Prior to my mother's ALS Bulbar Onset diagnosis, she would communicate with the doctors trying to diagnose her inability to speak that she felt that it was associated with her recent Shingles vaccine. My Mom was healthy and was only taking vitamins in her daily regimen. Every doctor would dismiss it and refer her on to the next doctor. After my mother was finally diagnosed, she was asked to join a research study where she was required to answer at least 25 questions every week. By this point, Mom couldn't speak and was on a feeding tube (otherwise physically she was okay). Every week I would ask the nurse to write down that my Mom felt that the Shingles vaccine could be a contributing factor. None of us are anti-vaxers, but felt that it was relevant to determining the cause of ALS. The nurse would put it in the comments section, but told us it would "go nowhere". Mom was part of the research study through a local ALS chapter that was focused on finding a cure. We never understood why this question couldn't be asked to future respondents. Mom died 6 months ago. We live in California. Last week a friend called me to let me know that a close friend in Iowa had died of ALS and while she was speaking with the wife of the deceased, she told her that her husband had thought that the Shingles vaccine could have contributed. I saw this article and was prompted to write something. None of us are anti-vaxers, but we do not understand why this cannot even be considered in the numerous questions that are asked of someone who has been diagnosed. We believe that vaccines are given for the "common good". We also believe that if you can find the cause of ALS, then maybe you can find a cure that can at least stop the progression. We are not suggesting that the shingles vaccine needs to be eliminated, but if in some way the vaccine is causing a small portion of the population to be diagnosed with ALS, then wouldn't you be closer to finding a cure?
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