shingles

[beth eathorne]

my dh just got home from a early morning trip to the ER and he has SHINGLES.. He has had a rash and complaining of pain in his upper back and under his arm and area around his breast down in the muscle.I told him the only thing i could think that it could be is a reaction to the new bath soap, laundry soap or the shingles..and now the silly man thinks he can go camping today. wrong,, but I know that I will be wishing he had by tonite.

 

My 78 great aunt got the shingles at Christmas and she still feels bad.

 

Plus after being up all night with him i had to call into to work sick..I answer 911 and cant function at work with no sleep. well i am off Sunday and Monday.

 

Wish me luck ladies...One of us may be bald by Sunday nite and I dont think it will be me..

[orangetulipgarden]

Sorry to hear about that. Get your rest and pass get-well wishes along to your hubby!

[FlowerPower06]

I'm sending you both some hugs! :hug

I have never experienced shingles but a co-worker had them last year and she said they are very, very painful. Take care and take it easy this weekend!

[mizduck]

Sending good thoughts your way. My MIL had shingles and it took her a while to get rid of the pain. I hope it won't be to bad for your hubby. for you and him.

[Beaglelady]

Hope your DH feels better soon! My SIL has had them a couple of times now.

[MOhooker]

I hope he can laugh at my DH's story!

 

When my Dh was 32 he had a small (4inch) rash on his back he was complaining that his whole side was was killing him. I told him to go to the Dr. He went and was told that it was shingles. He said but I thought that was somthing you get when you are older. Dr. said generaly and wrote him out some pescriptions. He then went to the pharm. and handed the lady his forms, she looked at them then looked at him then at the forms again and finally went to get the meds. Dh is standing there wondering what her problem was when the pharmasist comes back and says that they only have half of one of the meds right now and that the co-pay on it was 70 some dollars and the whole co-pay for both was around 90. Dh says that since he didn't have that much cash on him he would pay half on the one they had half of. He got his meds and came to see me at work where we looked the meds up one the internet. One was for pain the one that they only had half of was for.......Herpes!

 

So now Dh is spitting nails! He said the look that the lady was giving him was because she thought he had an STD instead of shingles.

 

So Dh goes to the ATM and then back to the pharmacy. The pharmasist comes over and Dh told him he would go ahead and pay the remainder of what he owed, then lifted up his shirt, turned around, and said as loud as he could "have you ever seen a guy my age with shingles?''

[losingmymind2]

I knew something was up our doc got my hubby an 'emergency' visit with the dermatologist who had told me they could see me in 4 weeks when I had a rash (from drug allergy). They saw him that day and it was 'atypical shingles' but he was in his late 50's so I wasn't totally shocked.

[Shellybrook]

OH dear...my Dad had that a couple of years ago (late 40s) he spent MONTHS telling the Dr's he had abdominal pain...he had endoscopy, colonoscopy, cat scan...etc etc....NOTHING...he was so frustrated because he knew he was in pain, and was being told he was the picture of health...then...the rash broke out...so turns out the abdominal pain was Shingles. OK...he deals with that...then ends up with chest pain, and vertigo, so they admit him to the 24 hour chest pain unit, to rule out a heart attack...in the end...we found out he had decided to cut down his steroids for the shingles faster than they told him to...and the result was chest pain and vertigo.

 

SIGH! He really hates going to the Dr.

 

Best of luck with the Shingles...I think alot more young people get it than you know.

[marillion]

I hope your husband feels better soon. I had shingles in my early 30s, so it is definitely not an age thing. They hurt a LOT and I still had some twinges 6 months after they were gone. I sympathize with him!

 

marillion

[gavinsmom]

I had Shingles last year and I'm only 22. Its not something fun to deal with. I only had 1 or 2 spots on my side but it hurt so bad inside. The dr said that stress can cause them, at the time I was going back to school, had upcoming surgery, and we were fighting with mil oh and we got in a car accident ... yeah it was fun. When I stress I always end up having crap like that happen, just recently the muscle in my back has been spasming and causing nerve pain because of stress.

