You should not receive a second Zostavax if you had a life-threatening allergic reaction after the first shot.
Keep track of any and all side effects you have after receiving this vaccine. If you ever need to receive a booster dose, you will need to tell the doctor if the previous shots caused any side effects.
Becoming infected with shingles is much more dangerous to your health than receiving the vaccine to protect against it. Like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects, but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Zostavax: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
fever, swollen glands, sore throat, flu symptoms;
breathing problems; or
severe or painful skin rash.
Common Zostavax side effects include:
headache; or
pain, warmth, redness, bruising, itching, or swelling where the shot was given.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report vaccine side effects to the US Department of Health and Human Services at 1-800-822-7967.
 Zostavax side effects (more detail)
