Anyone had the shingles?

[DEAGLER]

Man this sucks...


edit title: shingles

[JoeT]

I have broken bones, blown out a knee, had a knee replaced, and been stitched and stapled more than anyone should.... and the worst pain I've EVER been in was the 5 days suffering with shingles

I hope that I never experience them again!!! I had them on my left side, from right under my armpit to my pant line. My t-shirt touching my side put tears in my eyes

I feel for you. Now go to the pharmacy and get some herpes meds, in 2 days you'll feel better

[DEAGLER]

Is it over counter? Clothes rubbing on me hurts.

[Colorado Osprey]

I was mis-diagnosed for 2 weeks until a general practitioner figured out that I had shingles on my face. From my ear to just above my lip. No sleep, no eating but the pain wasn't as bad as I've had before. (I burned out an ear drum with hot metal slag) Once diagnosed, I got a shot and felt better before I even got home.... fell asleep for almost 18 hours.
Don't try and power through... see a doctor and get meds.

[waxthis]

Yip, I had them on my upper back about 4 years ago. What made it worse was I was camping and did not bring the meds, miserable weekend. Hope you ditch em soon, took me about 10 days...:(

[sabot_round]

I'm dreading that day!!

[DEAGLER]

I just hate the random striking pains lol.

[waxthis]

I just wanted to put on some Freddy Krueger finger spikes and scratch my back off.

[BushMasterBoy]

If the .gov declared war on virus's and spent as much money on eradicating these diseases as they have on Iraq & Afghanistan ($3.1 trillion) we WOULD NOT have this problem!

[Aloha_Shooter]

Two weeks with blisters along my right side, front and back. Could barely sleep while lying on my left side. I wouldn't wish shingles on anyone, even John Morse.

[Bailey Guns]

I wouldn't wish shingles on anyone, even John Morse.

Yeah, me either. I can think of a lot worse things I'd like to have happen to him.

[Hummer]

If the .gov declared war on virus's and spent as much money on eradicating these diseases as they have on Iraq & Afghanistan ($3.1 trillion) we WOULD NOT have this problem!

A shingles vaccination is now available that either eliminates getting the disease, or reduces it's severity for the few who still get it. I sympathize with those who have it as I have an aunt and an uncle that suffered shingles over an extended time--2 to 3 years. Their descriptions of the burning and pain scared me into getting vaccinated as soon as I turned 60. Got it through the county health department and insurance paid the bill. Only about 15% of susceptible people are getting the shot so a lot of people suffer needlessly.

If you're 60+, get the shot!

[gnihcraes]

Shingles pain = how I feel every minute of every day. Trade ya. :)

[rondog]

Damn. I've heard of it, but never had it or even knew anybody that did. I've heard it comes from having chickenpox, but I don't know if I had it when I was a kid or not. Gotta wait until 60 for the vac? I'm 57, close enough?

[DEAGLER]

Damn. I've heard of it, but never had it or even knew anybody that did. I've heard it comes from having chickenpox, but I don't know if I had it when I was a kid or not. Gotta wait until 60 for the vac? I'm 57, close enough?

Yeah it can be contagious to people who hasn't had chicken pox, which gives them the chance of getting CP.

[patrick0685]

my mom had it for a month, she was in terrible pain

[Aloha_Shooter]

Yeah it can be contagious to people who hasn't had chicken pox, which gives them the chance of getting CP.

This was the one humorous part of my experience because it was just itchy and annoying when I got to see the doc and was diagnosed. She put me on quarantine and made me wear a face mask home but I had to run by the office to drop off the paperwork and pick up my briefcase. The gal in the orderly room was 8 months pregnant, saw me in the mask and backed into the furthest corner while reaching for a can of Lysol and pointing to the counter. The one guy in the office busted out laughing at me when he saw me until he heard what I had then he told me to hurry up and get the hell out (he hadn't had CP). I laughed about that until I got home and the pain started.

[Danimal]

Shingles is a viral infection that can infect any nerve bundle in your body. I had it on my optic nerve, yes that is correct the center of my brain and I thought that I was going to die. They first diagnosed it as cluster headaches (also known as suicide headaches) but then the telltale symptoms started to form the rash behind my ear and on my forehead. It was the worst pain in the world. Like others I have broken many bones, thumb, both arms, collar bone, three ribs, thumb spica, fractured my skull and broke my jaw but none of them could hold a candle to the hell I went through for those two weeks.

[sandman76]

I got shingles internally in my right ear and throat. Pretty weird, huh? Felt like someone jamming an icepick into my ear. It affected the nerves on the right side of my face causing Bells Palsy. Now that was a real motherfucker. Two courses of Prednisone. Anti virals. Over six months later and I'm still not 100% I, seriously would not wish that shit on anyone.

[RblDiver]

I had shingles on the top of my head when I was in sixth grade. My parents had gotten me the chicken pox vaccine almost specifically to try to make me immune to shingles. Never had CP, no, it just went straight to shingles.

