Shingles Post your experiences, what helps what doesn't what is the best medical field for help?

[HMFICDICK]

As you may have guessed I have gotten shingles. I have a lot of questions, with the most important one being, What type of doctor is best to see for help? I live in the Tampa Florida area and there are lots of doctors of all descriptions here. There are also LOTS of old farts like me to keep them busy. The hard thing to find is a medical referral organization that will give an HONEST answer to the best medical field and or doctor that will treat you and help you.

I of course have read a lot of articles on the web about shingles but aside from various doctors advertising in the articles I can't get a straight answer.

So what are your experiences and who helped you? Feel free to PM me if you like, I am just trying to get well and minimize the damage.

[Houston12]

Try either your primary care doctor, an internist or a dermatologist with the latter being my first choice. It is important to get antivirals started immediately. The doctors r can also help with topical medications to reduce itching and irritation as well as the pain.
Symptom severity can run from annoying pain to life threatening depending on how your immune system is coping. Wear loose fitting clothes, eat healthy and gets lots of rest.
It can take a month or more to recover and the pain can still continue for some time.
Wash your hands thoroughly - don't want to accidentally introduce that virus to your eye.
Best of luck!

[TravelingGentleman]

Hey there!

If you can't get a straight answer, here you go:

*disclaimer: I am not a doctor, but I have had shingles*


1. Shingles is basically adult chicken pox.
2. Even if you've had chicken pox as a child, you can still get shingles as an adult.
3. There is no cure. You're going to have a few days of painful spots on your face, head - depending on the severity, maybe also shoulder and arm. Only one side of your body, interestingly enough.
4. If it's within the realm of your capabilities, tell your boss that you need to work from home or work remotely for the next week because you've contracted shingles, and want to ensure that no one else gets it. It is contagious.

Change your pillowcases in the morning. You're likely going to have sores that feel like big pimples, replete with blackheads in the middle. Messing with them doesn't help.

Put some rubbing alcohol on your outbreak spots. It'll sting like hell, but it will help dry them out. Take Tylenol or Aleve, or Schedule 3 drugs if you have any / have access to any. A visit to your doctor to request schedule 3 drugs will get you some - shingles is painful.

Hope it helps!

[sand247]

Mine sprouted up behind my ear, hurt like hell. Doc gave me Valtrax, anti-viral, that really helped. Your Family doctor should be well equipped for this.

[chicagoboy]

Originally Posted by TravelingGentleman

Even if you've had chicken pox as a child, you can still get shingles as an adult.

Even if? Only if would be closer to the truth.

From the Mayo Clinic:

Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you've had chickenpox, the virus lies inactive in nerve tissue near your spinal cord and brain. Years later, the virus may reactivate as shingles.

[TravelingGentleman]

Originally Posted by chicagoboy

Even if? Only if would be closer to the truth.

*mild* That's why I started with the disclaimer that I wasn't a doctor...but then related my personal experience, and did my best to explain how I got through it.

[tattooed_asian_kim]

I GOT SHINGLES WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID ... SHORTLY AFTER I HAD CHICKEN POX !!!

[tattooed_asian_kim]

THIS WEBSITE " EARTH CLINIC " RULES !!!
http://www.earthclinic.com/cures/shingles.html

EARTH CLINIC RECOMMENDS THESE SIX AT.HOME NATURAL DIY ALTERNATIVE HEALTH.FOOD.STORE REMEDIES TO EASE SHINGLES SYMPTOMS ...

I AM A FAN OF " EARTH CLINIC " !!! IT IS GOOD FOR THE INSURED UNINSURED ALIKE + AND + EARTH CLINIC CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN PRESCRIPTION PHARMACEUTICALS SOMETIMES !!!

[Ed Highlight]

They now have a vaccine available for "old farts" to prevent future outbreaks!!

[alaine]

Originally Posted by Houston12

Try either your primary care doctor, an internist or a dermatologist with the latter being my first choice. It is important to get antivirals started immediately. The doctors r can also help with topical medications to reduce itching and irritation as well as the pain.
Symptom severity can run from annoying pain to life threatening depending on how your immune system is coping. Wear loose fitting clothes, eat healthy and gets lots of rest.
It can take a month or more to recover and the pain can still continue for some time.
Wash your hands thoroughly - don't want to accidentally introduce that virus to your eye.
Best of luck!

THIS^^^^^^

1.) ALCOHOL?....Drink it...BUT Hell No don't put it on your Shingles!

2.) It may and probably will get worse before it gets better.

3.) How do you KNOW it is Shingles if you haven't seen Doc yet? One of the biggest identifying factors (other than the pain and lesions) is that it is UNILATERAL...it only affects one side of the body. You can literally draw a line down the body and see this. For example if it is affecting your face...It will ONLY be on one side of the face. So much to the point that you can see it on one half of the nose.

