Wellness

[Robinre]

On 1/22/2014 chrystaltree said:

I think you had reactions to the botox injections, I doubt that it was shingles. What did your doctor say?

Hi, Was diagnosed by 3 different doctors plus an emergency room doctor. My dermatologist has advised me to follow up on this and do research and I live near Allergen (maker of Botox) and I am going to contact them. I showed my dermatologist an article from the internet about a doctor who always gives his patients medication for shingles when he does any kind of work on their faces.

[Robinre]

On 1/22/2014 jewelfool said:

I saw a plastic surgeon just last week and asked about the correlation to botox injections and shingles, he said one had nothing to do with another. I have been well since Fall but my vanity got the best of me last week so I went ahead and had botox injections between and around my eyes. I have had some "itchy" welts come up on my chest and my belly area (these are my usual places of flareups) in the past few days. I, however, don't feel sick like I do when I am getting ready to flare. I think in this case it is the cold weather and itchy dry skin. We'll see...I got the injections a week ago.

First of all, did you have a shingles shot? I think that is the intervening variable here. Also keep in mind that the shingles shots are relatively new. Also, along with itchy welts or rash there is incredible pain with shingles and the pain runs along a nerve pathway (mine along the facial nerve---from the back of the neck to the ear, to the nose, to the temple. Hold your hand, fingers spread across your face starting from the ear and you will see the path of the nerve.

[Robinre]

On 1/22/2014 Jersey Born said:

Robinre, here is an interesting case study of two women who developed shingles after botox injections, although their shingles vaccine status was not mentioned:

Article

Perhaps an injection with a toxin (such as botulinum toxin, aka botox) triggers an immune response that in turn activates the otherwise dormant shingles virus?

Interestingly, a woman, in the article below, inquired about a possible connection between her "filler" injection and her shingles outbreak a week later. Maybe the immune system is challenged in a negative way by these injections, whether botox or filler, giving rise to herpetic outbreaks. It is an interesting observation which very well may be more than just a coincidental correlation.

Article

Hope you have recovered fully from your shingles outbreak.

Hi, thanks for the mention of the article. I read it and also saw the reply from the doctor who gives his Radiesse patients shingles medication if they have had shingles in the past. So, he must have experienced patients with these complaints. Also, yes, I agree with the idea that perhaps Botox "challenges the immune system in a negative way." However, I had Botox shots for over 14 years with no adverse affects. Only after the shingles shots. I really believe that Allergan and dermatologists need to work together in regards to asking patients questions about: Shingles vaccine, incidence of shingles, etc. Also, perhaps if incidence of either is found, a simple preventive prescription should be given to the patient.

[Robinre]

On 1/23/2014 OverandOut said:

Shingles is the chicken pox virus. Unrelated to Botox.

I am well aware of that. My issues are not with what Botox is or what Shingles is, it is with the other facts mentioned in my post, which I hoped detailed all my concerns. Since then I have added to the post by answering other replies to mine.

[The Bee]

I think the human body is amazing and the idea that botox and shingles outbreak are not connected is an oversimplification. My reason for this belief? Every time I eat anything with gluten I have a shingles breakout! I've had the shingles shot also and the Drs. have diagnosed the breakout as shingles. What they can't get their minds around is the fact that it only happens if I ingest gluten! I documented my food/shingles/gluten for over a year. As one of my Dr. said, "The body is going to do what the body is going to do." At least I can prevent shingles outbreaks as long as I don't get into something I don't recognize as containing gluten.

You know your own body and you know how it is affected by many things. Listen to it and act accordingly.

[emmysmom]

On 1/23/2014 The Bee said:

I think the human body is amazing and the idea that botox and shingles outbreak are not connected is an oversimplification. My reason for this belief? Every time I eat anything with gluten I have a shingles breakout! I've had the shingles shot also and the Drs. have diagnosed the breakout as shingles. What they can't get their minds around is the fact that it only happens if I ingest gluten! I documented my food/shingles/gluten for over a year. As one of my Dr. said, "The body is going to do what the body is going to do." At least I can prevent shingles outbreaks as long as I don't get into something I don't recognize as containing gluten.

You know your own body and you know how it is affected by many things. Listen to it and act accordingly.

I just had shingles and I am sensitive to gluten as well. I will make sure I don't have any gluten! I would also be hesitant to get the vaccine as my immune system is weakened by diabetes. Glad you found the connection between gluten and shingles and hope you never have another outbreak!

[Mindy D]

Shingles is the Chicken Pox virus, but injections with deadly poison can trigger immune reactions and shingles are known to appear after illness and immune stressors. Doctors are now able to report adverse effects/ possible effects in association with medicines. This is more than coincidence, with three for three. Talk to your pharmacist and find out how this reporting is done. It takes some action to get going on this.

[viwanton]

It's possible that you are getting a herpes simplex breakout, not shingles. Ask your doctor to prescribe Valtrex before you get your injections. The same thing can happen with laser treatments particularly on the lip and filler injections.

[goodstuff]

Shingles comes from a herpes virus (the same strain of herpes that causes chicken pox), and like the herpes strains that cause cold sores, genital herpes, and other types of herpes, the virus remains dormant in the body until some trigger (sun exposure, stress, a cold, flu, or other infection, etc.) causes an outbreak. My first thought is that you might be having a local reaction to the Botox causing a reactive rash -- not necessarily shingles. Has your doctor confirmed that the rash at the Botox injection site really is shingles? If so, my guess is that the Botox injections are stressing your body's immune system and triggering a shingles outbreak. Especially if the shingles vaccine was given fairly recently, you might be more sensitive than usual.

[Danielle46]

On 1/22/2014 Jersey Born said:

Robinre, here is an interesting case study of two women who developed shingles after botox injections, although their shingles vaccine status was not mentioned:

Article

Perhaps an injection with a toxin (such as botulinum toxin, aka botox) triggers an immune response that in turn activates the otherwise dormant shingles virus?

Interestingly, a woman, in the article below, inquired about a possible connection between her "filler" injection and her shingles outbreak a week later. Maybe the immune system is challenged in a negative way by these injections, whether botox or filler, giving rise to herpetic outbreaks. It is an interesting observation which very well may be more than just a coincidental correlation.

Article

Hope you have recovered fully from your shingles outbreak.

Botox, Juvaderm and a few others can definitely trigger an immune response. I was told by my doctor that people with autoimmune diseases should not get Botox, Juvaderm or any other similar product as they can flare up their autoimmune illness. I also know a few people who got very sick from the shingles vaccine. Just because they come out with a vaccine doesn't mean you have to get it. I'm not thats for sure. I don't know one person who has had shingles. None of them got the vaccine.