shingles what do you know about them?

I have always heard that it is very painful I had chicken pox as a child and wondered if I would get this painful disease. I get cold sores but that is a different (herpes simplex) virus. I believe shingles last for about 3 weeks. So I wish you a speedy recovery. Shingles ((Herpes zoster) is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Once a person has had chickenpox, the virus can live, but remain inactive, in your body. If it becomes active again, usually later in life, it can cause Shingles. If you've had chickenpox, there is no way to predict if you'll get Shingles. What's more, the inactive virus usually has no signs or symptoms. So Shingles can appear at any time without warning. http://www.medicinenet.com/shingles/article.htm

i had a full blown case of shingles, back in 2000-2001, it was the most horrible pain I have ever lived with, it felt like someone had reached into my left side and had my nerve endings and was twisting them. All I could do was sit and cry, I had open heart surgery that didn't hurt me as bad. Doctor said it was mainly caused by stress that brought it on. Thank god that once you have it, they say you can't get it again. But even after it is gone, any time you get stressed out the pain is felt. Doctor gave me Valtrex to kill the infection or to dry it up. If you are managing on Tylenol then you doing better than me, I was put on pain medicine, and I could not sit or do anything, I am not a sissy when it comes to pain, but this was something I could not handle. It has to run it's course. I feel for you, hope itis over with quickly.

It is also known as herpes zoster, a viral infection. You have to make sure that your immune system is strong to fight this infection. Drink plenty of fluids. Take double dose of vitamins. Get plenty of rest. Do not engage in vigorous physical activity. Aside from physical stress, it can also be triggered by emotional stress. Try to eliminate what's causing you stress.

I had the shingles in college. They are excrutiating. I was sitting in class when all of a sudden the professor started fading off into the distance like a fade out in a movie. Then then pain went right up the back of my neck. When I went in the school clinic, they told me I had shingles. They said it was odd for someone colleg age to get them. They also said that they weren't contagious. I found that hard to believe, since 8 students came in the same day with shingles. I think someone was misinformed. Cold compresses helped me some. Oatmeal bath like they use for chicken pox may help too. They are a related illness. Keeping calm helps too.

actually thats my problem too bcoz i dont get enough sleep.i think better u ask any prescription whats best for u.

I had shingles two years ago this very month. I know how you feel, it is SO painful. Calamine lotion cools the area a bit but it didn't make much difference for me, I was in agony. The thing is, if you've never had chicken pox before you can catch it from someone who has shingles, so you need to stay away from anyone who has never had chicken pox, especially young children. I had it when my nephew was born and I couldn't go anywhere near him :(

I don't know what to do for them, but I remember one of my aunts have shingles, and she was in a lot of pain. Do you have any kind of natural sleep remedy? I don't know what kind of medicine you would be allowed to take. Of course with that kind of pain a natural sleep enhancer might not be enough. I hope you get well soon!

My daughter had shingles when she was like 12 which is highly unusual. They think it was because she had such a mild case of the chicken pox. I gave her tylonol and Aveeno baths. The aveeno is a bit pricy but it worked really well in easing her discomfort. I also used zinc oxide on the areas that she was breaking out...mostly her back. She was only out of school for about 3 days. Being so young, I am assuming she may have recovered quicker than an older person would. The zinc oxide relieved the intense itching and pain like magic and the aveeno baths also helped a great deal...you should try them.

My daughter had them when she was 11 or 12. They were really surprised because they don't usually show up in children, but if you've had Chicken Pox, you have the chance to get shingles. Shingles are from the same Herpes Simplex virus that causes Chicken Pox. They gave my daughter acyclovir for hers. An anti-viral medication. She was fortunate and didn't have major discomfort - just a small patch on her abdomen. But, some people get them severely in the "girdle" region and they are both painful and itchy. See if there is a lotion your doctor would allow you to apply or if he might prescribe you an anti-viral medication to help clear the attach sooner. I think I remember hearing sometime back that stressful situations can trigger an attack - if you've had anything really stressful going on, it might also be a good idea to try to resolve that or take a break from it if you can.

