HSV1, although the outbreak was genital. It is very frustrating now to deal with something that has never been an issue.
The questions remain: Did the vaccine cause this? Did I always have it and this just activated it? Was it just an immune response?
I wish it would be listed in the possible side effects because I might not have chosen to get it.
Inactive
15 Nov 2023
I am 51 years old and just had my first dose of the Shingrix vaccine last Friday. I chose to get the vaccine because I’m a carrier of the closely related HSV1 (since age 18) and have seen/heard horror stories about shingles and wanted to prevent it. I have not had an HSV1 outbreak in many, many years.
On Saturday I developed a low grade headache and had moments of passing dizziness throughout the day. Same on Sunday and Monday, plus added fatigue and some stomach upset. The lymph node on my collar bone (same side as injection site) swelled immediately after the vaccine, but this is consistent with every vaccine I’ve received in recent years. By Tuesday my headache and fatigue increased and I just wasn’t feeling well. On Tuesday afternoon I started getting that old familiar feeling in my throat and knew what was happening so took 500mg of Valtrex, which I haven’t taken in decades.
Luckily, I mentioned being a carrier of HSV1 to my new primary care provider in September and she wrote me a new script to have on hand, just in case. I am relatively healthy with no significant medical issues and a typically robust immune system. I rarely get sick.
I am still within the first 24 hours of an outbreak and am scared of what may come after reading others’ experiences here. I contracted HSV1 from kissing a high school boyfriend with a cold sore, back when I didn’t know better. The virus has always settled in my throat, with a couple of really bad episodes in my 20s where my whole mouth was full of sores as well. But generally it has always been one sore in my throat and nowhere else. It would knock me down for at least a week back then, but again, I haven’t had a significant outbreak in decades so am not sure how my body will react now that I’m in my 50s.
I’ll continue with 500mg of Valtrex twice a day for three days as prescribed and see how that works. I’m also planning to add Lysine Complex (L-Lysine + Vitamin C) to my daily supplements again. I’ll update this post with any new/relevant info. I have a second dose of Shingrix scheduled for January but am planning to cancel it after reading through everyone’s experiences here. I wish I had found this information *before* deciding to get the Shingrix vaccine.
thrown718
21 Nov 2023
Sorry to hear about your experience with this. Hoping you report back with how it's going. I would have not gotten it had I known either.
Inactive
26 Nov 2023
It has now been over two weeks since I got the first dose of Shingrix and I have been sick ever since. I woke up with croup-like symptoms nearly a week after the HSV1 outbreak in my throat. I suffered from croup every year as a child so was surprised to wake up unable to breathe (sounded like Darth Vader) and barking like a seal so many years later. My symptoms are slowly diminishing but I haven’t been this sick in quite some time. I took Valtrex for five days instead of three because the ulcer in my throat persisted after the three day dose. I’ve added L-Lysine Complex with vitamin C to my daily supplements and have increased my Vitamin D as well. Echinacea tea with local honey has helped soothe my symptoms as well as OTC decongestants and cough syrup. But the fatigue and dizziness have persisted and I’m wondering just how long this will last. I’m definitely not getting the second dose of Shingrix.
thrown718
25 Jan 2024
My OB started after second dose. Hope you skipped it... sure you did. For me Lysine was helping... almost cleared up. I ran out of Lysine, and boom, lesion popping up few days later. Ugh.
SEM42
26 Sep 2023
Note that all the replies before 2017 are for zostavax and afterwards it’s a completely different vaccine called shingrix. They use different epitopes. So the early one has cross herpes protection and the newer one does not. The newer one is also much harsher and it is the one that typically has the bad secondary effects.
xamorax
25 Sep 2023
Same thing happened to me. I would sue if I knew how.. I have been dealing with this for years now and it happened right after I got the Zolter shingle vaccine shot..
thrown718
26 Sep 2023
I'm considering looking into legal options. Maybe even a class action if applicable.
thrown718
25 Sep 2023
I agree 1000% that the newer Shingrix vaccine causes HSV Herpes Simplex reactivation. Haven't had any issues with anything resembling an outbreak in many many years. Got second does of the shingles vaccine and... bam! All the symptoms of a classic outbreak since a few days after the second shot. Been struggling for several weeks now. This is not a coincidence, no matter the how or why. I wouldn't have gotten the shots if I had any clue. Funny this is the only website where I've found anyone talking about this at all.
JMB333
27 Dec 2023
Let me know if you decide to follow through with a class action lawsuit.
artsyrsc
15 Sep 2023
I started this post back in 2014. Now I'm a little over 70, immunocomprimised, and have made it clear to my doctors that I will never get the shingrix vaccine. I share my experience when I can, and scold the TV ads for not mentioning herpes outbreak as a side effect.
I've been on valacyclovir for months due to my time in the hospital. My doctors said if I stay on that forever, I don't need the vaccine. That's good enough for me! There is an option!
Meds29
15 Sep 2023
I received vaccine about 4 years ago and I am still battling frequent and severe outbreaks. Doctors and patients should be aware of this before shingles vax. My doctor didn’t believe the vax caused it. Within three days I had a severe breakout, no coincidence. I had one breakout in the 80s and no more until the shingles vax. I would rather have shingles than HSV breakouts in my mid 60s! I saw a commercial on TV and ask my doctor if I should get the shingles vaccine; I feel so stupid because I brought this on myself and no one in the medical community is warning seniors how dangerous the vaccine is. How can we make others aware?