[scratchy]

Never had them but you can bet your sweet butt I'll be talking to the doc about the shingles vaccine lickety split.

[Skywalker]

I'm with you on the internal. I had this on the brain left side deep burning. I have permanent nerve damage from it. Still hurt, pretty much all the time.
I got shingles internally in my right ear and throat. Pretty weird, huh? Felt like someone jamming an icepick into my ear. It affected the nerves on the right side of my face causing Bells Palsy. Now that was a real motherfucker. Two courses of Prednisone. Anti virals. Over six months later and I'm still not 100% I, seriously would not wish that shit on anyone.

[wctriumph]

Yeah. About the worst thing ever happened to me. I would not wish this on anyone. Seriously, this is bad news, catch it early and it can be handled pretty easily, wait and you are so screwed.

[DEAGLER]

I had shingles on the top of my head when I was in sixth grade. My parents had gotten me the chicken pox vaccine almost specifically to try to make me immune to shingles. Never had CP, no, it just went straight to shingles.


Hmm that's odd. I thought shingles is the dormant virus of chicken pox.

[TFOGGER]

I've had 2 episodes (or 1 with a remission and relapse)across my sternum and down the axial nerve complex in my right side. hurt like a muddy trucker. 2 courses of Acyclovir (possibly the best appetite suppressant known to man), lost 14 pounds, and about 4 weeks of being unable to lift anything heavy or push bikes around in the shop. I never want to go through that again.

[RblDiver]

Hmm that's odd. I thought shingles is the dormant virus of chicken pox.

Something like that. I was apparently one of those low-probability people (don't remember the number, but at least 1 in 10,000 or something) who got the vaccine, but I guess the virus evolved to the shingles variant instead of my immune system detecting/destroying it.

[generalmeow]

How does it compare to a kidney stone? I've never had shingles, but have heard people say that kidney stones are the most pain they've ever been in. I wonder which wins out.

[RblDiver]

Well, tbh I don't remember much pain from mine (granted this WAS about 16 years ago, and I was only 12 or so, memory wasn't so good then) (not saying it's good now :P), mostly soreness when it was touched and the like (harsh soreness, but not agonizing)(also very itchy so I touched it a lot...and got sore a lot). Also, I think the scalp has fewer nerves generally speaking, so that may have contributed to it. I imagine a kidney stone'd be tougher than what I went through.

[tmckay2]

If the .gov declared war on virus's and spent as much money on eradicating these diseases as they have on Iraq & Afghanistan ($3.1 trillion) we WOULD NOT have this problem!

actually if people went to the doc or to pharmacies and got the shingles shot, we WOULD NOT have this problem. its a once in a life time shot. do it once and you're done.

[tmckay2]

Hmm that's odd. I thought shingles is the dormant virus of chicken pox.

it is. you get the chicken pox and the virus goes dormant in your nerve cells. you don't break out in shingles til 50's and 60's usually because your immune system still recognizes it and can suppress it. once you get to a higher age your immune system doesn't "remember" it like it used to and it can come out and cause shingles. the singles vaccine basically reorients your immune system to the virus so it continues to recognize and attack it. its about 70-80% effective. there is still a chance of getting it but it is much lower. if in your 50's talk to your doc. if in your 60's just go to a local pharmacy and ask if they give it. most do.

[Irving]

I got it in college, but my case must have been mild because the pain was no big deal.

[DEAGLER]

it is. you get the chicken pox and the virus goes dormant in your nerve cells. you don't break out in shingles til 50's and 60's usually because your immune system still recognizes it and can suppress it. once you get to a higher age your immune system doesn't "remember" it like it used to and it can come out and cause shingles. the singles vaccine basically reorients your immune system to the virus so it continues to recognize and attack it. its about 70-80% effective. there is still a chance of getting it but it is much lower. if in your 50's talk to your doc. if in your 60's just go to a local pharmacy and ask if they give it. most do.
I'm 26 and I got diagnosed with it. I actually diagnosed myself lol. I knew I had it but went doctors for meds. Dr said it was a real good idea to see him because people who don't seek treatment can still be in pain for a few months even though rash is gone.

[Jer]

I got it a couple of years ago and I must have got lucky because for me it wasn't as bad as I heard. It came out of my hairline and down my forehead a little but not too bad. My buddy wasn't as lucky since his came right down to his eye and he had to go into the doctor daily so they could keep an eye on his because there was a danger of loss of vision on that eye. Now THAT is scary.

[Danimal]

I got it a couple of years ago and I must have got lucky because for me it wasn't as bad as I heard. It came out of my hairline and down my forehead a little but not too bad. My buddy wasn't as lucky since his came right down to his eye and he had to go into the doctor daily so they could keep an eye on his because there was a danger of loss of vision on that eye. Now THAT is scary.

That is what happened to me. It was the worst pain in the world, and I still get a nice little reminder every now and again when I feel the wonderful sensation of a circular file being jammed into my eye socket and blowing out my ear drum.