So tell me about your experiences with Shingles

LJSDesigns

LJSDesigns

Sweet Shoppe Designer
After a week, I am still in a lot of pain and the blisters have not healed. That does not bother me as much as the swelling and numbness in my fingers and hand, which were hit pretty hard by this crap. I've been told it can last for a month and that seems nuts, but I am starting to believe it. I know inflamation is part of it, but is numbness and the prickly pear feeling normal as well. BTW, I hate shingles as much as I hate cancer. And that is saying A LOT. :glare:
 
Mine was along my bra line. It started from the right side of my spine and around to under my right breast. It felt like someone was holding a hot iron to by back and felt like a million bee stings all at once. That was back in May of 2005. I was under a lot of stress at the time and my doctor told me it was either the shingles or a nervous breakdown. The first week I was taking Valtrex (500mg.) twice a day. I was on Neurotin for over a year because mine were so bad, even though the blisters and sores were gone. I have irreversible nerve damage where it started. To this day if I get really upset or nervous over something I still have the burning and stinging. And it kills me to wear a bra! So I go without one when I can although I know it's not good for the girls to not hold them up. But I can't help it.
Dennis had them a few months ago but his were milder than mine and he got over his in a couple of weeks.
I hope you get to feeling better soon. I wouldn't wish them on anyone.
 
oh wow i am so sorry :( i have no experience but have heard it is one of the most painful things to go through :(
 
I have no experience with it but my understanding is that shingles affect your nerve endings so pretty sure the numbness and prickly pair is an unfortunate symptom of it :( I hope you get some relief soon!
 
Oh No Lorie! Hubs had it a few years ago and its so painful...it brought my big bear down so I can just imagine that its really not fun. Thinking of you and hoping the pain clears up quicker than that!
 
Thanks Girls. The more I hear about this stuff and the longer I have it, the more nervous I get. Nerve damage is a scary thing and my hand is really bothering me. I am still taking the Valtrex five times a day and the vicodin for the pain when I can't tolerate it any more. I guess all I can do is stay on course for the treatment and hope for the best. I may have to finally break down and do a little research too. Honestly, I have been avoiding it cause I don't want to freak myself out.
 
I have had shingles 2 times now, my first time was all ove the left side of my face and top of my head, I was on very strong pain relief and even now 7 months later I still get pain, and have to take pain relief, my last lot of shingles they never said it was shingles until after bloods tests and I had been sufferingfor almost 2 weeks, they said is was gladulaur fever, but I had actually shingles in my thoute and was even admitted to hospital as could hardly breath.

The pain is horrendous.
 
Mine was on my stomach several years ago and it lasted about a month. I had the prickly feeling there which made wearing anything that touched my waist so painful. I will say that I didn't have any long lasting effects, but maybe that was because of the area it was on.

I hope the meds kick in and that you start healing. I remember that uncomfortable feeling being some of the worst pain ever.
 
I had just a small spot of it about 10 years ago now (when my oldest was only 6 mos.). I had to wean her to take my meds but it all cleared up very fast! For me, it was more heartbreaking than painful. Katie ended up getting chickenpox because of it. That was awful.

My poor MIL however had it much worse. She went to the ER complaining of pain and they determined that she probably needed to have her gallbladder removed because of the location of the pain. Well, after surgery she woke up and she still had the pain in that area... because she didn't need gallbladder surgery--she had shingles. Because it went untreated for so long, she was on pain meds for a very long time. She finally decided herself to quit the meds cold turkey because she didn't like being on them. But I think she still has pain from time to time. And this happened last year... :(
 
webseitler said:
I had just a small spot of it about 10 years ago now (when my oldest was only 6 mos.). I had to wean her to take my meds but it all cleared up very fast! For me, it was more heartbreaking than painful. Katie ended up getting chickenpox because of it. That was awful.

My poor MIL however had it much worse. She went to the ER complaining of pain and they determined that she probably needed to have her gallbladder removed because of the location of the pain. Well, after surgery she woke up and she still had the pain in that area... because she didn't need gallbladder surgery--she had shingles. Because it went untreated for so long, she was on pain meds for a very long time. She finally decided herself to quit the meds cold turkey because she didn't like being on them. But I think she still has pain from time to time. And this happened last year... :(
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Oh my gosh WOW! They removed her gallbladder... oh, wow! :( I had no idea it was so difficult to diagnose?!
 
