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Anyone had shingles?

yennyfire

yennyfire

Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Jun 6, 2010
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If so, how long did the pain/itching/blisters last? I was diagnosed yesterday and am trying to figure out how much of my week I need to cancel. Was told that once the blisters turn to scabs, I'm no longer contagious, but stupidly, I didn't ask how long that would take and when I could expect the pain to go away.

Does anyone (unfortunately) have any experience with this? Thanks (in advance) for any thoughts.
 
I am sorry Yenny! It is just terrible. I had it once and I want to say 7 days but DH said 7-10. I can still tell where they were but i don't thin other people can. I do remember how terrible I felt so I hope you feel better soon!
 
Poor Yenny! I just wanted to say that I am sorry, but I don't know how long it takes for the blisters to heal. But in looking it up, I was surprised to see that there is a shingles vaccine! I will have to think about that one. Hope you are all better soon!
 
Thanks indecisive. Luckily, it's mostly around my back/waist and I don't wear bikini's much these days, so no one will see it but DH and me! :errrr: However, 7-10 days???!!! Yikes. I have too much to do to be stuck home, despite the pain.

Diamondseeker, there is a vaccine that they give to children and to the over 50 age group, as well as adults who didn't have chicken pox as a child. Everyone should look into it, because I've heard that chickenpox as an adult is miserable and I can tell you that shingles is painful (and apparently takes a while to go away!)....
 
YES! You poor thing! I think I was out about a week and a half.
 
Good grief! This just STINKS! On the positive side, I guess I'll have a bit of time to start packing up the house for our upcoming move and spending time with all of ya'll here on PS!
 
Poor you! Shingles is awful. My daughter had it a couple of years ago. She only had one patch but she wasn't allowed to school for 10 days as there was a child in her year group who has a compromised immune system. She said it was really painful but she still enjoyed time off school!
 
Thanks Maisie. I was supposed to be at my son's school twice this week and I've sent emails to cancel. I cancelled two playdates because neither of the Mom's had chicken pox as children and I'll have to stay away from my parents for a couple of weeks b/c my Dad is immune compromised. DH is really going to get a taste of what life as a single parent is like...just like I do when he travels!

He was just downstairs trying to TOAST a baked potato b/c he didn't realize that you had to turn the toaster oven to "oven"...I smelled burning and went running downstairs, lol! I think my family will appreciate me a lot more by the time this is over! ;))
 
My grandmother had them for what seemed like EVER. She never really got over it before other things claimed her life. I think her system was compromised by chemo & radiation at the time so it was probably way worse than someone younger with better immune system function.

You mentioned moving -- which is a great stressor .... did the doctor mention anything to take the edge off stress-wise?
 
Deco, the funny thing is that I haven't FELT particularly stressed. Yes, I've got a lot on my plate (who doesn't?) with a part time job, two kids, being the room mom in my son's class and preparing to move, but I didn't really think it was affecting me. He said that I needed to do something to reduce the pressure. I joked and asked for a prescription for Prozac...he suggested long walks...my response was "who has the time for LONG walks??".... :loopy:
 
Ack yenny, so sorry you have shingles! Did you see the doc in time for antivirals? If not, you're going to be miserable for weeks :( DH's rash and pain took at least a month to subside. That was in 2008, but to this day it hurts a little for him if he doesn't take care of himself. If you took the antivirals in time then it should go away in a week or so.
 
My sister,father and myself! I had a sever enough case that it took about 5 weeks and the total healing process took about 3 months for me. I still feel some discomfort from the out break 2 years later! My doctor said that it can take a year to heal from a bad outbreak. i felt like parts of my skin were on fire for weeks!
 
I just got the vaccine. It was $300 and my insurance won't cover it because I am not 60. Worth it to me anyways because lots of young people here are getting it. (I am 52 btw)
 
Choro, I did get the anti-virals, as well as pain meds (though I'm trying not to take them). I'm so sorry that your hubby had such a bad case and has had lingering effects. I can't imagine weeks of this.

Oh my goodness jewelerman, that's awful! Can you get a shingles vaccine now or do they say that you won't get it again? I haven't started doing that kind of research yet.

