Diagnosed with shingles today -- riding okay?

[warren128]

I probably take it easy for a bit and see how it develops.

I had it 3 years ago at the age of 55. I wouldn't wish it on my worse enemy. The pain was at times intense. It was on my lower side and back, and I discovered and had it diagnosed in time to take antiviral medications. In my case, I had to take it easy for about 1.5 to 2 weeks before I could begin to resume normal activities. Yes, each case is different, YMMV.

I wish you a speedy recovery.

[paredown]

Shingles suck--no question. I got mine in the middle of a super intense IT systems integration project where we were rolling up a bunch of satellite offices into a single new office. Lots of moving parts, lots and lots of stress...

Of course it was summertime in DC (which also sucks) and I could not take time off.

Looking back--I was an idiot. I would take it easy as has been suggested for at least a week or two...

[thwart]

Keith, I'd let how you feel dictate what you do... for some folks herpes zoster is a very mild thing, for others, it's terribly painful and temporarily debilitating... I've had it described to me as feeling like a severe burn. And if not treated appropriately and early with antivirals like Valtrex, can increase the chance of developing long-term 'post-herpetic neuralgia' (see the poignant comments of johnmdesigner above).

Common sense speaks for dialing it back a bit for maybe a week or so to aid in the immune response, even with a 'mild case'.

[OtayBW]

Originally Posted by thwart

Keith, I'd let how you feel dictate what you do... for some folks herpes zoster is a very mild thing, for others, it's terribly painful and temporarily debilitating... I've had it described to me as feeling like a severe burn.

I would actually describe it as being more akin to some kind of electrical stimulation machine that is short-circuiting all over the affected area. Nerves firing at will erratically, all over the place. It is a definitely a unique kind of feeling....

I actually broke out with mine at the beginning of a flight back from Europe, so I had a lovely ride for the next ~7 hours. Got back to Boston and drove straight to the Dr.

[Keith A]

Thanks so much for all your helpful replies and information. I did catch this early and have started the antiviral and steroids. I skipped yesterday's ride and will problem not ride tomorrow either and see how this thing develops. The one thing I have learned is that this disease really runs the full gamut of how it affects people. It can be super mild with a small rash and a little itching, to being completely debilitating and live changing event.

[54ny77]

Yup. Good luck, hope your experience falls into the former category.

Originally Posted by Keith A

Thanks so much for all your helpful replies and information. I did catch this early and have started the antiviral and steroids. I skipped yesterday's ride and will problem not ride tomorrow either and see how this thing develops. The one thing I have learned is that this disease really runs the full gamut of how it affects people. It can be super mild with a small rash and a little itching, to being completely debilitating and live changing event.

[gasman]

Good luck Keith, I hope it's mild. The anti-vitals and steroids should help quickly and it's probably smart to lay low for a bit.

I agree with what thwart said.

I got the vaccine a week after I turned 60, I urge everyone to do likewise.

[Satellite]

Originally Posted by Keith A

Assuming I don't have the debilitating pain or flu like symptoms that can accompany this disease, is it ok to continue riding or any other type of exercise? Is there anything I should do to cover the rash while riding?

I would appreciate any helpful tips or information you guys/gals have.

I didn't read everyone's replies so if this has been said I apologies in advance.

Isn't this a question you should have asked the Doctor when he prescribed the treatment?

I would seriously call him/her back and ask. This isn't a question you want to pose to this group of bicycle crazed maniacs.

[batman1425]

I've had shingles 3 times, the last bout was accompanied with Mono. Grad school is stressful...

The Anti-viral will slow and eventually stop the spread of the rash, but your body still needs to catch up and heal. My rash expression was never that bad compared to some, but it was certainly uncomfortable, and I was operating at about 70% during the acute phase. Wasn't interested in adding riding to the mix while I was healing. Rest, hydration, nutrition, were the priority. Also avoid contact with folks that haven't had chickenpox or the vaccine - like young children.

They gave me gabapentin for the pain, but I found it just put me to sleep rather than making me feel better so I didn't really use it.

Shingles totally sucks. Hope you heal up fast.

[Satellite]

Originally Posted by batman1425

I've had shingles 3 times, the last bout was accompanied with Mono. Grad school is stressful...

Batman can't have shingles! Did the Joker give'em to ya?

[Keith A]

Originally Posted by Satellite

I didn't read everyone's replies so if this has been said I apologies in advance.

Isn't this a question you should have asked the Doctor when he prescribed the treatment?

I would seriously call him/her back and ask. This isn't a question you want to pose to this group of bicycle crazed maniacs.

Unfortunately, my primary care doctor couldn't see me until next week and I didn't want to wait that long. So I went to a walk-in clinic, and the doc came in looked at my rash, and said "yes, that's shingles", take these meds and goodbye. I didn't even have time to process the fact that I really did have shingles, much less ask any questions.

[Satellite]

Originally Posted by Keith A

Unfortunately, my primary care doctor couldn't see me until next week and I didn't want to wait that long. So I went to a walk-in clinic, and the doc came in looked at my rash, and said "yes, that's shingles", take these meds and goodbye. I didn't even have time to process the fact that I really did have shingles, much less ask any questions.

Never had the Shingles. Sounds like you made the right call NOT waiting for your Primary and starting treatment. Are you going to follow up with your Primary?

[Keith A]

Originally Posted by Satellite

Never had the Shingles. Sounds like you made the right call NOT waiting for your Primary and starting treatment. Are you going to follow up with your Primary?

Unrelated, I had recently scheduled a yearly visit with him in 3 weeks, so I'm going to stick with this unless things change.

[gasman]

So are things going okay with the shingles Keith ? Did you decide to ride or not ?

Hope you're well.

[Keith A]

Originally Posted by gasman

So are things going okay with the shingles Keith ? Did you decide to ride or not ?

Hope you're well.

Thanks for asking. Long story, but I ended up going to the doctor last Friday, which was almost two after my initial outbreak. When he looked at my "rash" and heard my symptoms, he wasn't convinced that I had the shingles as I was missing some of the typical symptoms. After consulting with a dermatologist, they determined I had an atypical presentation of shingles.

One of the missing items was the presence of the vesicles and therefore they haven't opened up and scabbed over...so it's still looks and feels like a rash. The itching is still there, but has started to taper off.

I rode last Thursday and Saturday, but took it a little easier and went out early before the heat became as much as a factor.

Now for a crazy coincidence and silver lining....my daughter, who lives abroad and is in process from moving from one area across the world to a new location on the other side of the world, came down with shingles last week. Because I was just going through this, I was able to correctly diagnosis what she thought was a heat rash and convinced her to go to the doctor ASAP. She had more of a classic case and was able to get the anti-viral and steroids medications right away, and even though she started a week later than me, she has already scabbed over and feeling pretty good.

The silver lining is that if I wouldn't have had the shingles, I don't know if I would have been able to help her and convince her to see a doctor as soon as she did. As I said, she in the middle of moving and has so much going on, she would have probably brushed this off as something other than shingles.

BTW, I asked my doctor about exercising with shingles and his comment was that as long as I felt up to it, that it should be fine. He said heat and sweating will make it look worse and maybe a little more irritating, but it wouldn't cause this to spread.