LoveMyDobe
Active member
Just was "blessed" with them. Any advise, stories or how to relief the pain and itch? I can only drink so much to forget about it..................
Shingles and not the ones on the roof
- Thread starter LoveMyDobe
- Start date
Meds
They advertise meds for Shingles on TV but I don't pay attention to it but your doctor would know. Only experience I had with it was when my 80 year old fishing buddy came down with it & I was in my early 30s around late 80s early 90s nothing could be done back then. I saw it progress on my buddy & it was just awful he ended up covered with the stuff head to toe red, raw & painful. He didn't have AC & it was in the 90s with high humidity poor guy I felt really bad for him & he wouldn't see anyone but me just hid away from everyone while he had it. Eventually it cleared up but sure was NASTY!! You do know Shingles is linked to Chicken Pox & can turn on at anytime. If it was me I would take the new meds & be done with it. Good luck & hope youu can get over it quickly!
They advertise meds for Shingles on TV but I don't pay attention to it but your doctor would know. Only experience I had with it was when my 80 year old fishing buddy came down with it & I was in my early 30s around late 80s early 90s nothing could be done back then. I saw it progress on my buddy & it was just awful he ended up covered with the stuff head to toe red, raw & painful. He didn't have AC & it was in the 90s with high humidity poor guy I felt really bad for him & he wouldn't see anyone but me just hid away from everyone while he had it. Eventually it cleared up but sure was NASTY!! You do know Shingles is linked to Chicken Pox & can turn on at anytime. If it was me I would take the new meds & be done with it. Good luck & hope youu can get over it quickly!
LoveMyDobe
Active member
whitedust, yep went to Urgent Care clinic, dr said I waited too long to come in, guess 72 hrs is the cutoff for the meds to work properly. GGRRRR I thought I just had a bug bite or poisen ivy, I live in the woods here, not in the hood as I was in IA) Dr was a real *** about it, guess I can also put the blame on our United Health Care thru John Deere. We thought we only covered thru their"planned drs" back home. If we lived in AZ they have drs there since so many retire and move down there(why I don't know, give me snow anyday over heat). Anywho. I'm thinkin if the pain gets tooo bad, medical weed is in order! Only good thing I can't spread it to my dogs! They have no health care, just out of pocket, which I have no problem there.............
hemi_newman
Active member
I got Shingles when i was 18, had chicken pox at 3 years of age(28 now)..all i remember was it felt like poison ivy it itched alot. I had it all over my back. The DR said stress caused it. Yeah I know stress at 18. But that is a whole another story.
What the heck kind of steroids make you gain 40lbs? Roids work for healing had a concoction shot in my foot to keep a smomo trip on schedule back in late 90s never gained a pound but was throwing sleds around like toys.lol
I got them 2 months ago and am still going through them. They suck like nothing has ever sucked before and I wouldn't wish them on anybody. Celebrated my 50th birthday with them, worst birthday I ever had.
We were on our annual camping/canoe trip and I started getting this tingly sensation on the right side of my forehead and top of my head. I thought I got bit by a spider or something, so I went to the ER when I got home (I was in between primary care docs at the time). They told me they couldn't tell what it was but would treat it as a spider bite and gave me some antibiotics (never even mentioned shingles). It worsened overnight (I slept in a recliner in our living room). I remembered a guy at work who had shingles so I looked it up on the internet. The signs and symptoms I read described exactly what I was going through. The next day I went to the clinic and they said they couldn't tell for sure as it hadn't blistered yet, but would treat it as shingles. They prescribed valtrex (antiviral), neurontin (a seizure med that helps quiet the nerves), and ultram (pain). They also sent me right up to the eye clinic since it was around my eye. Well, needless to say it hurt like heck and a couple times felt like my head was on fire. It never did blister or rash a whole lot, but I still have some lingering pain (they call this "post herpetic neuralgia) that could take weeks, months, or years to go away. It's not nearly as bad as it was and is manageable at this point. My eye is a different story. It doesn't hurt, but it is extremely light sensitive -- so much so that for a while I wore dark glasses in the house and reading the computer was quite a feat. Driving was also a challenge -- my eye would water as soon as I got in the truck so driving anywhere more than a few miles was out of the question. In fact, I missed my bowhunting trip that was supposed to be this weekend because 1) there was no way I could practice with it as I'm right eye dominant, and 2) I wasn't really comfortable towing a 30' fifth wheel for three hours up to hunting camp. Also missed both my softball seasons this year (the first because of elbow surgery, the second because of the shingles), and I'm missing the beginning of my hockey season as well (first game is tonight). I've been to the eye doc every couple weeks. They tell me when it gets in the eye it is extremely stubborn. It is making progress, I don't have to wear dark glasses all the time now and it doesn't water as much when I get in the truck. I'm still on a preventative dose of valtrex, prednisone drops for my eye, neurontin, and just ibuprofen for the pain. The pain seems to be lessening as well. So it appears that there may be a light at the end of the tunnel, and it sure can't come soon enough. This two-month party has been about all I can handle. I guess the silver lining is that I seem to have lost some weight.