April, good for you. I'm all for prevention where possible! I will totally get a vaccine when they say I can, even if I have to pay for it myself. This is just miserable. I saw some photos on the web of folks who got the rash on their heads/faces/neck...that would have totally freaked me out. I am so grateful that it's only around my waist/back!
 
I have heard about a lot of young people getting it as well. I got it when I was 25 and I was shocked. I was majorly stressed out at the time though! I was on antivirals btw and I took a lot of B vitamins, orange juice, and painkillers. My husband kind of laughed when I told him what the antiviral was called and I almost made him sleep outside! I hope your hubby takes good care of you!
 
Thanks indecisive! Hubby is doing a good job...poor guy. So far, our daughter has been dressed in capri's when it's 35 degrees outside and dinner was a debacle (I purposely bought steak so that he could grill it, like he always does, but he got ambitious and tried to bake potatoes and microwave some peas...who knew you could scorch peas???)....yes, the name of the anti-viral is kind of funny. :oops:
 
Everyone that I know who got it, got it bad. So I also got the vaccine. (I am also 52)

Yenny, hope your recovery is a quick one!
 
Glad that you got the vaccine greycat. Hopefully, you'll never have to go through this! I don't believe that they give the vaccine to those under 50? Is that correct?
 
I believe that to be correct. Used to be 60, changed last year.
 
Sorry to hear this yenny! My mother is suffering through a particularly bad case right now, and from talking to her about it it sounds terrible! Hope you are not suffering too badly and are on the mend soon!
 
I hope you feel better soon, Yenny! I've never had shingles but my husband has, and to be honest, he was pretty miserable for a while. He thought he had a bad sunburn on the top of his head (we were returning from a vacation in Florida), but when the pain didn't go away after a few days, he went to the doctor. I can't remember what was prescribed, but it took a while for him to feel like he was back to his usual self.
 
Thanks steph. I hope that your Mom feels better soon.

Thanks zoe. I would think that having these things on your head would be so much worse than having them on your body. I feel for your DH. Glad that he's past it. Just out of curiousity, has he had the vaccine since he had shingles? I'm wondering if they'll give it to you once you've had shingles so that you don't get them again? Is he in the over 50 age group? I'm trying to figure out if they'll give it to someone under 50 if they've already had shingles or if they still make you wait til 50.
 
I had shingles over the summer and it was not fun! I think my blisters lasted about a week.. The pain came before the blisters and then when the blisters popped up I still didn't think much of it.. Until the nurse at my gyno said "oh my gosh you have shingles!" just by looking. I was like oh.. great! I started on antivirals and steroids and felt better almost immediately.. I think that was the steroids! I could definitely tell when it was time for the next dose because I would start hurting again.

Anyways, I hope you get better soon!! Your family will definitely appreciate you more after this!

Oh and as for the shingles vaccine, I had never heard of it.. Until my first outing after being diagnosed with shingles.. The "get your shingles vaccines here!" was the first thing I saw as I walked into the grocery store. :rolleyes:
 
yennyfire|1326671427|3103743 said:
Choro, I did get the anti-virals, as well as pain meds (though I'm trying not to take them). I'm so sorry that your hubby had such a bad case and has had lingering effects. I can't imagine weeks of this.

Oh my goodness jewelerman, that's awful! Can you get a shingles vaccine now or do they say that you won't get it again? I haven't started doing that kind of research yet.

April, good for you. I'm all for prevention where possible! I will totally get a vaccine when they say I can, even if I have to pay for it myself. This is just miserable. I saw some photos on the web of folks who got the rash on their heads/faces/neck...that would have totally freaked me out. I am so grateful that it's only around my waist/back!
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I had it over my left eye, but thanks to my mom, it was recognized when the spot was less than dime-sized. Shingles over the eye, if untreated, can lead to a worst-case scenario of blindness. I got on anti-virals FAST and so never actually developed it past that point. But if not for her, I probably would not have recognized it until it was too late. And yes, you CAN get it again. I've known of one person - young too - who has had it 3 times.

