I'm dying here

H

Highlygeared

As embarrasing as it is, I've got shingles. Only in my 30s, fit and healthy and enjoying myself in Bali 3 weeks ago when I came down with Shingles on my last day.

Without getting graphic, the rash is pretty much gone but the affected area is intensely itchy, numb and very sensitive to clothing.

Been saddled with this for 3 weeks and whilst the crippling pain I had at the start is much better, I'm left with these residual symptoms.

Can anyone with first hand experience offer some good advice, feel good recovery stories? Pls help, I need some hope!
 
mate
sorry to hear about this, the symptoms will go away but it can take sometime. Take care

LENGTH OF SYMPTOMS

Most people with shingles recover quickly and suffer no long-term effects. However, nerve injury can take longer to heal and the pain of shingles can persist long after the rash has gone. This pain is called post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN).

Post-herpetic neuralgia can occur after a shingles episode at any age but is more common and may last longer in older people. Often the area affected by post-herpetic neuralgia is extremely sensitive to heat, cold and even clothing. If post-herpetic neuralgia occurs, it may last several weeks or months before going away.
 
If it is itchy try pine tar sol (from chemist) or calamine (?) lotion. Otherwise no idea though I may be wrong but it can be triggered by stress can't it?
 
* One in five Australians will suffer from shingles during their lifetime
* Shingles strikes men and women equally
* Shingles occurs more commonly in the elderly
* Shingles is treatable - help is as close as your GP
* The sooner you commence antiviral therapy, the better.
 
Calamine isnt working very well.

Thanks BV, but I've trawled every single site about Shingles and heaven forbid, Post herpetic neuralgia (PHN) which is the lasting complications from shingles.

Doctors (I've seen 2) reckon the odds of me getting PHN are rare and think it may still be early days. Has anyone on the forum actually had it and and had it recently? Love to know.
 
No back here and have been for 3 weeks. Thankfully I got home 3 days after it started and started taking antiviral straight away. The rash went away very quickly but the symptoms didnt/havent.
 
An over the counter anti-inflammatory like voltaren might give mild relief.

You could also experiment with heat and ice. Both might exacerbate the pain at first, but it may dull nerve excitability to some extent.

Try 20 mins of well crushed ice wrapped in two layers of wet tea towel on the sensitive area...take off for 20 mins, then put on again for 20 mins. You may need to cycle through like this for 4 hours before you notice a change in sensitivity. DOn't bother icing any other way.....especially blue packs or ice in a plastic bag. it has to be in a porous material like wet cotton.

If the ice treatment doesn't seem to make a diff, try 20 mins of hot pack, 10 mins off, then 20 mins on. wheat bags are good, as are hot water bottles. be careful not to burn yourself though. If the area is seriously numb, you might not feel clearly when the skin is being overheated. You could test on your unaffected side first to make sure your heat source isn't too hot.

If neither seem to make a diff, try alternating 5 mins of ice with 5 mins of heat for 30mins.

TENS units are often recommended, but if you aren't neurotic, don't bother with them.

One final thing to try. Keep yourself well hydrated. Like 3 litres a day, and if your BP is ok, try 1.5grams of salt in a litre of water with cordial added. This will help keep your interstitial fluid level up.
 
Look on the bright side. :D:D

The Red Cross has some special use for the blood from shingles recoverees.

If you're not a blood donor, become one.
 
When you described it as an embarrassing rash that you picked up in bali, I had to google what shingles was.. :p
It's just the return of chicken pox? I could think there are more embarrassing things to pick up in bali.. Hope you feel better soon!
 
Highlygeared said:
Has anyone on the forum actually had it and and had it recently? Love to know.
Click to expand...

My brother-in-law recently had it and he just recently turned 30 and also fit and healthy.
We had to make sure nobody touched his towel in the bathroom and didn't kiss or hug him for a few weeks (I personally avoided him like the plague but he didn't seem to mind :p )
Hard when he wanted to hold his little baby son but he was man enough to get through it. ;)
So highlygeared...man up! You'll be fine soon.
 
thanks fokas, do you remember exactly how long he had it for? did his pain etc clear up when the rash went away or did he still suffer some niggling problems for a while after?
 
The wife had it when she was last pregnant two years ago. We were a tad concerned at the time! Apparently the stress of pregnancy can bring it on. Fortunately it was nothing more than the rash and itchiness to add to the general pregnancy discomfort / morning sickness. Lasted a month or so but wasn't a big problem in the end.

Just be thankful you're not pregnant as well! :eek:
 
lizzie said:
typical bloke ... gets a small case of the shingles and thinks he's dying :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Haha

the way shingles hits people is highly variable. I can't even wear a shirt without taking painkillers, thats how painful it is. And it was worse than this 2 weeks ago. Throw in an itch which prevents you from sleeping every night as well. After 3 weeks of not letting up, even the hardiest bloke will start to falter.
 
Hubby had shingles a few years ago and didnt receive the anti-virals as the DR said that adults in normal health didnt need it and it should be reserved for people whose health is compromised by more serious illnesses (eg on chemotherapy or immunity compromised people) It also has to be given within 72 hours, so your Dr should not have started you on it either. It should be better within a month or so. Hubby didnt die from it; he kept working through it (dont get much sick leave when you are self employed) so I think you will be fine.
 
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