Posted on 09/04/2013 1:59:18 PM PDT by deputytess
Hey Folks, I recently recovered from shingles.Still have a bit of nerve pain. I was very lucky and managed to avoid the worst through early intervention. I just want to encourage anyone out there who's had chicken pox to talk to their doctor about the shingles shot. You don't want to go through what I went through. This especially goes for my fellow "Boomers". Stress is one of the main triggers for shingles and we 50 somethings have a lot of stress. God bless you all and stay healthy.
Could you please FReepmail me what city so I can call and confirm that? (And then I will ask my local stores why they are adding almost $200).
I wouldn't.
What causes the pain? I thought it was horrible itching?
I want to get the shot this year. My dad had it bad and we never knew how much he suffered from pain until after he died. We found many letters he had written to places trying to get more help. [that was many years ago]
Can I watch?
I got a shingles outbreak every 6 months to a year for about 12 years when I was middle aged. It was a nerve pain thing around my midsection and sometimes accompanied by some small, red pustules around a small portion of my waist. The first two or three days were the most painful but the outbreak usually cleared up after 4-6 days. I never sought treatment and just put up with it when it occurred. I was in the mortgage business during that time but don’t remember it being a time of particular stress. I have not had an outbreak in at least 25 years now and don’t have an explanation as to why. But I’m glad I don’t have it as an issue anymore. At 65, I have other more pressing health issues to deal with.
As I understand it, if you didn’t have chicken pox, you won’t(can’t?) get shingles. You should ask your doc, but a friend told me she was tested to verify her claim of never having had chicken pox, so doc told her no need for the shingles vaccine. Consider yourself lucky!
I like the metal roofing that I am seeing. Lasts longer than shingles.
From the NYT article. I'm really skeptical about any pharmacy charging $25 cash, but if so I want to know about it and contact them.
Dear Dr.,
You should get a blood titer for chicken pox antibodies to see if you have any immunity. If you have no immunity, get the chicken pox vaccine... You DO NOT want to get chicken pox as an adult. It is extremely painful - I know someone who caught it from their preschooler (who got it because he wasn’t immunized). His mouth and throat were covered in very painful blisters, as well as his entire body.
Sincerely,
Bluebird RN
I don’t know why the vaccine seems to be for the >60 crowd. My sister had it when she was late 40’s.
I actually asked if I could get one if I paid for it. They said no. My doctor said no too. Not til 60. Of course my cousin had them at 55. Lol
When that percentage of the population comes down with this debilitating disease, why is so much money going toward a wholly preventable, behavior-based disease like AIDS?
The pain comes as a non-specific nerve pain that is hard to explain. I always got it around my midsection. I used to describe it to my wife as that “nervy thing”. It wasn’t a sharp pain or even a dull pain. Just a “nerve” pain. The pustules are itchy but I didn’t scratch them because they had puss in them and didn’t want to get an infection. Once the pustule inflammation subsided (usually after a couple to 3 days), they were not near as itchy. The pain and inflammation all cleared up in about a week.
I have been symptom free for 25 years now and never sought or received any kind of treatment for the condition.
I have gout and will vouch for the epic experience that is /sarc.
If you have untreated gout, colchicine should stop an attack and allopurinol and a few others will prevent it (a few cases are refractory).
Been there, done that.
Also bit by a brown recluse and attacked by a pit bull.
Survived them all.
Yea, I have superpowers.
Because those whose behavior leads to, or could lead to, AIDS are very politically powerful.
Thanks! Seein’ my personal doc next week. Will ask.
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