Have You Had SHINGLES?

I have had shingles. But I didn't really have pain with mine, just a huge rash. I had it when I was about 7 years old. It was from the center of my chest to around the right to the middle of my back. I personally only had it that one time. I do have no feeling on that part of my chest and side from the killing of the nerves. Like some of the others, I have never heard of Shingles with no rash. It is a form of Chicken Pox.

I have had shingles. I am young, only 30, and have had shingles about 5 times in the last 4 years. It is definitely brought on by stress. Mine was on the left side of my head, on my ear. I had extreme pain on that side, especially in my neck and my left arm. My doctor gave me high doses of Acyclovir (an antiviral) which help tremendously. I got to where I know I was getting shingles and immediately would start the medication which would lessen the severity. I always have sores on my left earlobe that are painful and rather itchy. They look like blisters. It is a strange virus. Watch for the signs and get on that medication as soon as possible when you know you are getting an outbreak.

YES i have!!!!

I had the bands of pain in my torso. Thats when I went to the Dr. We caught it before the excruciating bumps and scales rash actually formed but I did get it a little on my back and buttocks. The nerve endings in my whole body reacted to this and I was in pain with every movement for about 3-4 days.

This can be brought on from stress!! You do a lot for your family. You need to get away to some alone Mom time. Once a month or so... relax.

Go to the mirror and practice saying to yourself with big accentuated lips over and over say N-O. Even point to yourself and say N-O..... You must take care of yourself to remain healthy to care for your family.

Yes, it can happen again, slow down!!!! I care and your girls do to!

Good luck! Viv

I had shingles 3 times in one year. Im only 34 years old. Last time I had them I had no rash but my face, jaw, neck and arm hurt on one side. I went to the doctor for something else and just casually mentioned the pain i was feeling also. She could also see a visible red streak running down the side of my arm. So she said let me look in your ear. She did and found a lesion in there! I was put on the usual antiviral meds and she even offered my to take meds every day basically for the rest of my life so i dont keep getting them. I said no, wait a minute. I think i will just work on my immune system, because i had also recently learned when you are stressed it decreases your immune system considerably and stress depletes your body of vitamins pretty quickly. I told her I would take Sambucus to build up my immune system and eat properly and will see how it goes. That was over a year ago. So I went without shingles for over a year. Recently I got stressed and wasnt eating right and started getting it again, this time on my face, just a little spot. I learned on my own that baby carrots will take care of the itching so i immediately started eating them, for breakfast mind you, and i started with my Sambucus and also throughout the day ate as many fruits and veggies as I could. I have not itched or had pain at all. It has healed up within a week all on its own. I will continue to eat healthy.

My poor, sweet Mom had a HORRIBLE case of shingles on her face. Depending on your age, it can be worse. Since she is older, it hit her pretty hard. The more supressed your immune system, the harder it is to fight. Yes, you can have it flair up again. From my understanding, you are now susceptible to it for the rest of your life.

Shingles of the face/head typically effects the 5 nerves that run across the side of your face, only affecting one side. It can cause visual problems when it goes into your eyes, if not treated quickly and effectively.

Sorry... I know this all sounds like gloom and doom. I don't mean for it to! Mom had hers for 2-3 weeks. Very painful! However, she got over it with no damage to the eye (thanks to our wonderful optometrist and physicians.) She does still have some pain at the nerve endings. Go on line to a respectable Medical website and research it. I'm sure you'll find great info. there. Diet and not getting too run down is supposed to help keep it away.

I did, unexpectedly get shingles about 2 yrs ago. I thought I had gotten bit but something on my left hip, and absentmindedly scratched,and scratched until it became a crazy itthing. When I looked at my hip i saw the welts starting to raise up and because I had a baby at home rushed to the CLinic. Was diagnosed with SHingles. Can be brought on by stress and I can get them again. Everytime I feel a tingle, anywhere, I freak out. I see a great nurse practioner who has me on regular doses of Valtrex. I take a pill every couple of days or so, and especially if I'm sick (cold, sinus trouble, etc) or stressed out...This will help minimize the shingles should I get an outbreak. That having been said, my shingles were only about ten little blisters...and while i was grossed out by the thought of them being there, i was fortunate that the outbreak wasn't painful, as some can be. You may want to consider taking the valtrex or some other form of preventive medicine. If you get the little blisters...soak cotton balls in apple cider vinegar and apply several times a day. this helps clear them up quicker. Good Luck with this. I know how you feel. I need to look into the vaccine. At 41, i don't want this haunting me forever....

Go to webmd and search shingles. It has alot of good info. I've researched it.

Good Luck.

Rosie

My grandmother is here with me now because she has shingles. It's a terrible thing and can last up to six months in some people, especially the elderly. Yes, you can get it again - this is my grandma's 2nd time. However, there is a vaccine. I highly recommend talking to your doctor about it.