Brentrinmn
2 March 2023
I had my 1st Shingrix dose on Friday. Today is Wednesday of the following week and I have had what seems like a herpes reactivation on my penis, and it is getting worse. At first I thought it was because of a cystoscopy I had the same day, but it just struck me that the timing was a little too coincidental. I mentioned it to my uro doc, but she didn’t know anything. I messaged my infectious disease Dr about this via message tonight. Hopefully, I get a script for Valtrex tomorrow before I leave Mayo Clinic. I would have passed on the shot had I known. I will forgo the second. Not great for someone who just has a cancer diagnosis. I don’t need this right now.
microscopic
15 Nov 2022
I got my shingles vaccine 14 days ago and three day ago I got the beginning tingle and now all the nerves in my left lower back and buttocks are going crazy. I am trying to head off the actual open sores with acyclovir. I haven't had an outbreak in years and I am so disappointed, no one told me that this was a possible side effect.
Pajorena
30 Oct 2022
I had my shingrix on Tuesday. On Friday, my herpes outbreak was so bad I thought I might have shingles!
ResaW
23 Aug 2022
I have had oral Herpes for ages, but I was fastidious about not infecting my genitals and for decades thought I had succeeded.
After the 2nd shot of Shingrix I developed genital herpes (not warts as I'd hoped) :-/
These outbreaks are more common than they ever were on my mouth and I'm sad.
Not saying correlation means causation by any means, but I thought I should add this bit of anecdotal evidence for this question.
Snowy-8
9 May 2022
Absolutely! I've lived with herpes since the 1970's. Fortunately I learned early on to use lysine as a suppressant and it has worked well for me for years, about 1000 mg a day, increasing when I had an occasional outbreak. (Have you read the side effects of all those Rx meds for herpes?!) I've had very rare outbreaks, walnuts especially could cause one, but generally eating a healthy diet and getting enough rest, avoiding stress as much as possible, etc.all help. The crucial point to remember when you have herpes is that lysine and arginine need to be in balance in your body. Read about arginine benefits online. Nuts are high in arginine, as well as chocolate and a lot of other foods. So I got the second Shingrix shot (no problem with the first), and within a week I started getting herpes outbreaks which continued for about 8 weeks. Fortunately I found this site and it confirmed my suspicions -- the Shingrix caused it -- I have absolutely no doubt.
I increased my lysine to 3000 mg a day (occasionally 3500). I had to tip the scales in favor of lysine for a time. I've finally gotten rid of the herpes for 2 weeks and will try my last gradual decrease back from 1500 mg to 1000 this week. The other thing I discovered was that increasing my lysine affected my sexual response in a very negative way, which REALLY made me mad because I had just gotten back with an old lover and things had been going well. And when I read about arginine I knew that was the reason, because arginine increases blood flow to the genital area and enhances orgasm. I added a few cashews and some chocolate this week very carefully, while still taking 1500 mg of lysine, and guess what!? Back to my pre-Shingrix/normal lysine dose sexual responsiveness, by adding just a little arginine. Yay! Two very happy people here! :) The manufacturers of Shingrix don't tell us about the herpes side effects but they SHOULD. I was glad I found this site and wanted to share what I've learned with all. At first I thought it was me or a problem in the relationship and I was extremely depressed to think that I might be stuck where I was forever, but nope, just lysine to get rid of the horrible issues caused by Shingrix. Best wishes to all! Hope this helps. PS I would still have gotten the Shingrix because I don't want shingles, but I might have timed it better for my life and I would have known what to expect and how to deal with it.
hoffgrad
1 Feb 2023
I too have to avoid high arginine foods as much as possible because sure enough they will trigger the herpes viral symptoms. I have had so many outbreaks and I always only get one cold sore on my back... have for years when I am run down or am having a fibromyalgia flare. You get to learn how to join the dots as you get older, don't you, about your own health. I have found the only brand of lysine that really works quickly is by Pure Encapsulates. I also take 1000mg per day. A specialist once suggested that I should take a daily antiviral prophylactically but I don't like the idea of taking that constantly, as it interferes with another medication I take long term. I messaged my GP's practice this morning to ask if I can have the shingrix vaccine, even though I am in my 60's (with NHS it is free for over 70's), this is because I have an auto immune condition and get the viral symptoms very frequently now. I also get terrible brain fog too... the specialist told me this is due to inflammation in the brain. Another symptoms of herpes.
Sugar13
28 Feb 2022
I am 50, diagnosed with HSV2 thru blood work a few years ago, but never had an outbreak before. I got 2nd Shingrix a couple of weeks ago. Arm pain and body aches with fatigue for a couple of days…then a genital outbreak. I had no clue what it was since I’ve never had an outbreak before. Luckily it was small and minimal pain. Coincidence? I didn’t think so until I read here.
thrown718
25 Sep 2023
How's it been going since? If you don't mind sharing an update.
jaxonp
16 Jan 2022
I wish I would have found this site earlier. It happened to me too. Had the 1st Shingrix vax on 12/29, now on 1/15 I have an outbreak right on the penis. I have immediately started taking Acyclovir 2x/day and noitfied my Physician. (waiting for a response) So very disappointed. This side-affect possibility should be shared with anyone considering Shingrix.
Em6638
15 Jan 2022
Something happened to me a herpes outbreak after the Shingles Vaccine. I Had not had outbreak in 15 yrs.
thrown718
1 Oct 2023
Hi. Sorry to hear that. How are you doing since?
Related topics
herpes simplex - suppression, herpes zoster, acyclovir, herpes, vaccine
Further information
- Acyclovir uses and safety info
- Acyclovir prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Acyclovir (detailed)
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