Shingles

Adding insult to injury during this interesting time, AtlantaMarie has come down with shingles. She definitely recommends the shingles vaccination.

Dear members, the information regarding daily birthdays and members having a birthday within the next 7 days, is noted at the bottom of the Home Page. Please feel free to post in the Happy Birthday thread while Marie is convalescing.

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sanderson wrote:Adding insult to injury during this interesting time, AtlantaMarie has come down with shingles.  She definitely recommends the shingles vaccination.

OMG! My dad had shingles. Hugs and prayers to AtlantaMarie.

My mom had it and my husband had it.  I got the vaccine as soon as it was available.  Bad stuff.

Oh no.  Prayers for AM.

Thanks, everyone. I'll pop in & out as I can. This stuff is nothing to play with! I'm thankful it's not a lot worse than it is.

It hit my ear/face. And because I'm over 50, it hit where it did, & it was more than 72 hours before I was able to be diagnosed & placed on meds, I've developed nerve damage to the left side of my head. We're hoping it's just temporary...!

It runs from the top of the head in various spots, down deep into my ear & eustachian tube, my lower left jaw & throat, & the left 1/4 of my tongue. It also runs into my left shoulder. It ranges from electrical currents bouncing around to intense itching in various spots that immediately becomes a searing pain when I touch it. (I've learned quickly to press firmly instead of scratch.) And the left arm feels weak from time to time along with shoulder pain.

Lidocaine (Apercreme) & Sarna moisturizer have become close friends over the last several days. I'm using it much more than recommended, which I'm obviously not thrilled about. They've upped my gabapentin (for neuropothy/nerve damage) by 6-fold. I take it with extended relief Tylenol every 8 hours. Unfortunately it only lasts for 5-6... And because it runs across my face, I can't use my cpap mask very much. So I'm sleeping mostly in my recliner.

If you've had chicken pox, I'd highly recommend getting the vaccine! It may not stop you from getting shingles, but if you do, it'll be a lot lighter, according to my friend Jerry.

WOW! I hurt for you, AM!  I'm hoping you recover soon!

I have had multiple shots for Shingles because each time they said, "Well that one isn't good after you are over 65, so you need this new series...". I'm hoping that protects me.

Sounds horrible AM.  Really feel for you. You have been going through a lot of worrying life events with your mom's illnesses, your own health and now the Covid-19 situation. I expect stress and a lowered immune system have left an opening for the shingles virus to take hold. Do what you can through diet and supplements to boost your immune system. 

I remember my mother having it on one side of her head and into or around her eyes.  I had chicken pox in my 30s. Got it from my dsughter. I've had the shingles shot but that was a few years ago. I

Although I had the shot back in 2012, my Doctor says I need another one.  I'll have to see if the pharmacy has it in stock and can administer it.

donnainzone5 wrote:Although I had the shot back in 2012, my Doctor says I need another one.  I'll have to see if the pharmacy has it in stock and can administer it.

The new one I had to get is a 2-shot process. Had to get one, and then a couple months later get the second shot.  The CDC recommends this for adults over 50.

https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/multimedia/shringrix-50-older.html

OhioGardener wrote:

donnainzone5 wrote:Although I had the shot back in 2012, my Doctor says I need another one.  I'll have to see if the pharmacy has it in stock and can administer it.

The new one I had to get is a 2-shot process. Had to get one, and then a couple months later get the second shot.  The CDC recommends this for adults over 50.

https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/multimedia/shringrix-50-older.html

+1

yolos wrote:

OhioGardener wrote:

donnainzone5 wrote:Although I had the shot back in 2012, my Doctor says I need another one.  I'll have to see if the pharmacy has it in stock and can administer it.

The new one I had to get is a 2-shot process. Had to get one, and then a couple months later get the second shot.  The CDC recommends this for adults over 50.

https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/multimedia/shringrix-50-older.html

+1

+2

donnainzone5 wrote:Although I had the shot back in 2012, my Doctor says I need another one.  I'll have to see if the pharmacy has it in stock and can administer it.

Hmmm, I hadn't heard that. Hubby will be talking to his doctor next week. This is now on our list of questions. Thanks, Donna.

trolleydriver wrote:I expect stress and a lowered immune system have left an opening for the shingles virus to take hold.
I remember my mother having it on one side of her head and into or around her eyes. 