I'm sure some of our medical folks will chime in here, but my understanding is that for the anti-virals to work really well and to reduce the risk of post-herpetic neuralgia ( greatest risk over age 60), you do have to catch it pretty early - by 72 hours after the onset of the rash. Sooner is always better. That could be off, but I know it's got to be fairly quick.

If it were me, I'd be taking those pain meds. No brownie points are given for suffering. Good luck to you! I hope very much that your recover without any lingering effects!
 
My grandma had shingles in her 60s (she has passed now - not from shingles). It took over a month and I dare say 2 before everything was back to normal.
 
My husband is 29 and he had shingles this past summer. It took at least a month before the pain and blisters went away. He had them on his back and stomach. His doctor did tell him that the amount of time people have symptoms can vary so hoping yours clear up quickly!
 
Hmm, sparklyheart, I'm on antivirals, but not steroids. I wonder why? I'll have to call the dr. and ask.

ksinger, I'm not trying to be a hero :cheeky: , but I had a reaction to the pain meds the first night I took them (nauseous and cold/sweaty like I was going to pass out). I'm really sensitive to pain meds (have passed out unconcious from percoset after my daughter was born), so I try to avoid them whenever possible. Believe me, I'd like some relief from this, but being nauseous/faint on top of the pain is even worse than the pain itself. I am so glad that your Mom recognized what it was. Having it around your eyes is no joke!

Thanks charmy and stargurl!
 
yennyfire|1326703213|3104062 said:
Hmm, sparklyheart, I'm on antivirals, but not steroids. I wonder why? I'll have to call the dr. and ask.

ksinger, I'm not trying to be a hero :cheeky: , but I had a reaction to the pain meds the first night I took them (nauseous and cold/sweaty like I was going to pass out). I'm really sensitive to pain meds (have passed out unconcious from percoset after my daughter was born), so I try to avoid them whenever possible. Believe me, I'd like some relief from this, but being nauseous/faint on top of the pain is even worse than the pain itself. I am so glad that your Mom recognized what it was. Having it around your eyes is no joke!

Thanks charmy and stargurl!
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I confess I'm surprised that the doctor gave you an opioid for shingles. (I'm assuming that is the case since you mention percocet?). From personal experience and much reading, I've come to the conclusion that opioids just don't work much for nerve pain, and for many people - like you apparently - have quite a few unpleasant side-effects. For nerve pain - from post herpetic neuralgia (which it sounds as if it is WAAAAAY too soon to know if you will have - probably not though - fact is, shingles just flat out HURT) to certain types of neuropathies, Neurontin is given I hear. But I'm certainly not a doctor. There might be some reason not to give Neurontin at this point in the process. Neurontin is one of those that you typically don't take "as needed", and has to be worked up to, and weaned off of.

And yes, I was very VERY lucky. It was funny though...she said, "What's that on your face?" Me: "Oh, I dunno, a zit? It's weird though, makeup seems to slide off it and won't stay put, and it kinda burns and tingles every now and then." (I'm sitting on sofa) Mom whips out a magnifying glass, walks over, LOOMS over me, moves in close with the glass (as only a mother can) and gives me an intense stare through the glass...."Shingles, you have shingles." My mom was one of a kind. ;))
 
yennyfire|1326676749|3103819 said:
Thanks steph. I hope that your Mom feels better soon.

Thanks zoe. I would think that having these things on your head would be so much worse than having them on your body. I feel for your DH. Glad that he's past it. Just out of curiousity, has he had the vaccine since he had shingles? I'm wondering if they'll give it to you once you've had shingles so that you don't get them again? Is he in the over 50 age group? I'm trying to figure out if they'll give it to someone under 50 if they've already had shingles or if they still make you wait til 50.
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I don't remember him telling me about the vaccine, but this was almost 3 years ago so he may have gotten it and I just forgot. I'll ask him later today and let you know. He's not in the over 50 age group. He'll be 40 soon and he had shingles when he was 37.
 
ksinger, no the percoset was after I had my daughter. The dr. gave me lortab for the shingles.

Your Mom sounds a lot like mine. I can just picture my Mom doing that, though she wouldn't have been able to diagnose the shingles.
 
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