I had Shingles in 2002. The Dr gave me prednisone. A friend of mine just had it and her Dr gave her antivirals- Valtrex orally and Abreva for the blisters. My ourbreak was on my upper right thigh. The first Dr thought it was poison oak - because we hike a lot and that is where my son's shoes would hit if I was carrying him... It took awhile to go totally away(I still have scars), but no lasting nerve damage.
(((hugs))) I know how awful it feels! I hope you get better soon.
 
I had shingles in 1992, and I still remember the pain. I know it was a time we were newlyweds, and no insurance, and our old doctor gave me samples of the most awesome cream, and we scrounged up money daily for the pills that were $10 each at the time? I have no idea what they were.
The pain lingered and the scars on my arms were horrible, and I was crying one night, and my dear hubs layed hands on my arms, and prayed for healing. I kid you not, we watched those scars disappear. It made me scared, happy and too be honest a bit freaked out, but the pain left that night, and I know that Jesus healed my body that night!
 
Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences with me, good, bad and uplifting. While I am sorry you experienced it, I appreciate knowing your stories and outcomes. I will continue to feel fortunate that mine were diagnosed early and contained to one hand and arm. I will also be confident that the hand will heal completely in time and that this is just a very uncomfortable bump on my road. No pun intended. ;)
 
so sorry to hear about this, Lorie! a friend of mine had them a few years ago and i'm not sure he's ever fully gotten over them. he still has pain pretty regularly and suffered quite a bit of nerve damage as well. sending you loads of hugs & healing vibes... i hope you find some relief soon!!

my pediatrician was just talking to me about shingles [as one of the boys was getting the chicken pox vaccine] and she told me to call immediately to have the shingles vaccine done. has anyone ever had the vaccine? does it really help to prevent them? i'm so skeptical... but i had chicken pox horribly as a child (still have the scars) and fear a bout with shingles would prove to be just as traumatic.
 
lingovise said:
so sorry to hear about this, Lorie! a friend of mine had them a few years ago and i'm not sure he's ever fully gotten over them. he still has pain pretty regularly and suffered quite a bit of nerve damage as well. sending you loads of hugs & healing vibes... i hope you find some relief soon!!

my pediatrician was just talking to me about shingles [as one of the boys was getting the chicken pox vaccine] and she told me to call immediately to have the shingles vaccine done. has anyone ever had the vaccine? does it really help to prevent them? i'm so skeptical... but i had chicken pox horribly as a child (still have the scars) and fear a bout with shingles would prove to be just as traumatic.
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I've been asking about this as well Loni, but no one I know has had it yet, so I have not been able to get any genuine feedback. I am going to ask my doctor if I can still get it to prevent future outbreaks cause I do not want to go through this again, EVER.
 
I'm sorry you are dealing with them Lorie! I started having symptoms at the back of my head on November 30th and it was day 6 before I got any meds, but even though they say you have to start taking it between 48-72 hours after the onset of blisters, I swear it worked. My blisters were healing up within a week or two. My head (3 months later) is still numb in spots and itchy sometimes too. Most of the pain/sensitivity went away with the blisters, but I still had a hard time with combing out my hair until last month. So the whole ordeal can last months, but the actual mega pain and blisters will only last a few weeks. I know that doesn't help much because you still have to deal with it for that long, and believe me, I know how it feels! I haven't felt so miserable in a long time!

BTW, my doctor didn't believe me when I said I had them, thinking the old school way of "she's too young & it's not on her back", so a few days later I went to the clinic and the doctor on duty just happened to be her husband. This time I gave him my symptoms and let HIM figure it out, and he diagnosed it properly. HA!
 
lingovise said:
my pediatrician was just talking to me about shingles [as one of the boys was getting the chicken pox vaccine] and she told me to call immediately to have the shingles vaccine done. has anyone ever had the vaccine? does it really help to prevent them? i'm so skeptical... but i had chicken pox horribly as a child (still have the scars) and fear a bout with shingles would prove to be just as traumatic.
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As far as I know, they don't give the vaccine to anyone over 50 years old. I'll be getting it when I can though, hoping I don't get them again in the next 13 years!
 
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