OT: Damn Shingles Disease

[rugbysecondrow]

Inflamed back muscles up one side, then rash, then burning feeling rolling up that side of my body from my hip to my pit.

Tired, feverish, painful...this sucks. Been on anti-viral medication for two days, hopefully it will start getting better shortly.

Any experiences with this mess?

[Len J]

I get shingles every couple of years when I'm under intense stress. Most recent was during the cancer scare. They are not fun.

I've always just let them run their course.

Good luck

Len

[soulspinner]

Inflamed back muscles up one side, then rash, then burning feeling rolling up that side of my body from my hip to my pit.

Tired, feverish, painful...this sucks. Been on anti-viral medication for two days, hopefully it will start getting better shortly.

Any experiences with this mess?

Ya right about now you will start to feel better. Had it on half my face, not fun, very close to my eye. Next 12 hours and its all good.

[54ny77]

don't touch affected area and subsequently rub your eyes. that's bad.

otherwise, stay on the drugs and use the topical creams.

i had 'em a long time ago, not fun.

believe it or not exercise and anything that de-stresses the body is good. at least that's what worked for me and the doc told me as much.

[S2H]

My dad had shingles recently. He said it was really, really painful. Sucks...

[eddief]

and I hear it works.

[S2H]

and I hear it works.

It does, but if you have ever had chicken pox, the virus is already in your body.

I have heard that the vaccine makes it less likely for the herpes zoster virus to come back later in life as shingles (and that if it does come back, the symptoms will be less severe), but I don't know if that's true.

[gavingould]

had 'em last year, wife had 'em this year.

[bart998]

It does, but if you have ever had chicken pox, the virus is already in your body.

I have heard that the vaccine makes it less likely for the herpes zoster virus to come back later in life as shingles (and that if it does come back, the symptoms will be less severe), but I don't know if that's true.


Pharmacist told me the same thing, so I got the shot.

[malcolm]

rugby and most of you guys won't qualify for the vaccine. It's recommended for those 60 and ove

[scooter]

If you are over 60, the shot (Zoster vaccine) is generally covered by insurance. No insurance - $220.00. Shingles can be debilitating, especially for older adults. It can be even more so when it afflicts the face and the trigeminal nerve. My mother and her sister both got it while in their late 70's and they now suffer from post herpetic neuralgia (PHN), which loosely translates to chronic pain in the aftermath of shingles. So they take gabapentin, an anti-convulsive, which reduces the pain somewhat.

The first course of action is prevention, by getting the vaccine. Shingles usually begins with unusual sensations (itching, burning, or tingling in an area of skin on one side of the body). Within one to two days, a rash of blisters appears on one side of the body in a band-like pattern. In the event you suspect you are getting shingles, immediately start antiviral drugs: acyclovir (Zovirax®), famciclovir (Famvir®), or valacyclovir (Valtrex®). Antiviral treatment is recommended for EVERYONE with shingles, and is most effective when started within 3 days of onset. This will lessen the severity of the outbreak and potentially reduce the risk of developing PHN.

[henry14]

I got it when I turned 30. It started with a feeling of electrical shocks on the side of my face that would literally stop me in my tracks. Then slowly some rashes started to appear on the side of my face that turned in blisters that scabbed over.

I went to see the doctor and she said you have herpes zoster. First thought that popped into my head was, "NO!!! I caught a STD." She clarified it and gave me some anti-viral medicine. It took a few days before everything started getting better. I still get some electrical shock feelings on the side of my face once in a while when I get really stressed.

Hope you feel better soon.

[Marburg]

I get shingles every couple of years when I'm under stress. .... They are not fun.

+1 on that, though I'm lucky enough to get mild (!) outbreaks. Take the antivirals and know that it will pass in time.

[Hardlyrob]

I got them when I was 32 - lots of work stress and a divorce...
What everyone else said works - take the drugs. I also found that topical benadryl worked for me - give it a shot, and good luck.
Rob

[SpokeValley]

and I hear it works.

Just got the vaccine this year...hope it works! Also hope I don't have to test it though.

[SpokeValley]

Pharmacist told me the same thing, so I got the shot.

My doc said the same thing.

[bthornt]

post - herpetic neuralgia.

The pain can linger for a long time.

[ofcounsel]

I've had two shingles attacks, both times under extreme stress. Once before graduation from undergrad, and once before graduation from law school. Pretty debilitating both times.

[scrubadub]

Sorry to hear about it, shingles can be incredibly debilitating.

If you're looking for something else to try in addition to rest/meds, consider acupuncture. I was doing a rotation in South Africa and the doc I worked with got some acupuncture needles and just outlined the afflicted area with superficial pins for about 30 minutes. The patient said it helped, whether it's placebo or not is unclear, but the doc said it had helped with some other patients he had as well. He repeated over a couple of days until her symptoms improved.

That particular technique isn't really formal acupuncture, but if I were afflicted, I'd give it a try (says the allopathic doc who also gets along well with his chiropractor, massage therapist, etc).

[rugbysecondrow]

I think I have turned the corner and the pain is subsiding quite a bit. I was able to sleep some last night which was good.

Thanks for the suggestions, especially the exercise. Aside from the pain, I have just been too tired to do much of anything. I exercised briefly yesterday and today I will go for a short run. Hopefully tomorrow I can get out for a ride. As for the stress, unfortunately i am out of town visiting family so that aspect has been harder to avoid. :)

Paul

[DHallerman]

rugby and most of you guys won't qualify for the vaccine. It's recommended for those 60 and over

Actually, I believe they've dropped that recommended age to 50.

In addition, the vaccine used to be hard to come by. But I'm guessing that's changed, since our local Walgreen's has a sign saying the vaccine is available there everyday.

[YoKev]

Had them on the left side of my face, eye, and scalp a few years ago when I was in my late 20's.

My hair literally hurt, and, I had to squeeze ointment into my eye.

I still fell the twinge once in a while!