Posted on 04/21/2011 2:00:19 PM PDT by decimon
Ping
I had an attack of shingles a few years ago. Whole side looked and felt like hell for about 3 months. Doc told me I was lucky, that I only had a “mild” case. Hate to have a severe case.
My dad had 43 years in the army including purple hearts from wars 1 and 2. One *tough* ol’ guy.
He told me that *nothing*, not a German bayonett or hot shrapnel, hurt like the shingles. Nothing.
It’s kind of like someone slowly steam-ironing your rib cage (all day long).
The article says there is a vaccine for shingles but that it is expensive.
Had it in the genital area while making a 500 mile drive home when I was in my 40’s. Painful but not as painful as a herniated disc or kidney stone. BTW they treated me with an anti viral and it worked pretty well.
I didn’t realize how common shingles was until a thread on FR some months ago. I remember having chicken pox as a child and did not want an encore.
Went to Krogers pharmacy and got in the ‘waiting line’.
At that time the vaccine was in short supply.
It was a month or so before they called me.
The vaccine comes in refrigerated and has to be administered within a day or two.
With Medicare I don’t recall the price but it’s minimal.
Thanks. I did a quick search and didn’t see anything about price.
...vaccine to prevent shingles, available to older adults since 2006, can cut the likelihood of a shingles attack in half. However, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, only a small percentage of older people receive the shot, principally because of cost, lack of insurance reimbursement and shortage of supply.
First I'd heard of this...maybe I'm not alone.
When the virus goes dormant, it collects in the fibers that surround the nerves. If the virus "wakes up" it becomes shingles and inflames the fibers that surround the nerves, which is why it's so painful. Common treatments for the pain include anti-depressive medications (which changes the way your nervous system works) and topical creams with capcaisin (as in pepper spray!)
The worst possible outbreak of shingles one can have is when the virus migrates to the optic nerve, and can cause permanent blindness. And the pain can be so bad, for so long, that some people are known to have committed suicide because of the pain.
Mark
I’ve had it twice since December. I had no idea what it was the first time around.
My uncle. Just could not stand the pain, and there was not a narcotic on the market that helped.
I had shingles last fall and when I went to my longtime M.D. she said,”Didn’t you have the shingles shot?”. I said I had never heard of it and it would have been nice if she had mentioned it.
I found out later that at least 1/2 of my friends had received it.
Needless to say,I was annoyed.
I hadn't. I've also not had shingles.
Like I said, the old man was tough, way more so than I will ever be or can imagine being, old school, and said it was worse than losing one’s top row of teeth to a kraut bayonet :-(
Well, I hope this new treatment pans out so people don’t have to suffer what your dad did.
Nice that the pharmaceutical industry can come up with another “drug” cure when natural ones have been around and are effective.
I’ve had both bouts of shingles and kidney stones. I’d love to say I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy, but I’m not that nice a guy. But both are painful beyond belief. Fortunately there are quick and simple remedies for both.
Shingles: 6-8 grams of l-lysine daily. Yes, that’s Grams, not milligrams. 6000-8000 milligrams split up for convenience. Knocks the pain and rash/blisters away quickly. Mine started to subside in 24-48 hours after starting taking the dose.
L-arginine counteracts l-lysine, so it shouldn’t be taken or at least taken 12 hours from taking the lysine. Foods rich in arginine will work against the lysine also.
Lysine is non-toxic and has no side effects at the 6-8 gram/day dose. Maintenance dosage is 1-2 grams/day.
Kidney stones: 2 oz of olive oil and 2 oz of lemon juice, two to three times a day. Will dissolve the stones and you’ll be peeing fine sand for days. Drink lots of water.
Both remedies work quickly and without side effects. No prescription, medicare or doctor visit needed. Inexpensive and easily obtainable. At least until the jughead in the white hut decrees them all illegal.
Thanks for the ping!
I had shingles in my eyes in MN a few years ago. Still have a scar on one cornea.
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