Tested positive Nov. 4th and now got shingles

[Lobster1]

I think i now have shingles.  got red rash on right side of body, and almost feels like pulled muscle.  along with burning and stinging on skin.  going to docter tomorrow to get looked at.  Doc said it sounded like shingles, so got 1030 appt.  Also anyone else ever have this?  How do you reply to personal emails to . new to this , and thanks for support.

[tednlou2]

I've never had shingles (knock on wood), but your symptoms sound like shingles.  I know the docs at thebody.com aren't too concerned with shingles.  They say getting shingles isn't an indication of how your immune system is doing.  They say HIVers are just slightly at more risk of getting shingles--however it seems like I've heard several people say they have/had it.

I hope things go well at the doc.  I believe I read that once you get shingles, it is rare to get it again.  About personal messages on here, when you sign on, it tells ya in the upper left corner how many messages ya have.  After reading, you just click reply to respond. 

[Ann]

Hi Lobster, welcome to the forums.

Ted's right when he says that shingles aren't necessarily reflective of the state of your immune system. I had shingles once and my CD4s were fine.

One thing that is notorious for bringing on shingles is stress. It's quite likely the stress of your new diagnosis is what brought yours on.

The doctor should give you acyclovir in one of it's various forms. Although it's better started straight away during onset, taking it after the rash is already established will still help it clear up sooner. Please read the lesson on shingles.

Hang in there!

Ann

PS - now that you have posted in the forum three times, you will be able to access your Private Messages. Look for the link under your username in the left-hand column of any forum page.

[Langie]

Hai Lobster!
As Ann said about shingles.
When i had just got diagnosed (2005), i got really depressed an di wasnt eating.
Saying that my CD4 was 865 and viral load 7600.
I got shingles at the back of my left thigh and my doc gave me acyclovor which helped within a few days.
But as times goes on you learn how to live with the disease and look ur health well even during stressful situations so that you control any opportumistic infections.

On 05/01/2010...my bloods were Cd4: 597, viral load: 3210.
At Lobster, am sharing this with you so that you understand that with medical help and looking after your self, you can push a bit longer than expected.

[Langie]

Sorry Lobster, i forgot to mention the downsides of the disease.
In jan 2009, my skin started getting itcy leaving red rashes that would stay as long as two days.
My doc, then put m eon dermal and acqeous cream for both washing and lotion use.
But the problem was proving hard to treat so in june my doc suggested i start medication.
My numbers were Cd4:421, viral load:3370. Though, i wasnt keen on medication i decided to try it.
i got on Atripla an dafter 11 days i got a bad reaction so it was stopped.
Then i wanted a break coz i had exams in sept and dec and was ready to resume medication in jan
But when i did the bloods on 5/01/10, the numbers seemed good so that mean si can still push on.
Sorry, for this boring story but to give you an insight that living with Hiv is like walking i the valley (ups an ddowns) but self control is the key in the management.
If you can build it, then you will live till the cure is here

[leatherman]

They say getting shingles isn't an indication of how your immune system is doing.  They say HIVers are just slightly at more risk of getting shingles--however it seems like I've heard several people say they have/had it....I believe I read that once you get shingles, it is rare to get it again.

good information about shingles can be found here at wiki  - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_zoster

shingles is NOT an HIV-related illness but an illness anyone can get as it's caused by the virus that causes chickenpox in children. Stress is a huge factor in having an outbreak in conjunction with age and/or comprised immune systems (ie HIV). You can have multiple outbreaks, though that doesn't happen very often, and could be put on acyclovir as a prophylaxis (ie a daily dose to prevent another outbreak) if needed.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery Lobster. Though the acyclovir should help shorten the length of the outbreak, if may not do much for the pain or itching as there's really no med to treat shingles per se. Try not to scratch the lesions no matter how much they itch. If the pain gets too bad you'll need to talk to your doc about some type of pain med.

Incidence is highest in people who are over age 55, as well as in immunocompromised patients regardless of age group, and in individuals undergoing psychological stress.

I know it'll be hard not to stress about your recent HIV diagnosis and then having this outbreak of shingles; but try not to freak out too badly. If you ask around you'll probably be surprised at how many people you know, over 55 or so, who have had bouts of shingles. It's not all that uncommon, it's just not talked about so much.

mikie
(who had chickenpox as a child; shingles before having HIV, and twice afterwards; along with a reoccurring outbreak in his left hand that has been under control using acyclovir for 3 years - except for the 2 months while his partner wias in the hospital before dying, when going off the med and stressing out caused him to have 3 outbreaks over the next 2 months)

[alliance]

Guess what?
Was at the doc today and found out I got shingles. The area ( about the size of two fingers, between my hip and my rib) has been bugging me for about 2 weeks but became visible a week ago.  I called the doc a few days ago, I waited to get to the doc because I had an appt anyhow. He did say shingles should be treated as soon as possible, but it's not really too late for me -- he put me on vlatrex.  He said it might take a while to see them go away, but I think Im seeing improvement already, 2 pills into it.  Stress?  Oh yeah, the new status, other health issues, relationship, and I started exercising to feel better (maybe that was physical stress as well).
Lobster, I hope youre doing better, your symptoms sounded a lot like mine.