Shingles

[Dwayn20]

Has any one had Shingles more than once. Every time my health drops or my nerves get out of control I  have a out break. There is No One Walking This Earth That I Would Wish This On. Dwayn20 AKA (Scooter)

[ARMANDO]

i've had shingles twice and i was told that this was normal.I WAS also told that shingles was not conatgious but yet a friend of mine was in town who happen to have an outbreak of shingles on his back and two days later i come down with a case of shingles on my back!!!!coincidence??

[Dwayn20]

Yes they are not . Unless you come into contact with the liquid from the blisters. My grandmother brought mine up an there is a old wife tall that if you have shingles on both sides left an right an they meet you will die. But doctor say you get them on one side or the other. From my  personal view is that were to have them on both sides an they were to meet you won,t die you will only wish you were dead.  Because one side is Bad enough!!! I was toll that the liquid is like Poison Ivy???

[rondrond]

I've had shingles 4 times. The left side, the right side, down across my belly and on my right shin when I had a severe blood clot...

I've been told they are contagious, but Katie has never contracted them from me. But then, she runs around the house in her wheelchair and a container of sani wipes, wiping everything down at least twice a day.....

My Grandmother was from Finland and was chock full of superstition, magic, fairy tales....I cultivated a very active imagination from her.....

[dixieman]

Ive had the shingles 3 times over the past 10 years... 1st time when my Dad passed away.... very painful...2nd time when my grandmother passed away... not as painful and the third time was when my Mom passed away less painful than before but, I knew what to do and I knew what the signs were and what to do... Now I take valtrex once a day so I do not have an outbreak for this wonderful virus that keeps on visiting when the stress of life builds up. Wishing you the best! John

[Dwayn20]

Dear Dixieman I know what you mean about relatives dying an having another bout with this viris.Over the last seven months I personaly cared for my aunt that saved my life whhen I was a baby. it was hard but I did What I had to then she was put into a nursing home she last six weeks.Out of all her I was the one she call every night an kept me on the phone for two to three hours every day. Which I will miss. She died three weeks ago which I don,t have a problem . The thing is she died oon a thursday the rest of the relative didn,t call me tell sunday afternoon at five PM an she was layed to rest Monday morning at ten am . They said they forgot to call.So being a hardheaded Cajun I was to stunned to go to her funaral thus the new shingles .      DWAYNE20 (SCOOTER) PS I really feel Sad an Mad thus the Problem

[J.R.E.]

Hi,

I've had shingles at least 3 times.  The first time was in 1989, about 4 years after being infected. And then 2 more times in 2003, just prior to starting on medication.

They most painful episode was in 1989. Terrible blisters, around the left side of my body. Any movement at all was painful, so the best thing was to find a comfortable position in bed and try to lie still.

Took about two weeks to recover from that episode, and still have the scars, and a couple of patches of skin, that have no feeling at all.  One area on my stomach and one on my back.

Here's wishing you a speedy recovery. Also,  I've never had them again since 2003.


Take care---Ray

[Dwayn20]

J.R.E. Thank you very much had on both side different times on have scars also.

[J.R.E.]

The fist time I didn't get started on treatment right away, until it was too late, which resulted in the worst outbreak. The second and thrid time I started on Valtrex at the first sign of it starting, and that helped to mimimize the pain quite a bit.


Ray

[Winiroo]

I've had shingles 3 times. The first time I had no clue what it was and waited to see a doctor until I was completely miserable. The second time I knew what it was and saw a doctor right away but it was still unpleasant. The third time I saw a handful of pink dots and knew what was comming. I did not wait to see the doctor I started taking 1mg Valcyclovir and went to the doctor the next morning.
By the time I'd seen the doctor the spots where so faded you could hardly tell they where there.
I had a nurse practitioner instead of a doctor at that time in a county clinic. I told her what I did and that I wanted a prescription for Valcyclovir because the ones I had used where not my own.
I wound up having to yell at the woman because she did not believe me. Its not like I was trying to get her to write a script for morphine or some other addictive drug. LOL

Anywho it worked out fine I got the script and the third case was the best by far because it was gone before I ever felt any pain.

[sharkdiver]

I have had shingles twice but Valtrex wasn't available to me so I just had to wait it out. About 2 1/2 years ago I had bells palsy which is related to shingles.  I don't wish anyone to develop bells palsy, the effects of it still linger and are noticeable when I'm tired.

[LTSurviver]

I've had the shingles 4 times.  The first was the worst.  But after that, I knew what that tingly/itchy sensation meant and got on Valtrex right away so the next 3 (2 of them on my head!) weren't as bad.

