Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nicole on April 30, 2012 at 4:58pm

I had shingles for the first time last summer due to stress. They popped up on my knee, of all places. They didn't last very long, and luckily weren't incredibly painful. They kept me awake for a couple of nights, but not months as the doctor predicted. I used a calomine lotion with antihistamine to stop the itching/pain, and that seemed to work quite well. When I went to work, my pants would rub against them and irritate them, so I would wrap them up in a tensor bandage. I believe you can also get vaccinated for it now, so you may want to consider that if you worry about getting them again.

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Permalink Reply by Laddie on April 30, 2012 at 6:41pm

I got my vaccine for Shingles last week. In Minnesota it is covered with no problem by insurance once you turn 60. So guess what my birthday earlier in April was....

I have heard such horror stories about shingles and am glad I've had the vaccine. It doesn't guarantee that you'll never get it, but it should be a milder case.

Sorry that I have no advice for you.

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Permalink Reply by PedsRN on May 1, 2012 at 4:00am

I had shingles many years ago, also due to stress. My physician prescribed an antiviral, i think it was acyclovir in addition to pain medication. And if they are very painful there are other types of meds besides narcotics that can help or help enhance the effects of pain meds. Post herpatic neuralgia can be quite painful. You had no control over the appendicitis that stressed your body but try to decrease or control your emotional stress as well.

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Permalink Reply by Francie on May 1, 2012 at 5:26am

I do have acyclovir and i try not to take narcotic type pain meds, i think this time around it is a concerning breast biopsy coming up on thursday that gave them to me, i have had two breast biopsies b4, and not really concerned, but this one is different and the doctor is very concerned and i didnt get the "This is most likely not cancer, but we need to follow up" speech like b4 either. I cannot take any nsaids until after biopsy on thursday and tylenol is not touching the nerve pain, i have nerve pain patches, but cant use them until after thursday. . i will ask if i can get the vaccine at age 40. Thank you for the feedback!

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Permalink Reply by Tom Goffe on May 1, 2012 at 6:36am

If I'm not mistaken, you can't get the vaccine until age 50. Even then, it only works for 70% of those who get it, however if you are vaccinated but get shingles anyway the severity is greatly reduced. I'm 48 and counting the days. Back in the '70s my grandfather got it and there was nothing the doctors could do. To this day I'm haunted by the memory of him screaming in pain for the last 7 years of his life. It was so bad he even had a bunch of nerves in his head surgically cut in hopes of diminishing his pain but even that didn't work.

Shingles is more apt to pop up when the immune system isn't at 100% and stress can certainly contribute to that. Happily treatment for it is light-years better now and getting better!

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Permalink Reply by Francie on May 1, 2012 at 12:16pm

Thx you for the insight Tom, I spoke w/ my dr. today and she was checking to see if i "could" get the vaccination at an earlier age, but that raised some questions for down the road. She was able to call me in some lidoderm patches which wont interfere w/ the biopsy scheduled for thursday, patches are helping immensely.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Goffe on May 2, 2012 at 6:25am

Hooray! I'm so delighted you are able to find some relief - that is fantastic news. It sounds like you have a good doctor who is willing to listen to your concerns with an open mind. That is ALWAYS a good thing!

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Permalink Reply by Spock on May 1, 2012 at 4:39pm

I had the vaccine in March. Never had them, and now I never will! I so love optimism!

I have a very dear friend with terminal brain cancer and he has had recurring shingles--not scientific, but I would opt for stress on his part. He is a very healthy outdoor guy his whole life, so it would not be exercise.

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Permalink Reply by Timothy on May 2, 2012 at 1:28am

I never had chicken pox , I got the Chicken Pox vaccine about 15 years ago. So I can't get shingles. Most kids now get Chickenpox- varicella vaccine so I think Shingles will go the way of measles and polio. It will be probably very rare,
I'm not sure how I avoided getting it as a kid, but there you go ! perhaps having an overactive immune system did me one small favor.

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Permalink Reply by Leo2 on May 2, 2012 at 2:45pm

I am in the business of identifying FAR more shingles than I want to with 50-80 year olds.
Get your zostervax. Yes its expensive but so you skip a few meals out if you don't have insurance that covers it.
It's being given at all the grocery stores in this area. Signs on the doors, signs in the parking lot. Next time you see a sign like that, if you had chickenpox as a kid, stop in for it. There isn't good medication for taking care of the pain unless you want to be zonked out, so get the preventive.

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Permalink Reply by Francie on May 3, 2012 at 7:28am

thx leo2, i see my dr. on the 8th, we will def be having this discussion. .

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Permalink Reply by Leo2 on May 2, 2012 at 3:17pm

Sorry, it's ZostAvax, not Zostervax. Been making too many bad jokes using -er to lighten it up.

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