Posted on 08/31/2025 12:07:04 PM PDT by conservativesister
SIL has shingles any help suggestions appreciated?
I had my second shingles bout a few years ago. My doctor prescribed Valtrex and Gabapentin. The pain was gone overnight. No lingering post shingles pain like the first bout. The first bout left me with nerve sensation in my forehead for more than a decade.
Worked with a lady who had them so bad including in her eyes, she was out for 4-6 weeks. I did get the two series shingle shots but has anyone had the shots & still gotten shingles?
Acyclovir. Tell her to go to the nearest urgent care, tell th3m she has shingles, and ask for acyclovir by name. Worked for me twice.
Don’t get vaccinated. The vaccine sheds and causes people like me to get shingles. Bad advice.
And it’s pretty cheap, too.
Can Lysine Help Shingles? | Clear Science Facts
https://wellwisp.com/can-lysine-help-shingles/
From the article.....
“Herpes simplex virus (HSV), which causes cold sores and genital herpes, relies heavily on the amino acid arginine to replicate. Lysine competes with arginine for absorption and utilization in the body. By increasing lysine intake, it’s thought that arginine’s availability decreases, thereby inhibiting viral replication. This mechanism has made lysine a popular supplement among those seeking to reduce HSV outbreaks.”
“In vitro studies have demonstrated that lysine can reduce HSV replication by limiting arginine availability. Whether this translates to effective inhibition of VZV remains uncertain due to differences in viral biology and host interactions.”
Your SIL should take: vitamin D; magnesium L-threonate (or glycinate); vitamin K; collagen peptides; liposomal vitamin C; and a good quality general nutritional supplement, with the drinks Boost or Ensure as probably the best options. In addition, eating lots of high quality eggs and fish helps provides DHA, choline, and other key nutrients.
Vitamin C deserves special mention as an essential nutrient that is hard to absorb as a supplement. The liposomal form is preferred because it tends to be better absorbed.
In addition, vitamin C is a potent antioxidant with pain relieving qualities. I have also found that Salonpas lidocaine patches on the spine nearest the pain help, as do hot baths and strong hot tea. NSAIDS also help but can do damage to the body.
Thanks, I didn’t know that about chicken and some legumes.
Here are lists of high arginine foods. Most are not usually part of our diet, but the chicken breast is. It seems that beef varies, which I found very interesting.
30 Foods High In Arginine
https://www.nutritionadvance.com/foods-high-in-arginine/
My wife used to break out with shingles at the drop of a hat. Since getting the immunizations, she gets it occasionally, but it's a much milder case.
The current shingles vaccine, Shingrix, is not a live attenuated vaccine. It is a recombinant subunit vaccine - basically just a protein that looks like shingles. It has zero risk of shedding, and it works way better than the old vaccine.
Yep. The doctor sent me to the emergency room for anti-viral IV
Anyone suspecting shingles should go to their doctor at the first sign to reduce the possibility of long term nerve damage.
L-LYSINE COMPLETELY KNOCKED THE PAIN AWAY WHEN I HAD SHINGLES
I got the two shot sequence. Suggestion. Get them on Friday. You are going to lose 2 days to being trashed and maybe weekend is best.
I am currently battling shingles (on my face no less). It’s pretty painful. Mine is right beside my eye, but looks like it will take the path down the nerve from my ear to cheek to my lips and chin. Depending on what nerve cluster is affected will determine what kind of pain. With mine my teeth on one side hurt constantly like on edge. Otherwise, I get stabbing pains near my ear and a lot of tingling in my face.
If you can start valtrex (antiviral) or something similar, early, supposedly it lessens the pain and duration somewhat, and possibly long term complications. The earlier the better - within the first 72 hours I read.
I may have missed the window for the med because I thought mine was poison Ivy as it had popped up the day after I weedeated some brush. But I saw the doc yesterday and she prescribed it. I did take elderberry right away because I was feeling like maybe I was coming down with something. Elderberry is also an antiviral. I am still taking it - in between the valtrex doses.
Prayers she feels better soon 🙏, and that I don’t get worse. Ugh.
PS: I had it on my back about 8 years ago and it wasn’t too bad. I treated it the same way, Valtrex and Elderberry. I remember that one being different in that I couldn’t stand anything, even sheets, touching the surface of my skin.
BFLR
gut it out... I had it and honestly wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy! Miserable!!
...and the main cluster was left of center of my back. the shingles lasted 5 months, but the scab cluster on my back lasted anothe year and a half. and itched for that year and a half straight!!
Good luck!!
I did some reading about the best diet for it and I’m avoiding chicken right now, and avoiding starch and sugars. I’m eating mostly eggs, beef, cheese and cooked veggies as I can’t chew very well at the moment
How much did you take?
That often seems to be the critical missing piece of information to find almost anywhere.
Three’s lots of agreement that it helps but the how to take it and how much to take is the question.
Ironically, any main stream medical community advice it to be careful with it.
Seriously??? An amino acid found in most foods and taking more than they approve of could be a problem??????? Well, aside from the anti-viral they prescribed IF you catch it early enough, what do they have to offer that helps??????
You have it, too?????
Yes, first blister showed up Thursday, dx yesterday, but still have more bumps and blisters popping up.
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