He said to take 800mg every 8 hours, starting before I got the vaccine and continue taking it until the symptoms wane. The worst part only lasts a day or two. Trust me, the effects of the shingles shots are far less than the effects of a case of shingles. I had shingles, and even taking the anti-virals, you're still looking at 30 days of misery. It's not like feeling a needle plunging into your skin, but an entire pin cushion continually jamming into the affectedHe said to take 800mg every 8 hours, starting before I got the vaccine and continue taking it until the symptoms wane. The worst part only lasts a day, but you might have mild symptoms for a couple more days. Trust me, the effects of the shingles vaccine are far less than the effects of a case of shingles. I had shingles, and even taking the anti-virals, you're still looking at 30 days of absolute misery. It's not like feeling a needle plunging into your skin, but an entire pin cushion continually jamming into your effected areas. You don't want to do anything for that month, but you still have to drag your butt out of bed and function. Pure misery!