Shingles, anyone?

[jimnsc]

Just the facts:

Wednesday - Had an acute pain in my right chest and back that was sensitive to touch - felt like I had been scorched with hot water.
Thursday - Same pain - no let up.
Friday - Same pain but wife walked in while I was shaving and remarked about the red rash on my back - doctor worked me in - shingles.
Saturday morning - woke up at 1:25 am in a great sweat and nausea. Charlie Brown headstands over the toilet (reaction to medication).

Complications:

- Almost 2 months into XPAP treatment - still trial and error, if you know what I mean. Nothing is certain. No two nights are alike.
- hay fever - medicine I'm taking does the job but my inner nose is artificially dry - no moisture whatever. Couldn't wear my new Mirage FX but 1 1/2 hours.
- added some KY into nostrils before bedding down but it didn't hold up. Air felt like augers in my nose. Changed to Quattro FFM for leak practice.

I'm so glad I had chicken pox as a child so that bug could lie dormant for nigh onto 70 years so I could have these pretty red mosaic decorations on my back and now chest. If your time comes, it ain't pretty.

Summary: Gettin' old ain't for sissies!

Just trying to brighten your day by making you appreciate whatever state you happen to be in today.

[Country4ever]

Oh what a bummer!! I've heard shingles are very painful.
Were you around anyone with chicken pox lately?
Can you turn up your humidifier?
Can they give you something for the pain?
Yes, I agree, growing old is someone's idea of a bad joke! Who invented old age anyhow???
I hope you start feeling better soon!

[Bodhi]

Measles when young can cause shingles later in life.
There is a vaccine available for those over 60. My insurance covered the shot, thankfully, because it is expensive.
However, shingles can take months to get over completely. I feel for you because it is extremely painful.

http://is.gd/x4J6fu

[Slinky]

Been there, done that, threw away the T-shirt. Only my pain started 10 days or so before the rash broke and had only minor itching. I pretty much Dx'd myself whilst in ER. I'd been in ER 2 nights earlier, no rash. The second night I ended up in ER I had a minor bit of itch at my waist in the back, felt a slight rash and asked the nurse if it could be shingles. I ended up being hospitalized for pain control for 3 days. Almost 3 weeks I couldn't lay down or sit down, only stand. THAT wears thin in a hurry. You get exhausted. The visual rash itself never got to be much, just a small patch and never so ugly as the pictures you see. Fortunately, I didn't end up w/painful PHN but do still have minor itching along the shingles path fairly often and its been 8 years since that shingles outbreak. The stress of a Crohn's disease flare and steroid treatment for it caused my shingles outbreak.

My daughter, on the other hand, broke w'a shingles rash in roughly the same area at 40 years of age and never had any pain, just some discomfort and some mild itching. She broke w/the shingles during a period of real stress due to the loss in less than 3 months of her best friend and bridesmaid to ovarian cancer and her plant closing and having to transfer to a new plant where she had to take over as the only project control engineeer.

KY Jelly doesn't have any healing properties. Better to use Ayr Saline Nasal Gel which also helps w/mask seal around the nose (nasal pillows or nasal cushion) which DOES have healing properties I can vouch for - and there are others who say the Lansinoh (sp?) a cream used by nursing mothers for tender nipple areas heals as well.

[nanwilson]

Had shingles as a baby --in the diaper area and around the waist. My daughter had in her eye. My Mom had it on her face.
NOT A BUNCH OF FUN!!!!!!!!
I feel for you, it is very painful.
Nan

[Slinky]

Shingles on the eye or face is DANGEROUS and SCAREY and either could easily result in loss of vision or hearing! I'm glad you, your mom and daughter came thru it w/o residual problems in those areas, Nan!!!!

[nanwilson]

Thanks Slinky
When I had it there wasn't the level of anitbiotics etc that there is today, took years to get over it. My daughter still has eye focusing problems & my Mom is okay. I do have a friend though that had it in her ear canal and as a result is now deaf. No fun whatsoever with this disease.
Nan

[KimberlyM]

Sorry to hear that, Jim. I had shingles about 10 years ago. Definitely no fun. The only thing I can think of that helps is trying to keep clothing from rubbing it. Mine was around my back in the waist-band area. I hope you feel better soon! I think mine ran their course in two or three weeks. That was one long "two or three weeks".

[Emilia]

Oh, no.... so sorry to hear that, Jim!! Once you get over this, get the vaccine.... it is allowable for those who already had shingles. I just turned 60 and plan to get my vaccine in July when I see my doctor for my next visit.

Get well soon.....

[Emilia]

@nan.... my massage therapist had it in her ear canal, too... it is referred to as Ramsay Hunt when that happens...and often causes paralysis on the same side of the face much like a Bell's Palsy. She was given a too low dose anti-viral and months later got a relapse.... poor woman! That time she was give the full dose regime and is fine now. Even though she is still young, her PCP is going to give her the vaccine but she will need to pay for it.

My dad has shingles as a young man, and I remember him lying in bed in agony. It was a traumatic thing for this little girl to see her big, strong dad in that condition.... which is why I still can remember it so vividly. Back then, I am sure there was little availalbe to relieve it.

[OutaSync]

I had been asked to participate in a clinical research trial for a shingles vaccine a few months ago and didn't take them up on it. You guys have changed my mind. I'm going to see if I can still get in. It's a three year commitment and if you are given a placebo during the trial, they give you the real vaccine at the end.

[freshair]

my 82 yr old neighbor lady had shingles for about 6 mos recently--she had a very tough time with it---I immediately went to walgreens and got a shot for $200 bucks--i've heard horror stories about people whom have actually took their own life because of the misery that they were going though---so if you are over 60 --go get vaccinated--FA

[LSAT]

My wife had a mild case on her cheek...we both got our shots after that episode.

[chunkyfrog]

My DH had shingles a few years ago; We got the shot when it came out; I never thought I'd see that man EAGER to get a shot!

[Vader]

I had that twice, and the last time it was on my butt!
Sure was painful. I wonder if there are any known side effects associated with the vaccine?