Wellness

[Big Sister]

I feel your pain, John. I have had them twice. Once really bad on my right side and the next time they were less troublesome and I think that was due to the fact that I had had the vacine.

They always appear on one side of the body. Gabapentin is a drug for treating shingles and can be most helpful if started within the first day or two. It was not available the first time I had shingles.

They can be very painful and even when you can't see them anymore, the pain can linger in the nerve endings for a long time.

I know two women who even had them in their eyes. Horrible!

[emmysmom]

Hi John, Sorry to hear about the shingles! I had them in January and they lasted about 4 months. I was taking lysine at the time, and I still take 2000 mg daily. It prevents herpes and they were mild since I was taking it at the time I got it. I still feel numbness in my back, mine was on my left side. I read that tea tree oil helped, I used it and found it relieved the itching and healed the blisters. It seems to be an epidemic anymore, I know I was stressed at the time. I was unable to get the vaccine. I wish you a speedy recovery!

[violann]

Hoping you will have a very mild case and very speedy recovery. I know your diet is not too easy to manage already, but hope you will be able to eat lots of healthy goodies while you're health is more compromised.

[pattypeep]

John, I am so sorry. It seems you just can't catch a break, huh? I have had shingles three times, but they were all mild as I was put on some sort of pill (cannot remember the name of it) right away. I remember many, many years ago my FIL had the worse case I had ever seen and he was in so much pain. I will think positive thoughts and wish you a full recovery. God bless.

[Mama Mia]

John, just a note to wish you a speedy recovery with shingles.

mm

[hckynut]

Thank you to everyone for your well wishes. Now I can add one more to what seems to be my ever growing list of medical issues. Will say at least this one is not life threatening and that in itself is a good thing for me. And with this I am the one that has to deal with the worst of it, not my wife, and for that I am very grateful.

Also appreciate the information that some have offered, especially about the shingles vaccine. I told my wife to check her insurance and make sure to tell them "she has not had chicken pox" and more susceptible to my shingles being transmitted to her that if she had chicken pox when she was young. She really doesn't remember but I think it more beneficial for her when it comes to insurance paying or not paying for the vaccine.

Gonna roll with whatever happens with this round of it with the same optimism I have used when I dealt with all the other events.

Thank You all so much for your replies/suggestions/well wishes and information.

[Azcowgirl]

John.........so sorry you have shingles.....I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Ive had it three times, first time valtrex knocked it out pretty quickly. Second time, small case of it on my back , didn't recognize it so didn't go to Dr. Soon enough....lingered for months...now have post herpetic nerve pain.Third time, it has reoccurred over and over, for nearly a year now. Really lucky that each time has been a small area. I used coconut oil, tea tree oil, many different blends of the oils, and though soothing, nothing knocked it out for me. They say nuts especially peanuts trigger it and sometimes the sun does too. Good luck to you, feel better ASAP.

[NanaS]

I had shingles about 5 yrs. ago. Was working in the yard one afternoon and noticed a rash breaking out on my right arm and figured I had gotten into something in the yard. It became very itchy and by next morning had increased on that arm so I immediately got in to see my dermatologist who took one look at it and said "you have shingles" ! He prescribed a pill and I started on the medication the same day. He says being that we caught it early enough we kind of prevented a full blown attack. But as it was I was actually in bed weaker than anything for a week. Mine was limited to my right forearm, elbow and a little on my right back. (when you get it it usually affects one side)....It left scars for a while but later they disappeared. I got a shingles vaccination last year.

Hope you caught it early enough ......wishing you a speedy recovery !

[Bird]

Best to you John! - Bird

[Rowdyone]

Tightness in your arms, even if from the vaccine, won't kill you. Pneumonia can. Use common sense and quit complaining.