I personally haven't had shingles but my sister did. For her it didn't look like a rash either. She just looked like she had a couple really bad, large zits on her upper back. But they were really painful and they didn't go away. She FINALLY went to the doctor after I threatened her and they told her she had shingles. She was given medicine and told it could come back. She was also told that when she has an outbreak of it to be careful around children and adults that haven't had chicken pox yet. She could give it to them. I'm assuming this is true since that's what her doctor said.

Good luck to you.
Jen
http://www.mommysjoy.com

I have not had the shingles myself, but my mom has. She has had them 2 or 3 times over several years. They are caused by stress and they do return. Not often but it is definitely a possibility. She has always had a rash with hers and they were extremely painful. Most nights she could not sleep, even with the medication. I know they can last anywhere from a couple of weeks to well over a month, and that is with medication. If you need more info please feel free to email me.

Shingles is an adult form of the chicken pox, and as ugly as it sounds a form of herpes (but so is chicken pox.) You're right that it usually does appear as a rash as well as pain. But is it possible that where it was in your scalp you didn't see it because of your hair? They probably gave you Valtrex or Famvir to clear it up. Yes it can come back. Sometimes not as bad, sometimes you would swear it was worse. Typically it shows up in the same spot and know you know what it is and you won't suffer as long before you get the meds to treat it. I think WebMD has some information on shingles.

I've never heard of anyone having the Shingles without a rash. Was there any itching involved? The Shingles are caused by the chicken pox virus and yes you can have them multiple times. There is an immunization shot that costs about $200.00 and most insurance companies will not pay for it, but as someone who has had the Shingles that lasted for about a month or more, I think the price is worth not having to worry about getting them again.

Yes shingles can return, many times in fact. As it is stress induced, you should be certain to monitor the stress in your life to avoid a return case. I have had shingles with a rash and it is quite painful.

Somebody at my office just had this. It was treated with antiboitics and was very painful at the affected area. It took about 2 weeks for it to clear. The Dr said that this case was brought by stress. Thought that was interesting but have heard stress can lower resistance. Years ago I had inflamed lymph nodes under my armpit, scared me for a minute, when I was under extreme stress.

Hi W., my husband had shingles back in july. We didn't know what it was. It was very painful and was getting worse so he decided to rush to the HEB clinic and they gave him antibiotics to treat a skin infection - wrong!! Obviously he did not get better so looked for a second opinion. Anyway... yes, we found info. online and shingles are recurrent but it varies on the person. Stress is the number one trigger. I have also heard of a shot you can take.
My husband's shingles started on the scalp (left side), we thought it was an insect bite or something but continued to spread to the forehead. He did have skin boils and now have scars from it. Maybe you had mild shingles and took care of them soon enough.

I am experiencing the same thing now. Have a very light rash, if any. It started off in one spot, went to a dermatologist who told me I should see a doctor. I didn't follow up, as it just stayed in one place on my back. It is extremely painful. Well now it has traveled up to my neck and down my arm.

So I am wondering whatever came of yours. Did you take Aclovair? (or do you remember?) How long did it take for that to work? Did it ever come back? Were you able to get a Chicken Pox shot?

Because shingles is neurologically based I could see you getting them without an obvious rash. I have heard of people getting them INSIDE their bodies (like in their throat!) So maybe it was similar to that, not a rash on the outside but there none the less!

My grandmother had shingles and it came back every once in a while. I am not immune to chicken pox and took a steroid asthma inhaler and broke out in a painful chickenpox rash on one side of my body. I read the warnings and is said not to be exposed to measles or chickenpox while using the medication. So I had to wonder if it caused me to get shingles or whatever it was. I discontinued use of the inhaler and was much better! (But still sick and still needed an inhaler but my dr refused to prescribe me something else as he insisted it was not some sort of allergic reaction.) I haven't been to him since.

W., My Mother had shingles and her Mother had them. Mom said she took massive amounts of Vitamin B and that helped lessen the pain. It sounds like shingles can be quite painful, so I hope this works for you.

There is a Shingles preventive shot now, but you can get it even if you have had it or not. I am planning on getting the shot. It is hard to find because the clinic can only keep it so long then it is bad. We have a health clinic in Angleton,Tx that gives it.

I personally have never had shingles, but my mother did about a year ago. She was 49. Doctors say it happens more in women as they get older. She was just as confused about shingles as you are. Her is a great site we went to together to find some of her answers.
http://www.webmd.com/search/search_results/default.aspx?q...
She had a very light rash, but was in a lot of pain. The doctor told her that once she had gotten shingles she was more likely to get it again and again. I hope this site helps you.
C.
28 yr old mother of 3, ages 9, 4 and 3

I've had shingles...NOT fun! I had the sores but haven't heard of a case like yours. Very unique. I had them a couple of times in high school but I was a complete nervous reck...usually a precursor to getting them in addition to having had the chicken pox in elementary school. They're related to the chicken pox virus so that's how I was able to develope them. Since I'm no longer a nervous reck, I hadn't had them since. Sorry I couldn't help but I know what it's like to get shingles & hope you don't get them again but best of luck & hope the medication worked for you!