Shingles In Multiple Myeloma Patients

Examining patients with multiple myeloma the authors recommended valacyclovir prophylaxis an antiviral used to treat active infections including shingles.

Shingles in multiple myeloma patients. Family history of multiple myeloma. Prior to diagnosis people with multiple myeloma may experience a number of symptoms that lead them to seek medical attention. Your risk of multiple myeloma increases as you age with most people diagnosed in their mid 60s. However some people may not have any symptoms or their symptoms may be vague.

It s recommended for all adults over 50 not just myeloma patients. It is most likely safe to say that anyone of us know the misery that comes with shingles either from first hand experience or from stories we have heard from family members or friends. The zoster vaccine shingrix has been shown to be highly safe and effective. Multiple myeloma stem cell transplants and shingles one in three people in the us will have to deal with a case of shingles in their lifetime.

Influenza and pneumococcal vaccines are also encouraged post. Black people are about twice as likely to develop multiple myeloma as are white people. Patients with a blood related cancer had the greatest shingles risk more than three times that of people without cancer according to the recent study in the journal of infectious diseases. Vogl advises patients to be on anti shingles medications like acyclovir or valacyclovir while on any proteasome inhibitors monoclonal antibodies or after a stem cell transplant.