Shingles can be nasty. Mine started with severe pain in the abdomen. So severe, I went to the hospital. They couldn't find anything wrong and scheduled an ultrasound for the next day. When I woke up the next day I had blister like sores where I had the pain. I showed my husband and he said it was a clssic case of shingles. I called my doctor because looking on Web MD I discovered there was an injection they can give you that will minimize the pain. It has to be given within the first 24-48 hours of the rash breaking out, otherwise you are out of luck. I went to the doctors that morning, had the injection and my shingles were not as bad as they could have been. Good luck and I hope you are not in too much pain. The nerve pain can last a while, so try to be paitent.

Maybe by this time, I hope, you have recovered already from shingles. I had shingles more than a week ago and I couldn't stress out how it is important for every kid to get their chicken pox vaccine. Any one who has chicken pox will have the virus inside them already and will come out on the later part of your life. I've read that it usually goes out when you are age 50 or above, so I was also surprised to have this when I'm just 31. The pain was terrible and I was always in tears when I wake up in the morning and when I lie down to sleep in the evening. I thought I wouldn't get well. Thanks to the medicine given to me for free by my good pediatrician. I was able to recover after more than a week. My pediatrician told me the story of her cousin who had terrible pain in her stomach and the doctors wanted to operate her already because they thought it was appendicitis. But if you have appendicitis, when you press the part where your appendix is, it will terribly hurt. But her stomach does not hurt when being pressed. It just hurt no matter what she does. My pedia suggested her not to be operated. Luckily, she obeyed and after two days, the shingle rashes appeared.

wikipedia says "Herpes zoster (or simply zoster), commonly known as shingles, is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a limited area on one side of the body, often in a stripe. The initial infection with varicella zoster virus (VZV) causes the acute (short-lived) illness chickenpox, and generally occurs in children and young people. Once an episode of chickenpox has resolved, the virus is not eliminated from the body but can go on to cause shingles—an illness with very different symptoms—often many years after the initial infection." Very interesting, my son has a rash on one side of his body, and none of his doctors have been able to determine what it is, I guess I better go and read the rest of the article. you should look up wikipedia too. They always have a lot of information. Good luck and get feeling better soon.

the websites like wikipedia might give some info

Maybe this help fpr more info http://www.shinglessymptomsguide.org/ Take care

I haven't went to the doctor yet but i do have the rash and it is half way around me and then I have some spots that have appreared this morning on my upper shoulder. I called the doctor but i can't get in until monday so I have to wait until then and the pain has been horrible. I tried the oatmeal bath and it seems to help as there is only so much of the pain relievers one can take before overdosing. Hopefully all who are suffering with this can get some relief soon. God Bless.

Hatley, so sorry I am late running behind on my reading here. I don't know a lot about shingles, but I do know it is the adult version of chicken pox, so I would say use a oatmeal bath, or baking soda, anything to help relieve the itching, maybe some benedryl at night. I know I am probably too late with this to help you, but maybe someone else will need it.

All I know about shingles you probably already know. If you have ever had chickenpox you can get them very painful, more common in older people etc. I think once you have them you basically have to wait them out. They will get better eventually.

The only thing I know is that they are almost the same as chicken pox and that they are contagious.SOrry I cant be of more help to you.

Here is a link I found for the treatment of shingles...I have never had it but I have had patients who have and I knwo they were very uncomfortable and most were not even able to tell us....I work with geriatrics who have dementia so imagine that horror....ugh www.mayoclinic.com/health/shingles/DS00098 And if Tylenol is not working try using Aleve, but ask your doctor first....Aleve is the only pain reliever I have found that outweighs Tylenol...but you have to be careful b/c it also can be harmful, but one usually does the trick for me with a migraine or my back problems and it works faster. Good luck and I hope the link helps....it covers all the info about shingles.

I don't have shingles yet but one of my co worker she got shingles thats why shes absent for 4 days already.Its very contagious so better take medicine right away.Maybe you consult the doctor hatley whats medicine you going to take so you can sleep.Goodluck!