 

I hope ur dh feels better soon

[Mom w/a Motif]

I had shingles when I was 24. So no it is not an age thing. I also don't think it has anything to do with detergent. I was told it is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. I'm not a doctor, but I read it in a medical book. I do think stress can bring it on, though. I don't know exactly how but I was under a tremendous amount of stress at the time. I'm surprised I haven't got them now!

 

Hope they don't last too long. (Mine was three weeks, I think.)

 

Tina

[SaxDragon]

I got shingles a few years back that covered half my face. Was in and out of three doctor offices - regular doc, dermatologist, and opthamologist. Meds for pain, virus, and steroids, plus antibiotics (because the red dye in my washcloth caused an infection - I through out all my collored towels and cloths since then). Additionally, I tried to use an OTC cream for pain/itching, which it turned out I was allergic to. So I ended up with shingles, allergy, and infection all at once - my face swelled up, eyes swelled shut - even my cats wouldn't come near me for a week LOL

 

Yeah, it's funny now ... part of the adventure that is my life :-)

 

I got lucky. No scars and no blindness.

[darski]

I listen to June Hunt's program "Hope in the Night" and last spring/summer she had Shingles and she said that this worked for her and she loved it

 

http://www.fonoils.com/shinglesnomore.html

 

I'm just reporting what June had to say as someone living in the pain of shingles.

[beth eathorne]

My godmother and greataunt found she had shingles over Christmas so it was fresh in my mind and the dr said dh came in very early which is a great plus. he is still in great amount of pain and finds no way to sit or lay for long that is any comfort. I cant thank everyone here enough for the support and ideas. Darski i am going to listen to the link when i get back from the store. He says he needs something sweet to eat. I have forced him to watch my favorite cooking shows on PBS..so i guess its my own fault.

 

thanks again.

[luckybmr]

Five years ago, I had shingles on my face. Started as what I thought was a pimple on the side of my nose. It was painful. Soon, it was a small line of blisters. My mom used to work for a dermatologist, so I got in to see him three days later (it was a holiday weekend). By the time I got there, the blisters had popped and it was just very red and painful. He went with a spider bite, although he suspected shingles and gave me the appropriate meds for shingles and an antibotic in case it was a bite. The day after that it spread from my nose, down along under my eye and I had one big blister the size of a quarter and a few smaller ones. I went back to him the next day and he said it was definately shingles and to stop the antibotics as they wouldn't do any good. He increased the steroids and told me that if any pain or blisters appeared above my eye to get right to the eye doctor or I could lose my site in that eye (the shingles follow nerves in your body).

 

Because I got treatment right away, I was better in about three weeks. Luckily, I did not have any scaring except on the side of my nose, which no one notices but me.

 

Tell your husband, it is a good thing he was seen right away and that he should do exactly as the doctors have said to minimize his length of having the shingles and especially his pain. His case is much worse than what I had and I don't ever want to have them again - the little bit I had was bad enough.

 

Shingles are caused by the chicken pox virus. Once you have had chicken pox, the virus lies dormant in your body. Shingles is what chicken pox is called if you get them after you have had chicken pox. What brings the virus out again could be anything, but usually stress. I was told by the doctor that shingles are not catchy like people believe except to people who have not had chicken pox (it will give them chicken pox) or pregant women. I don't know if I really believe that as it contridictes anything I have heard or read about shingles - maybe it was just my case as it was so "mild".

 

Anyway, will say some prayers for your husband for the pain and discomfort. Hope he is feeling better soon.

[ErinLindsey]

Here's a page that gives information about Shingles for people who want to read about it. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/shingles/shingles.htm

 

My maternal grandmother and my dad had shingles about 10yrs ago. My dad actually cried from the pain, he could barely work for a week or two because it hurt him so bad. My grandmother, I think had problems sleeping because of the pain, but both my grandma and my dad seemed to not have much of a problem from it.

