Anyone had Shingles???

[Orlando]

I have the freaking Shingles and am going out of my mind. Anyone here had them and have any tips for relief besides putting a gun to my head??

[melloman]

I am sorry. I understand that shingles are very painful. I will pray for you and I wish you a speedy recovery.

[jak]

My mom had shingles about 20 years ago. I know she used cool damp compresses to help with the pain.
She also used calamine lotion. She said she used cornstarch to help dry up the blisters.
That's what they did years ago, I don't know what they do today

[jbkf1003]

Sorry to hear Sir, I also will be praying. A guy here at work had them, it was a long painful road for him.

[Prince Humperdink]

Dang Bill,sorry to hear this.My Mom had it a couple months ago ,but I don't know what she did?Speedy recovery my friend.

[LEAD POISON]

I told you NOT to eat that stuff out off the back of the truck!

[Old Guard]

I told you NOT to eat that stuff out off the back of the truck!

Bill, sorry to read you have them...I qualified for the shot last year and finally found somewhere whom stocked it? It was walgreens drug, they gave it to me behind a screen..the serum has a short shelf life and was over $350.00 for my insurance...I have so much trouble with rashes and demititus, that i was afraid not to take it..best wishs and may you find something to relieve it?

[Orlando]

Dr got me some stronger pain killers, if I double the recomended dose it takes the edge off for a couple hours. This is some real crazy stuff. I can go to work and feel OK most of the day. By about 6 oclock I start feeling rough, midnight 1 O'clock I am in agony which lasts until about 6 am
Guys, I strongly suggest you look into the Shingles vacinne, you dont want this crap. From what I here the vacinne is expensive but had I known what I know know I would have paid any amount for that shot

[Old Guard]

Dr got me some stronger pain killers, if I double the recomended dose it takes the edge off for a couple hours. This is some real crazy stuff. I can go to work and feel OK most of the day. By about 6 oclock I start feeling rough, midnight 1 O'clock I am in agony which lasts until about 6 am
Guys, I strongly suggest you look into the Shingles vacinne, you dont want this crap. From what I here the vacinne is expensive but had I known what I know know I would have paid any amount for that shot

Bill, Glad you have some relief..I was going to suggest some Tramadol from your Dr. It makes the nerves not as edgy or excited..I take two a day, to help with my Neurapathy in my feet and lower leg..In the evening i have to feel rough too as the pills give me bad dreams, plus i don't want to get used to them.... How long did the DR. say this would be going on??

[jak]

I got my shingles vaccine shot this morning. I'm not going through all that pain and grief.
Getting old is s PITA.

[canes7]

I understand that stress can be a major player in the onset of shingles. Since this is true you should relax at home with your favorite beverage and all the quiet time you need.

It'll definitely help.

[Orlando]

I got my shingles vaccine shot this morning. I'm not going through all that pain and grief.
Getting old is s PITA.

Good for you, wish I would have known about the vacinne before this
I am on day 7, last night was so bad I was actually in tears, this shit is nasty! I have been going to work everyday just to try and keep my mind occupied.

[mxlmax]

Bill,
I am a little late to your shingles question but.....yes I have had shingles. FWIW you need a little back ground information on the disease and then I can sorta tell you what to expect. Also, FWIW I am a health care provider (Dentist) so I was familiar with the disease from a Doctors perspective and now I can say as a Patients perspective too. Now for the etiology.....You can get Shingles at any age but you have to have Chicken Pox first (Herpes Zoster). Most cases present after age 50 and by age 80 one half of the population has had the Shingles (read, get the vaccine). Most cases are on the torso with a "shot by an arrow" kind of effect (front and back). In rare cases it appears on the head and face. Lucky me, that's where I had mine! The Shingles sticks to one side, mine was left....from the crown of the head down the part line, corner of the eye brow, outer corner of the eye (sclera) to the tip of the nose, palate, corner of the mouth and on the chin. SEVERE PAIN, BURNING open sores that scabed over in about two, three days....did I say SEVERE PAIN and BURNING.....for all the world it felt like a hot iron on your face for, in my case, 4-6 weeks. I got fast treatment (I knew what it was) and state of the art drugs, Acyclovir and Oxycodone and it didn't help one damn bit. The pain SLOWLY goes away....almost. The virus can and does cause some degree of nerve damage and residual pain (neuropathy). Some people have to take a drug called Neurontin for nerve pain that never goes away. In my case, its been four years and the nerve will never completely recover, it still feels partially numb on the tip of my nose and cheek bone. The scars consist of darkened areas in the skin. My left eye continues to itch slightly and the affected areas are still more sensitive to the direct sun. Now this is my experience with facial Shingles your mileage may vary. To answer your question.....their just AIN'T a HELL of alot you can do but wait it out knowing it will get better slowly. The new sensations just become your new normal. My advice for those that have not had Shingles.............GET THE VACCINE NOW. I didn't mean to ramble but you did ask. My $00.02
Randy

[Orlando]

Randy
After 4 weeks of extreme pain for the most part I am finally over them. I was getting a couple hours sleep a night if I was lucky. You are right the Oxycodone did very little. I have been telling everyone to get the vaccine !!!!

[mxlmax]

Bill,
Your advice on the Shingles vaccine is spot on. The only possibly vaccine issue would be....our immune system, as we age, just isn't as good as it once was at making antibodies to invaders. Bottom line, not everyone will achive 100% immunity to the Shingles but ANY ability to fight the virus is better than none! GET THE VACCINE. You just cannot describe to anyone the pain Shingles causes. FWIW,I have been burned in a gasoline kinda deal (hand and side) and while there isn't a lot of difference in the felt pain between the two.....its that the Shingles just goes on and on and on, it wears your a$$ out. Little to no good sleep....well you don't need me to tell you, its still fresh in your memory banks!
Randy

[melloman]

To the best of my knowledge I have never had chicken pox. So it is logical to conclude that I will not contract shingles then?

[mxlmax]

By defination you have to have Chicken Pox first before you can get Shingles, same virus (Herpes Zoster) ......different results depending on your age .......a LONG boring reason could be given. By example, a person with Shingles (with an open sore) can cause Chicken Pox to an individual that had never had Chicken Pox. Same virus different manifications depending on sequence and age. AGE, there is always that!