Wellness

[littleblueparakeet2]

On 11/4/2014 CalmInTheHeart said:

My son has had shingles twice, once at age 4 and once at age 20. I really felt for him. It lasted about a month each time.

Wow he was young.

Did he get the shingles vaccine? I'm seriously thinking about it after the doctor at the urgent care center mentioned it.

[Lyn08]

I had Shingles 3 years ago. I never had the Shingles shot, as it was expensive, and I didn't think I ever had Chicken Pox (bad mistake).

The Shingles was very, very painful, so I can definitely sympathize with you. I had it in my right shoulder, arm and hand. I still have post-herpetic neuralgia, and need to take Gabapentin to help with the nerve pain.

I highly recommend the Shingles shot. It was terribly expensive when it was first offered to me (and I turned it down, as my insurance wouldn't cover payment). That was one of the worst mistakes I ever made. I think insurance pays for the Shingles vaccine now, or at least most of the cost.

Note: I started the anti-viral medication too late. I thought I had something else before I actually got treated. It needs to be started within 72 hours of having symptoms. So the medication didn't do me any good.

[Elysee]

I too had this a short time ago. Started on my right shoulder. I work in a school and had our school nurse take a look on Monday. She initially thought it looked like a bug bite. I kept getting more symptomatic and in more pain with each day that went by, By Friday, Nurse Susie takes another look (by now, big deep sore on the shoulder where it all started, sores along the nerve going up into my hair) and exclaims, "I think you have shingles." Why I waited so long, I can not say. I should have been in the doctor by Wednesday. I google it, and of course, after looking at the photos and reading about it, I have shingles.

Immediately called the doctor and got in to be affirmatively diagnosed. I was surprised to get a prescription for 60 pain pills, thinking that the pain would not be that long lived. It was - probably about 4 weeks to a month till I woke up one day and was not aware of pain.

I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

[LilacTree]

I had it on my scalp shortly after coming down with Rheumatoid Arthritis ten years ago. It was horribly painful for weeks, and is still very easily irritated. I thought I was going to lose all of my hair. As it was, I was going to let my hair grow in white anyway, I had been dyeing it for years and was sick of it. So I just cut it short, let it grow in white and it's been white ever since. I can put nothing on my scalp.

Because of its location I remember the doc being very concerned about my eyes. Fortunately, that didn't happen.

Good luck . . . it's a terrible affliction, but it does end. I have not had a recurrence.

[littleblueparakeet2]

On 11/4/2014 Lyn08 said:

I had Shingles 3 years ago. I never had the Shingles shot, as it was expensive, and I didn't think I ever had Chicken Pox (bad mistake).

The Shingles was very painful, so I can definitely sympathize with you. I had it in my right shoulder, arm and hand. I still have post-herpetic neuralgia, and need to take Gabapentin to help with the nerve pain.

Sorry you have PHN.

I actually take gabapentin for trigeminal neuralgia and was hoping it would take the edge off the burning sensation caused by the shingles.

[littleblueparakeet2]

On 11/4/2014 Elysee said:

I too had this a short time ago. Started on my right shoulder. I work in a school and had our school nurse take a look on Monday. She initially thought it looked like a bug bite. I kept getting more symptomatic and in more pain with each day that went by, By Friday, Nurse Susie takes another look (by now, big deep sore on the shoulder where it all started, sores along the nerve going up into my hair) and exclaims, "I think you have shingles." Why I waited so long, I can not say. I should have been in the doctor by Wednesday. I google it, and of course, after looking at the photos and reading about it, I have shingles.

Immediately called the doctor and got in to be affirmatively diagnosed. I was surprised to get a prescription for 60 pain pills, thinking that the pain would not be that long lived. It was - probably about 4 weeks to a month till I woke up one day and was not aware of pain.

I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

Good to know I'm not the only one who was misdiagnosed. There's actually a website called: "It's not a bug bite, it's shingles"

[qvcaddition]

I got the shingles vaccine last year.

[littleblueparakeet2]

On 11/4/2014 Ford1224 said:

I had it on my scalp shortly after coming down with Rheumatoid Arthritis ten years ago. It was horribly painful for weeks, and is still very easily irritated. I thought I was going to lose all of my hair. As it was, I was going to let my hair grow in white anyway, I had been dyeing it for years and was sick of it. So I just cut it short, let it grow in white and it's been white ever since. I can put nothing on my scalp.

Because of its location I remember the doc being very concerned about my eyes. Fortunately, that didn't happen.

Good luck . . . it's a terrible affliction, but it does end. I have not had a recurrence.

Sorry you had it too but glad you haven't had a recurrence.

[littleblueparakeet2]

On 11/4/2014 qvcaddition said: I got the shingles vaccine last year.

Smart. As soon as this resolves and I'm feeling better, I'm getting it.

[Azcowgirl]

Im so sorry you have shingles.....My first episode with it , I was diagnosed quickly and the medication knocked it out. The nerve sensations lasted for at least a year after.Ive had it reoccur in a different place several times but much less severely. Stress seems to trigger it, also too much sun.