Shingles

Post by **LarsMac** » Tue Jul 22, 2014 7:50 pm

The other day, I began to feel like I'd pulled a muscle in my neck. I didn't remember doing anything that would cause that. It was bothering me a bit, then my ear and my throat started bothering me. I thought, Oh boy, another ear infection. By Monday morning it is feeling like its working its way up into my sinus. So, Monday I wander down to the clinic and I tell the doc about how this came on. He shines his little light in my ear, and up my nose, and down my throat, and then he starts messing with my hair. Asks if those little bumps hurt. I says, "well, yeah, they are a bit touchy."

He starts telling me about Shingles. I am thinking, "What the hell. That's like and old fart's disease that makes your belly itch."

Well, no, he says, it's a bit more complicated than that.

Doc says it comes from Chicken Pox. I remember when I was a boy, we had a round of that come through school. I never really got sick, though Mom remembered that I seemed to have a couple or three pimples show around that time and she thought it odd for a an eight-year-old to have pimples.

Anyway, apparently, the bug settles in for life, and comes back to haunt you after you get on in years, and if you let your immune system get over-taxed, and get stressed out a bit, then it seizes the opportunity to "spice up your life" some more.

And it is not just the torso it attacks. It can focus on a particular region of your central nervous system and go after the Lumbar Region, the Thoracic Region, of Cervical Region, usually hitting one side. In my case, it took to my right cervical trunk.

The Doc says that since the blisters had not really got going yet, there is a good chance this anti-viral medicine he gave me will help keep the symptoms down, and shorten the time for recovery, and maybe even keep me from having long-term side effects. I hope he's right. I am already tired of it.

So now I know a whole lot more about Shingles, and I am sure wishing I had taken the pharmacy up on their "free Shingles Vaccination" last month.

My head hurts, I got the blister thingies popping up in my scalp and under my beard and down my neck, and my ear is achy, and life kinda sucks. And I can't really take off work since I work from home. I would probably feel a lot worse if I did, because then I'd just sit around and feel miserable. So I work and feel miserable, and try not to scratch these damned blisters open. I did have to cancel a trip I had scheduled to New York next week, and a visit with the grandkids this weekend. Doc says I could give some poor kid the Chicken Pox if I'm not careful, and to stay away from pregnant women, too.

I am not really saying this to get y'all to feel sorry for me or anything like that - though if you could just say something like "aw, the poor sod." or the like while you read this, I'd be obliged.

Mainly I just wanna suggest that if you had Chicken Pox when you were a kid -and maybe, even if you didn't - when you are out and about and you see that sign advertising free Shingles Vaccination, you might want to give it a second thought before going on about yer business.

Whadayagot to lose?

Lady J · Post by **Lady J** » Tue Jul 22, 2014 8:53 pm

Awwwww, sorry to hear you have Shingles Lars and hope you feel better soon.

It will pass...

I have had them on my chest and neck and at the time I was teaching aqua aerobics in a humid, hot indoor pool. The humidity and heat made my skin itch sooooo badly I wanted to tear my skin off. but I didn't and I survived. Haven't had a case of them since. (Touch wood)

Keep taking the meds and best to you.

Why do they call this Shingles?

Lady J

Post by **LarsMac** » Tue Jul 22, 2014 9:13 pm

Lady J;1460583 wrote: Awwwww, sorry to hear you have Shingles Lars and hope you feel better soon.

It will pass...

I have had them on my chest and neck and at the time I was teaching aqua aerobics in a humid, hot indoor pool. The humidity and heat made my skin itch sooooo badly I wanted to tear my skin off. but I didn't and I survived. Haven't had a case of them since. (Touch wood)

Keep taking the meds and best to you.

Why do they call this Shingles?

Lady J

I was just wondering the same thing.

Here is what I found: from http://www.caring.com/questions/why-is- ... d-shingles

Shingles is a virus, also known as herpes zoster, that is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox--once a person has had chicken pox, the virus remains in the body, and may manifest as shingles when the person is older. The name "shingles" stems from the Latin word "cingulum," which means "girdle." Since herpes zoster causes a rash that often wraps around the trunk, like a girdle, it is a fitting name.

Well, there ya go.

We learn something new every day.

I think I am going to bed, now.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 4:18 am

It sounds humorous doesn't it ? but it is one of those ailments that people whisper about and fear greatly.

Hope whatever medication your on works quickly, illness is an irritation we can all do without.

Wonder why roof shingles are so called.

Post by **LarsMac** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 7:26 am

One side effect of looking up where the name came from:

I ran across a number of medical sites discussing the malady. And most just had to post pics of some of the extreme examples of past infections. It ain't pretty.

