Just diagnosed with shingles

G

Geezerette

Senior Member
It isn't too bad so far, & I think that what I recently had been diagnosed as costochronditis pain was early symptoms of shingles. Same nerve pathway area.i had the first vaccine several years ago & was postponing new ones due to cost. Was Rx Valcyclovir500 mg tid for 3 weeks. I feel so icky & contaminated. Feels like another setback to the improved mobility I keep working on after 3 surgeries in last 3 yrs. People tell me it's going to get worse before it gets better. My father had it when I was very young , but he was a very stoic person & it didn't leave much impression on me at the time. Any advice on how to cope would be appreciated.
 

Did you get the anti-viral Rx? Take your meds and take it easy. Hopefully you will have a mild case since you had the older vaccine. I had them last December and still have occasional residual nerve pain in my arm. (I had them on the nerve path from my left shoulder and down my arm to my fingertips.)
 
Geezerette said:
Yes re antiviral med. Valacyclovir.
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Oh, OK. I didn't recognize that med, but I should have noticed the similar name to the Rx I took. I had two prescriptions: gabapentin and acyclovir. The gabapentin is for nerve pain and to prevent nerve damage. I think the worst thing about shingles is how long it lasts; usually from 6 weeks to several months. My pain level was manageable, but when the blisters dry up the ITCHING is horrible. Just a real party of a disease. I'm sorry that you have to deal with it.
 
I had them years ago when I was in my 20's...I just do not remember the RX for it? Have no words of wisdom....but wish you well for sure !!

Where the hell so many of these things come from is a mystery for sure? And some folks go through life without a hitch.

The mother of a friend lived 100 years 4 months ! In her entire life she claims to have taken but one aspirin. She had a headache , thought it might help?....she said once that it did indeed......she never had another headache in her life.

I have known her since my teens...she is not prone to BS...
 
Don't see doctors, more than once every few years. If you go in for a check-up feeling great, rest assured they'll find something wrong with you, and you'll leave feeling bad. Of course, the meds they'll prescribe will also make you feel worse, and may (if you listen to those damned TV commercials) kill you!
 
Ill look into the lysine. I tried gabapentin a while back for nerve pain in my hands & it didn't seem to do anything. SIL swears by it for his back problems.
 
rgp said:
I had them years ago when I was in my 20's...I just do not remember the RX for it? Have no words of wisdom....but wish you well for sure !!

Where the hell so many of these things come from is a mystery for sure? And some folks go through life without a hitch.

The mother of a friend lived 100 years 4 months ! In her entire life she claims to have taken but one aspirin. She had a headache , thought it might help?....she said once that it did indeed......she never had another headache in her life.

I have known her since my teens...she is not prone to BS..
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Her lack of taking drugs that other people take routinely may have been her secret to success.

The body's natural immune system protects us against disease. Obviously her immune system excelled in its duty.

We should all be so blessed.
 
Geezerette said:
Ill look into the lysine. I tried gabapentin a while back for nerve pain in my hands & it didn't seem to do anything. SIL swears by it for his back problems.
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I highly recommend CBD hemp oil once the shingles settles in

As far as pain in your hands, and back pain, I recommend CBD hemp balm
both made by GoGreen

Some here have tried CBD oils/balm with no results, but some have found huge relief

Sorry about yer shingles
mine is in the post herpetic neurosis stage
side of my face and inner ear
the itching drives me nuts, but the pain has dulled greatly with the CBD oil

I just need a tiny pitchfork to stick in my ear and twist for 20-30 minutes
 
treeguy64 said:
Don't see doctors, more than once every few years. If you go in for a check-up feeling great, rest assured they'll find something wrong with you, and you'll leave feeling bad. Of course, the meds they'll prescribe will also make you feel worse, and may (if you listen to those damned TV commercials) kill you!
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I'm with you.

My career was in a medical related field. After decades working with for profit doctors and hospitals, I came to realize they are not the benevolent gods people often idolize... and that's especially true for drug companies. Have you noticed, along with all the ads for drugs there are also ads for attorneys who sue drug companies over their drugs' deadly side effects.

.
 
KingsX said:
Her lack of taking drugs that other people take routinely may have been her secret to success.

The body's natural immune system protects us against disease. Obviously her immune system excelled in its duty.

We should all be so blessed.
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Exactly...her husband died @ 63 from cancer, she had 5 sons ,....2 of them has had & beat prostate cancer. 3 have so far dodged that bullet. The eldest brother is approaching 80....just a few health problems, nothing major.

Weird how genetics work out ???
 
Sorry to hear you have shingles Geezerette, no advice here for you, but I hope it doesn't get too bad. Don't know how helpful they are, but some natural remedy suggestions here.
 
KingsX said:
I'm with you.

My career was in a medical related field. After decades working with for profit doctors and hospitals, I came to realize they are not the benevolent gods people often idolize... and that's especially true for drug companies. Have you noticed, along with all the ads for drugs there are also ads for attorneys who sue drug companies over their drugs' deadly side effects.

.
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Actually I believe that all of us [that are paying attention] have noticed that.

And no, I do not place doctors on a pedestal either. As i have discussed before I am seriously considering dropping mine....and going to a naturopathic practitioner . Just haven't mustard up the nerve yet.

Reason?......if I do not achieve the relief I'm looking / hoping for....then I'll need to start all over with doctors again.

That said......I am becoming less believing [in] doctors as time goes on....I keep going, but here again, nothing ever improves . I still hurt, some days 'a-bunch' . Psoriasis still there etc....
 
KingsX said:
Her lack of taking drugs that other people take routinely may have been her secret to success.

The body's natural immune system protects us against disease. Obviously her immune system excelled in its duty.

We should all be so blessed.
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One of the first things I talked about when I arrived at this group was that I had been taking grape seed extract for about 23 yrs and have a very good immune system. I had chicken pox as a kid but NEVER had a shingle vaccine and no plans to do that. I take other supplements too and not a slave to pharma....

If I really had a need for a pharma drug, I'd go there..but I take BP meds and thyroid and that's it. OTC pain meds for arthritis...and supplements and closing in on 80 soon.
 
rgp said:
Actually I believe that all of us [that are paying attention] have noticed that.

And no, I do not place doctors on a pedestal either. As i have discussed before I am seriously considering dropping mine....and going to a naturopathic practitioner . Just haven't mustard up the nerve yet.

Reason?......if I do not achieve the relief I'm looking / hoping for....then I'll need to start all over with doctors again.

That said......I am becoming less believing [in] doctors as time goes on....I keep going, but here again, nothing ever improves . I still hurt, some days 'a-bunch' . Psoriasis still there etc....
Click to expand...

Have you considered Grape Seed Ex for a good trial and again I'm not sure what your issues but you did mention psoriasis above....
 

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