TD, I suspect you're correct. One thing is that I've probably LOST weight with this over the last 3 weeks, lol.

Your mom's sounds like mine. JUST missed the eye. Doctor said that if it had hit a different nerve bundle, it could have really messed my eyes up badly.

______________

Talked to the doctor yesterday & they upped my gabapentin since it only seems to help for about 5-6 hours. Now I'm taking it every 6 hours instead of every 8.... Next step will probably be a neurologist if it doesn't start clearing up.

Thanks to EVERYONE for your good thoughts & well wishes!!

I just read about gabapentin and it said the side affects are "feelings of relaxation, calmness and euphoria."  So are you chillin' right now.

Lol! Groggy is more like it. Although calmness is also there. I'd love some euphoria right now, lol!

Now that the upped dosage has kicked in, I DID find yesterday that if I didn't talk, didn't move my facial muscles a lot, that the electrical currents & itching calmed down immensely. So Hubby is getting an early break since my annual bout of allergy laryngitis hasn't kicked in yet. ;-)

Oh my WORD, AM!!!

I'm so sorry to hear about this.  You've got so much on your plate already with your mom and all.

Here's wishing you a speedy recovery!!!  

Thanks, Molly! I appreciate the hugs...!!!

Told hubby about Sanderson's post. He said that I appeared to be "stoned to the gills" this morning. LOL! Pretty good description.

But I find that the grogginess is mostly in the morning. I'm wondering if my 1st dose of gabapentin isn't acting with the dregs of the Tylenol pm I'm taking just before trying to sleep... The pm stuff IS benedryl after all. And I do have that type of reaction to it. Time to experiment.... Think I'll skip the pm & just do regular tylenol tonight.

Morning. Thought I'd give an update. The clinic brought me in yesterday to do bloodwork to check kidney & liver function since I'm currently on such high doses of the gabapentin & Tylenol.

AND she JUST called me to tell me that liver & kidneys are perfectly fine. Yea! Fast work on the lab's part.

After talking with the nurse practitioner, we decided to stagger my gaba to try to cut that pain bridge I have when it gets close to my next dose. So I'll take one at the regular time, then another one an hour or so later. I was actually able to skip that one I was supposed to take at 3 am. Slept right through the time. :-)

In the meantime, the last 3 days have been MUCH better - some itching/burning, but considerably less (for the most part. When it gets going, it's hard to get it stopped.). I am noticing my ear is still having some issues. Just feels strange. Not sure how to describe it. And the left side of my tongue is still very much tingling all the time. Again, feels very strange.

Progress....

Also, mom's doing well. Still knitting & card making up a storm. But I suspect she'll be very happy to get with all of her friends once this is over, lol!

AtlantaMarie wrote:In the meantime, the last 3 days have been MUCH better - some itching/burning, but considerably less (for the most part.  When it gets going, it's hard to get it stopped.).  I am noticing my ear is still having some issues.  Just feels strange.  Not sure how to describe it.  And the left side of my tongue is still very much tingling all the time.  Again, feels very strange.

Progress....

Also, mom's doing well.  Still knitting & card making up a storm.  But I suspect she'll be very happy to get with all of her friends once this is over, lol!

Soooo nice to read a little good news for a change.

Sounds like you are heading in the right direction AM.  Thanks for your update. Stay safe.

Thanks for the update on you as well as mom.  Glad to hear things are getting a little better for you! 

Good to hear that you and Mom are doing better.

Good news, AM!

@ AtlantaMarie , good to see you're getting over it ….don't forget to update your antivirus programme  Norton is a good one apparently . 

I realise you're not a doctor and am not asking for medical advice just some information  about your shingles .


 Question  did it start out like a few closely grouped insect bites , each a slightly raised red spot about 1/16 of an inch in diameter with an orange fluid in the middle of the bite on the second day ?

 I'm asking for with this Corona virus thing  ..... 

I've had the above on the back of both arms & it's spread to the area  by my rh trouser pocket . The doc got me to email him photos of it .  Just said, " You've got an infection "   & prescribed antibiotics & a cortisone cream . That was 9 days ago the meds are finished , the rash is still here & driving me crazy . 

I will be contacting him again tomorrow for I think it may be shingles , as I've had chicken pox four times as a kid/teen ager  & shingles twice in my early sixties . I had the shingles vaccination about 8 yrs ago , don't know how effective they are & for how long they last .