Some stats.

The chances of a person who has had Chicken Pox contracting Shingles is approximately 1 in 5

The Vaccine reduces the risk to about 1 in 60.

It apparently is related to stress, and the wearing down of your immune system.

So given the rather stressful period I have been through of late, and that the medicine I have been taking for my Thyroid severely weakens the immune system, I should have more seriously considered that vaccine. Now I am at the mercy of an anti-viral drug with a 60% success rate at quelling the infection. And the last comment I read, before going to bed last night was that with the medication, when successful, there is a good chance that symptoms will abate within 3 to 5 weeks.

Aauugggghhhh!

High Threshold · Post by **High Threshold** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 8:22 am

Sounds like a bummer to me. I thought shingles was one of those eradicated diseases that only dirty old sailors got, like rickets and scurvy and such. I got malaria traipsing through the jungle in the mid 60's and I get horrendous, reoccurring attacks every 5 years or so. I start sweating, freezing and shaking violently and uncontrollably for about 12 hours and I have to go to bed with 2 or 3 pairs of trousers, 2 pairs of socks, a scarf, woollen hat, and 4 or 5 blankets. During the night I periodically peel off one pair of something and by the time morning comes I'm feeling much better.

So can you look forward to more of these shingle attacks?

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 10:10 am

I thought it was the same thing as Chickenpox, except that it became progressively worse with age.

It is commonly believed that having once caught Chickenpox you can't get it again, although this is not entirely true. It can greatly improve your immunity, and the worse the initial case, the more immunity you will have, but it is still possible to get it again - although the subsequent times are supposed to be less severe.

Perhaps I am wrong in my understanding of this, but I thought that Shingles would only be likely to affect you seriously if you've never had Chickenpox at all, thus not having developed any level of immunity to it.

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 11:29 am

I really feel for you Lars, must be awful. My sister had it (she was years

younger than I am but in poor overall health) and she complained horribly,

it was for her very painful. When I heard she had it, I emailed my doctor and

asked if I could have the vaccine and she gave it to me a couple of years "early"

because of the family member having it.

Don't kick yourself too much, and my hopes for a speedy recovery!

Post by **LarsMac** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 11:32 am

FourPart;1460638 wrote: I thought it was the same thing as Chickenpox, except that it became progressively worse with age.

It is commonly believed that having once caught Chickenpox you can't get it again, although this is not entirely true. It can greatly improve your immunity, and the worse the initial case, the more immunity you will have, but it is still possible to get it again - although the subsequent times are supposed to be less severe.

Perhaps I am wrong in my understanding of this, but I thought that Shingles would only be likely to affect you seriously if you've never had Chickenpox at all, thus not having developed any level of immunity to it.

The virus is named Herpes-Zoster.

It is a bit confusing, but it seems that if you had Chicken Pox as a child, the virus will go dormant in your nervous system, forever.

You immune system will keep it dormant, as long as you are fairly healthy, but when it weakens, due to other stresses and challenges, the virus can activate as this new effect.

Apparently, if someone has never been exposed to Chicken pox, before, they can contract Chicken Pox from contact with a person who has active Shingles condition.

The infection can be very difficult for an adult.

Post by **LarsMac** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 11:40 am

Bruv;1460612 wrote: It sounds humorous doesn't it ? but it is one of those ailments that people whisper about and fear greatly.

Hope whatever medication your on works quickly, illness is an irritation we can all do without.

Wonder why roof shingles are so called.

According to: century-dictionary.com

Shingle is a corruption of German shindle (shindel) meaning a shingle or roofing slate.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:49 pm

LarsMac;1460648 wrote: According to: century-dictionary.com

Shingle is a corruption of German shindle (shindel) meaning a shingle or roofing slate.

Or from Latin the basis of many European languages....

Middle English schingel, alteration of Old English scindel, from Medieval Latin scindula, alteration of Latin scandula

First Known Use: 13th century

But thats not helping you, other than taking your mind off your problem.

Post by **LarsMac** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:56 pm

Bruv;1460658 wrote: Or from Latin the basis of many European languages....

Middle English schingel, alteration of Old English scindel, from Medieval Latin scindula, alteration of Latin scandula

First Known Use: 13th century

But thats not helping you, other than taking your mind off your problem.

THAT certainly has its merits.

Lady J · Post by **Lady J** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 8:01 pm

Lars....feeling any better? I hope so!

Lady J

Post by **LarsMac** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 7:24 am

Lady J;1460675 wrote: Lars....feeling any better? I hope so!