The shingles are NOT contagious unless you come in contact with someone who has never had the Chicken Pox.  So no, you cannot "catch" the shingles from someone else.  They are your OWN dormant Chicken Pox virus reactivating and making their way back to the skin from a point in your spinal cord where they lay dormant.

As for the Chicken Pox.  I caught them in 1999 when I was 32 (13 years after I became HIV+).  My mother had failed to inform me I was never infected with the Chicken Pox as a child.  She assumed I did because my 4 older siblings all had them a year before I was born.

So not only did I have a terrible time with the Chicken Pox as an HIV+ adult, I went on to have 4 outbreaks of shingles in the following 9 years.

[richva]

3x - 2003, 2005 and 2007.  Like some others, first bout was worse - didn't know what was about to hit.  Next two times I knew to run to doc for meds.  Each flare up directly related to stressful life event.  Don't wish it on anybody.

[Dwayn20]

 I would Have Answered sooner but after I eat lunch an take meds I have to take a nap.I agree with you 100% every time I feel that tingle I try to rush to the doctors office if they have a walk in available. But when you at the mercy of the teaching hospital's they tell you to go to the emergency room when appointment is not available. But I am sorry when I start to feel that way I don,t want to spend 6 to 12 hours in a waiting room. Dwayn20 AKA (Scooter)

[Dwayn20]

Has any one had Shingles more than once. Every time my health drops or my nerves get out of control I  have a out break. There is No One Walking This Earth That I Would Wish This On. Dwayn20 AKA (Scooter)

Good news I think I went to the doctor early enough an got the medicine to put the Shingles to the curve.I am happy it is finally going away for now.
Dwayn(Scooter)

[moskimo]

please this is my first time with shingles,for the past 3wks i ve bore the brunt of this mind bending pain,now the sores are gone but the itching is killing me,please dear good people of poz tell me what to do to stop myself from going insane.i ve used all the medications available to me but the itching dont want to go away.help before i go bonkers cheers.

[Dwayn20]

The best thing I can suggest is go to the store an try getting oatmeat bath an try soaking in the tub.
Scooter
P.S. I hope this helps.Get well soon.I know how you are feeling also try to take it easy.

please this is my first time with shingles,for the past 3wks i ve bore the brunt of this mind bending pain,now the sores are gone but the itching is killing me,please dear good people of poz tell me what to do to stop myself from going insane.i ve used all the medications available to me but the itching dont want to go away.help before i go bonkers cheers.

[sharkdiver]

please this is my first time with shingles,for the past 3wks i ve bore the brunt of this mind bending pain,now the sores are gone but the itching is killing me,please dear good people of poz tell me what to do to stop myself from going insane.i ve used all the medications available to me but the itching dont want to go away.help before i go bonkers cheers.

hey Moskimo,
Shingles suck indeed. You might get more of a response if you posted in Living With instead of the LTS forum.. good luck to ya

[Winiroo]

please this is my first time with shingles,for the past 3wks i ve bore the brunt of this mind bending pain,now the sores are gone but the itching is killing me,please dear good people of poz tell me what to do to stop myself from going insane.i ve used all the medications available to me but the itching dont want to go away.help before i go bonkers cheers.

An oatmeal bath is not a bad idea. An antihistamine taken at bedtime may help you to sleep better and reduce the scratching that you may do in the night. Vitamin E and aloe vera rubbed on the areas can be soothing. Capsaicin cream is frequently used for the persistent pain after the shingles have healed and might be helpful to relieve itching as well. It will burn the hell out of your eyes and nose if you get it in there so wash your hands real good or wear gloves if you use it.

Postherpetic neuralgia is a nerve pain that persists after a shingles rash has cleared.
Shingles is an infection of a nerve, and causes a typical rash. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus.

Loose fitting cotton clothes are best to reduce irritating the affected area of skin. Pain may be eased by cooling the affected area with ice cubes (wrapped in a plastic bag), or by having a cool bath. Some people find that putting several layers of 'cling film' over the affected area of skin helps. This allows clothes to slide over the skin without irritating.

You should see a doctor about the continued itch. There are medications for neuropathetic pain and itch.

[leatherman]

i ve used all the medications available to me

have you been to your doc for a prescription of acyclovir or valtrex? It won't stop the itching per se; but it'll help clear up the shingles and that'll help with the pain/itching

[Winiroo]

There I go again assuming. I assumed he had taken acyclovir or valtrex. "All the medications available to me" could have been anything. Guess I'll have to wait and see.

[sharkdiver]

That was good advice Winiroo, I'll have to remember that. Hopefully I won't get shingles again. good gawd painful.  Now I wish there was some type of treatment for bells palsy (which is another reason to keep the shingles "in check"). I looked like I had a stroke for about 18 months.