Can the shingles vaccine cause a genital herpes outbreak?

I had 5 or 6 outbreaks after the first injection for shingles, and that was after years of just one mild outbreak a year. These outbreaks were very painful and I was already on suppressive therapy. I spoke with my doctor and she explained that most vaccines lower your immunity and that was much more likely the cause so for 2nd injection she had me start acyclovir a week in advance and had me stay in it for another 7 days, I did have one outbreak but treated with more acyclovir and have been fine. I stopped suppressive therapy after reading hair loss can be a side effect of the drug and was having issues with that too.

I’m 60 years old and my arm was swollen, red and hurt for a few days but I didn’t have a temperature. After the vaccine I had the first breakout but didn’t think that was what it was until I had another breakout last week and today I remembered that one of the questions on the form I signed, ask if I had herpes. So I started researching... I believe the first vaccine caused the breakouts and now I’m unsure if I should get the booster because it may make it worse or it could as others have said cause no more breakouts.
I also read during my research that 65% of the population have the virus but some have never had symptoms. In addition, I didn’t realize that Epstine Bar Virus is a herpes virus and I had EBV in my early 20s.
Some agency and/or pharmaceutical company knows that this can happen; hence the question on the form I signed before the vaccine.
The public should be informed before taking the shot that it may cause herpes breakout.

I had my very first herpes outbreak right after I received the shingles injection a year and a half ago. I have had 2 more outbreaks since then. I have been married for over 30 years ... faithful in marriage. My husband and I were both in shock. He questioned if my shingles injection could have triggered the outbreak. I found this site and based on so many of the responses, find it very suspicious. Yes, I definitely think the shingles injection caused my initial, and subsequent outbreaks.

Hi All. Just got the first shot - Shingrix vaccine, at the VA. HOPE and PRAY did the right thing. I got HV2 50 years ago while a dumb young kid in Vietnam. I struggled and suffered for years with outbreaks. The wife and I are very careful. Nothing helped until I got on Famciclovir (500mg/day). Completely outbreak free for 10+ years. Would not get the first vaccine, because was told I would have to stop Famvir, and it was a live virus. Have known people with Shingles, and did not want to get this condition.

@artsyrsc - Not coincidence, the shingles vaccine contains an altered (weakened) form of the shingles virus, which induces hard working White Blood cells to create an immune response in the body, resulting in antibodies. This hard work requires a lot of energy, resulting in a temporary weakened state of your body. It is this weakened state that the Herpes Virus thrives in. When the body is weak the Herpes virus replicates at a higher rate, thus outbreak! God bless, I hope soon you will regain your strength and have a greater resistance to both viruses!

I had the booster vaccine a couple weeks ago and had a very short outbreak the next day. Then I had a 101 temp and felt achey and run down. I do not recall the first shot doing any of that.

Of course the shingles vaccine initiated the genital herpes outbreak. The headache and feeling rundown is caused by your immune system (white blood cells) attacking the shingles vaccine. That's the whole point of vaccines, to create a strong response that will in turn hopefully force the body to create anti-bodies. The trade off for obtaining anti-bodies is a temporary weakening in your body, and this is exactly the environment (condition) that the HERPES virus prospers! The Herpes virus has an affinity to multiple aggressively when immunity is at it's weakest! This is a direct correlation between Herpes outbreak intensity and weakness in the body's immunity!

I received the booster yesterday, migraine last night, genital herpes this morning, and red spots around injection site. I am tired, cold and face feels hot. The first shot I only got the red spots around injection site. I haven't broke out for a long time either, so I am wondering if my body stress response and breaking out is from the shot.

I have received the Shingrix vaccine twice over the last 6 months. Ever since my HSV2 has been acting up about every other month. I've had it for 25+ years and it has almost been absent from my life in the last decade or so. I am very annoyed that I get prodromal symptoms for which I now have to take acyclovir, at least 4 times in 6 months! Based on what I am reading here, there seems to be a link. The older posts, referring to the shingles vaccine may be on to something. Maybe that vaccine was actually preventing outbreaks for me all those years, but the new Shingrix? I wish I had not had it.

I have been on supressive therapy for years and years. I have been getting about one outbreak a year for the past few year. I am now on my second outbreak in the 3 months since I got the first Shingrix vaccine. My first thought was that they were connected. How many people have reported this to the FDA or their doctors? I plan to.

This is indeed very strange. So many reported "coincidences" here with herpes outbreak shortly after getting Shingrix vaccine. Well, it happened to me too! I haven't had genital herpes outbreaks for over 10 years. I got my first Shingrix dose & there was no problem, but about a week after my second dose, I had a painful herpes outbreak. I started researching it & arrived at this website. I am sure the vaccine had everything to do with it, if not directly, then by temporarily stressing the immune system, allowing the long dormant virus to get reactivated. Ugh. I hope this outbreak heals & there will be no more of them. I started taking acyclovir 400 mg twice a day. I'll take it for a few months in hopes that the virus will once again get suppressed & under control.