As in many of life's hurdles, it just takes time. Hang in there!
We were on our annual camping/canoe trip and I started getting this tingly sensation on the right side of my forehead and top of my head. I thought I got bit by a spider or something, so I went to the ER when I got home (I was in between primary care docs at the time). They told me they couldn't tell what it was but would treat it as a spider bite and gave me some antibiotics (never even mentioned shingles). It worsened overnight (I slept in a recliner in our living room). I remembered a guy at work who had shingles so I looked it up on the internet. The signs and symptoms I read described exactly what I was going through. The next day I went to the clinic and they said they couldn't tell for sure as it hadn't blistered yet, but would treat it as shingles. They prescribed valtrex (antiviral), neurontin (a seizure med that helps quiet the nerves), and ultram (pain). They also sent me right up to the eye clinic since it was around my eye. Well, needless to say it hurt like heck and a couple times felt like my head was on fire. It never did blister or rash a whole lot, but I still have some lingering pain (they call this "post herpetic neuralgia) that could take weeks, months, or years to go away. It's not nearly as bad as it was and is manageable at this point. My eye is a different story. It doesn't hurt, but it is extremely light sensitive -- so much so that for a while I wore dark glasses in the house and reading the computer was quite a feat. Driving was also a challenge -- my eye would water as soon as I got in the truck so driving anywhere more than a few miles was out of the question. In fact, I missed my bowhunting trip that was supposed to be this weekend because 1) there was no way I could practice with it as I'm right eye dominant, and 2) I wasn't really comfortable towing a 30' fifth wheel for three hours up to hunting camp. Also missed both my softball seasons this year (the first because of elbow surgery, the second because of the shingles), and I'm missing the beginning of my hockey season as well (first game is tonight). I've been to the eye doc every couple weeks. They tell me when it gets in the eye it is extremely stubborn. It is making progress, I don't have to wear dark glasses all the time now and it doesn't water as much when I get in the truck. I'm still on a preventative dose of valtrex, prednisone drops for my eye, neurontin, and just ibuprofen for the pain. The pain seems to be lessening as well. So it appears that there may be a light at the end of the tunnel, and it sure can't come soon enough. This two-month party has been about all I can handle. I guess the silver lining is that I seem to have lost some weight.
As in many of life's hurdles, it just takes time. Hang in there!
Amen Russholio-----------I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy (well maybe!?). Had them the last week of March and had to cancel a snowmobile trip this year. I thought it was "just a little rash", but the better half convinced me to have it looked at before I left town. Damn I hate it when she's right, but it was all I could do to get out of bed for the next week. Drugs are about the only relief. Good luck, rest well.
It would kill me if they end up canceling any snowmobile trips. Sure, they canceled softball but I can live with that. It's bad enough they've canceled my bowhunting, but okay, there's always firearms season (hopefully). Even if I have to sit that out, I won't like it but I can take it. Sledding? No way. I'd go berserk. I'm not a sit-around-the-house kind of dude, so the past 2 months (or at least, month and a half) have been a severe test of my patience.
LoveMyDobe
Active member
I guess I will someday get over this. I did go on a atv ride Saturday, but didn't ride my own. I figured the pain would take a toll, so I rode with Hubby. russholio my 55th birthday is Monday the 14th. Just great, more reason to drink like a fish, like I need one! On another note I found icing the affected areas does help. If only I could go outside and roll in the snow.
as far as stress, I quit smoking 13 days ago. Cold turkey, mentally I have been fine, guess my body feels different.
, like I need one! On another note I found icing the affected areas does help. If only I could go outside and roll in the snow.as far as stress, I quit smoking 13 days ago. Cold turkey, mentally I have been fine, guess my body feels different.
anonomoose
New member
This is a lesson for everyone who is 45 and older. You have this virus in you if you had chickenpox. So it lurks there until your immune system is compromised and then it re-invests itself as shingles. (why did your immunity get compromised??? better find out about that one, cause something else might be going on there)
Yes there can very well be long term disability from it. Perminent nerve damage is real and can disable you. (my mother still has lost feeling in her hand and fingers because the doctor didn't diagnose it in time.)
Encourage your doctor to give you a shot of valtrex (antiviral) med. If given soon enough you could skate thru the event without much notice. If you wait....it spreads like wildfire and can be much more than painful.
GO GET A SHOT....that is why they advertise this on the boob tube so much....there are millions of folks who are suseptible to this virus and getting the shot is cheap insurance.
Don't wait.....get it done.
Excuse me as I end this typing and go get one myself. I have put it off long enough.
Yes there can very well be long term disability from it. Perminent nerve damage is real and can disable you. (my mother still has lost feeling in her hand and fingers because the doctor didn't diagnose it in time.)
Encourage your doctor to give you a shot of valtrex (antiviral) med. If given soon enough you could skate thru the event without much notice. If you wait....it spreads like wildfire and can be much more than painful.
GO GET A SHOT....that is why they advertise this on the boob tube so much....there are millions of folks who are suseptible to this virus and getting the shot is cheap insurance.
Don't wait.....get it done.
Excuse me as I end this typing and go get one myself. I have put it off long enough.