4.) Your family Doc or Internist probably will see and treat more cases of Shingles than a Dermatologist. (I worked in a busy ER and because of the pain component we saw tons of Shingles)

5.) Where you break out will depend on WHICH nerve is affected.

So to summarize...get in to see a Doc. TODAY...even if you have to go to a "Doc in the BOX". Get Antivirals (by mouth) AND take them, Get Pain medicine (and take it).

The pain can be so severe that it can mimic other things. In my case for example, I started having annoying left sided chest pain...couldn't sleep, miserable all night....too stubborn to go to ER. That lasted a couple of days before I noticed the first couple of lesions on my back. It got much worse, before it got better....lesions came from around the back to the front of my breast and came across the nipple. I think this was the most miserable 2 weeks of my life. I took antiviral meds and thankfully have never had another occurrence in 15 years. I'm glad they finally developed a vaccine...wish more people would get it. The key is to get the vaccine before you get Shingles.

More info...One person cannot infect another with shingles, UNLESS the other person has NEVER HAD CHICKENPOX!

[RALPHEY BOY]

I had them December 2011..went to the Dr. nothing they can do besides prescribe
Valtrex or Vicodin and I cannot take pain pills.makes me sick..

it took a month for the pain to go away....

[atf searcher]

I haven't had Shingles myself but I know a couple people that have. The severity of it can vary greatly between people. For some people it can be somewhat minor but for others it can be pure hell. See a doctor, and yes tell him you want SERIOUS pain pill, he probably won't give them to you unless you ask for them.

For anyone who has not gotten Shingles yet there is a vaccination available for it now. The vaccination will not guarantee that you never get Shingles but it will greatly reduce the severity of it if you do get it. Doctors don't recommend getting the vaccination until you are in your late 50's because shingles is rare before that age but common after that age. The people I know who have had shingle told me , GET THAT VACCINATION!! After you get the Shingles it's too late.

[gnadfly]

Originally Posted by Ed Highlight

They now have a vaccine available for "old farts" to prevent future outbreaks!!

I received the Shingles vaccine about a year ago. That pharmacist who gave it to me said that it was only 50% effective. She said the shingles hit her on the face and she almost went blind. My Grandfather and younger brother had shingles and described it as the worst pain they've ever had. My GF said said he'd rather have another heart attack.

Haven't gotten it yet (knock on wood).

[TravelingGentleman]

Originally Posted by alaine

The pain can be so severe that it can mimic other things. In my case for example, I started having annoying left sided chest pain...couldn't sleep, miserable all night....too stubborn to go to ER.

When I got it, I thought I had been stung by wasps and not noticed being attacked.

[HMFICDICK]

Well here I am 5 weeks into my shingles experience. I am posting this in hopes that it may help someone else with their experience or convince them to get the shingles shot, and also, if someone can give me some insight through their experience what I am still facing and is there an end to the tunnel.

It started with severe pain in my muscles on the left thigh going down my leg. I thought I had pulled every muscle in my upper left leg for sure.


The pain. I have not gone to a doctor for pain medication since I was 18 and had a abscessed tooth (I am 70 now). I had been using a heating pad on my hip and thought I had burned the skin on my hip with it. When I showed the doctor... he said shingles.


So I got the prescription for acyclovir and a strong pain pill. Started taking both immediately.


The acyclovir helps you to fight the virus, the pain pills help you feel like you want to live.


While I was taking the medication, I had stomach upset and did not feel like eating because it hurt or made me nauseous . I found out after the meds stopped I still felt the same way. I finally read that the shingles itself makes you feel that way. I now take acetaminophen about 30 minutes before eating and it helps.


Anyway after about a week and a half the pain subsided and I thought Good, now I just have to get rid of the skin sores and get over this crap. Unfortunately, It didn't work that way. I started getting little twinges down my leg and across the left side of my groin every so often. Over the course of the next few weeks they moved toward my left leg and have gotten stronger and stronger and increased in frequency. Sometimes its as often as once per minute. The twinges are now almost entirely down the side of my leg. However, Just today I noticed the twinges are moving to the upper thigh toward the spine where the infection ends. I hope they don't get as strong as the twinges down the leg.


Also, something you notice after the initial pain subsides is the front of my groin, right down the middle over to my left hip and down the front of my leg is numb. Numb on the inside, the skin is still sensitive to the touch and burns when touched (not as bad as in the beginning but it still burns)


After trying pain pills for the twinges, last night I tried something I have been holding off trying... alcohol. I have to report that it did have some effect on the twinges, fewer and weaker with the booze. However, if you over do it you will have a hangover.... Just a couple of drinks seemed to reduce the twinges. So far its the only thing that has worked on them.


I must add that I have not participated in the mongering experience since this stated, I do not want to take any chance of giving this to anyone.


I have read everything I could find to see what the future may hold for the course of this illness and If I will ever get over it. Any insight you can offer is appreciated.