Lady J

Well I have felt better, but I am getting along. Thankfully, we are well-stocked with Ibuprofen.

Thanks for asking.

The thing seems to be focused on my neck and head, and most of the blister thingies are under my beard and hairline, so I can appear in public without frightening the women and children. It takes a bit of will-power to NOT scratch them, at times. And the pain is similar to that of a third degree burn.

I was fortunate, it seems, that I went to the clinic when I did. The doc gave me a script for an anti-viral that specifically targets the zoster virus. and I started it even before the blisters really got going. Hopefully that will help keep it contained.

One of my sister-in-laws has been dealing with shingles for some months, now. She is finally getting over it. Hers was around her middle, and quite painful. She did not see a Doctor until well into the symptoms, and she had been quite miserable a few weeks. She says she may never be able to wear a two-piece swim suit again, because of the scarring. I hope that I can avoid anything like that.

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 12:45 pm

Lars

I'm curious - had you hit your head prior to the shingles showing up?

Like a slight fall - hit a cupboard - hit the car door.

A DR. asked my Mother-in-Law when her shingles showed up and yes she had indeed hit her head prior.

Patsy

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 12:59 pm

Patsy Warnick;1460709 wrote: Lars

I'm curious - had you hit your head prior to the shingles showing up?

Like a slight fall - hit a cupboard - hit the car door.

A DR. asked my Mother-in-Law when her shingles showed up and yes she had indeed hit her head prior.

Patsy

That's interesting Patsy. How would that affect the onset of shingles?

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:18 pm

Anne

from what I remember - the Dr. explained shingles is actually a nerve problem.

once a trauma to a nerve shingles appear. Shingles can & most likely are painful which is the nerves.

There's not a great deal available to cope with shingles and many times shingles last for a long period of time.

Patsy

Post by **LarsMac** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:37 pm

Patsy Warnick;1460714 wrote: Anne

from what I remember - the Dr. explained shingles is actually a nerve problem.

once a trauma to a nerve shingles appear. Shingles can & most likely are painful which is the nerves.

There's not a great deal available to cope with shingles and many times shingles last for a long period of time.

Patsy

No trauma here, recently, but I am taking a Thyroid Med for hyperthyroid, that inhibits the immune system, and I have been dealing with a rather stressful situation with an ex son-in-law for the last year or so.

Both Stress and over-taxed immune system are conditions that allow the virus the opportunity to activate.

Here is what the Mayo Clinic has to say about Shingles:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-cond ... n-20019574

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:43 pm

My son & I seem to be immune from Chicken Pox, we've been exposed many times.

When I was eight, my mother had a bad case of shingles on her back & I (bare-handed of course) would apply lotion to the area several times a day. I have since been told that was enough to expose me to the virus, but so far so good.

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 2:53 pm

Lars

It sounds like your body is telling you to calm down..

I hope it clears up soon.

Patsy

along-for-the-ride · Post by **along-for-the-ride** » Fri Jul 25, 2014 11:04 am

"I am not really saying this to get y'all to feel sorry for me or anything like that - though if you could just say something like "aw, the poor sod." or the like while you read this, I'd be obliged."

Oh Lon, you made me laugh. Since I just found out I'm a Diabetic, you and I are kind of down....................................but not out yet. Hope you feel better soon. We're both "poor sods"

Post by **Betty Boop** » Tue Jul 29, 2014 12:44 pm

ouchy them thar shingles really hurt and I only had a cluster of about four. I went to the docs to have a lump investigated and discovered I had the start of shingles whilst there. I got given the tablets and rested up for a while and found I got off very lightly in comparison to my mum who had them circle her torso and shoulder.

So rest up and keep taking the pills hope you feel better soon, would an anti histamine help with the itch ?

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Tue Jul 29, 2014 12:52 pm

When my Brother had a really severe case of chickenpox (which he's still scarred from) the only thing that would ease his itching was Calamine Lotion.

Highly recommended.

Post by **LarsMac** » Tue Jul 29, 2014 1:04 pm

Oh yeh. Calamine Lotion was a lifesaver back when I got into the poison Ivy one time.

The pills have been great!!!

Most of the blisters and stuff are already frying up and fading.

Still have a lot of nerve pain, but that is starting to settle, too.

five more days on the medicine. I may get off pretty easy on this. Here's hoping.

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Tue Jul 29, 2014 2:33 pm

I don't think we have Poison Ivy in the UK. I think the most severe natural plant 'predator' is probably the common Stinging Nettle. Fortunately the acid of the nettle is salved by the alkaline of the Dock Leaf, which tends to like the same soil as nettles, so is often found close by.