 

My mother had shingles the week that my paternal grandmother died. We had to take my mother to a dermatologist because she had HUGE open sores from where the rash attacked her face and her chin and neck. The ones on her face healed up nicely...the ones on her chin and neck scarred pretty badly. My mom was really depressed during the shingles, because the rash had somehow gotten infected and it was pretty ugly. She wouldnt go out in public till things healed.

 

When I first started having symptoms of MS earlier last year, the doctors thought I might have shingles, but there was no rash...and then I developed a few more problems, so they finally ruled out shingles. I think I'd rather have had shingles than what I have, but oh well....

[srlandis]

I was home with shingles myself all of last week. I still feel puny, but better. Mine started last Sunday night when I noticed a lump on my cheek and my lymph glands were swollen in front of my ear and on my neck. I had chills all night, but no fever, and went to the Dr. the next morning. I know that getting started on an anti-viral as soon as you can makes a difference. They diagnosed it as shingels, gave me Valtrex and an antibiotic (just in case) and I went home. I stayed home for days. I finally went to work Fri. am, but I didn't feel good. I still don't have my energy back, but I'm much better. The lymph glands finally settled down, but are still enlarged. My cheek looks like a chipmonk hoarding food pellets and I have one spot that looks like somebody put out a cigarette on my face. But, it isn't painful and I think I'm recovering fine. From what I've read, rest is a big part of it. I used ice to help the swelling, and alternated with a heating pad on my neck.

 

My best to your husband. Anybody can get shingles. One of my daughters had it at age 8 and almost everyone I've mentioned it to said they have had it or know someone who has.

 

susan:cowgirl

[birdlady1]

I had shingles right after I turned 50. It was the middle of summer and anything around my waist absolutely killed me. I felt as though I had bugs crawling under my skin, up and down my legs and around my waist. :yuck

 

My doctor gave me some horse pills to "speed" the process along but the pills gave me severe stomach cramps. So I stopped taking them and suffered with the shingles. Gradually, after three weeks, it eased.

 

My doctor said I can get them again but I never have.

 

It was absolultely the WORST illness I've ever had in my life. I have never been so uncomfortable in my life.

 

My sympathies go out to your family. It's not fun.

[rcvanilla]

My daughter had shingles when she was 10 years old. She keep on telling me that the skin on her back hurt and I kept looking at it and saw nothing. Then about a month latter she broke out. Then I took her to the Dr. and found out she had shingles.

[MLLORF]

When my daughter (23 yrs old) was going through radiation and chemo her hair fell out; she then came down with shingles on her face and hair line. When the pastor called to check on her she told him she was doing fine. She said that since she had lost her hair she went and got some shingles to cover her roof (head). You had to know her sense of humor to appreciate her.

 

They gave her Valtrex which really ticked her off because all the Valtrex commericals at that time showed young couples out riding bikes under palm tree line roads. She said she should be able to get out of the cold & snow and head to warm weather to bike ride.

[mythunderbird]

oh beth thats just awful i will pray they leave him soon , in the mean time isn't there something that can be done to aleviate some of his pain. i know how painful that can be. and am hoping you both have some relief from it very soon, goodness i know what you mean about having him home all the time, mine is just back at work since he fell in janurary and hurt himself and he is still complaining about his back(i know it still hurts), sending healing thoughts and prayers your way, hang in there darling'' we are here if you when you need a ear:hug:hug:hug:hug:hug:hug:hug:hug:hug:hug:hug:hug

[dwiggicb]

o me gosh....i had shingles years ago and it was absolutely HORRIBLE!! and very very painful....mine lasted almost 2 weeks and i have a friend that still has residual pain years later!! sorry to hear about ur situation...i'll think of him...hope u don't get it!!

[Lefthook]

im so sorry, and hope he feels better soon.

 

when my dad died i called my mother in law to let her know and she said, "oh, i feel so bad!" a lot of people say that, so i started to say 'thank you.' she kept on going: "my shingles are killing me!"

 

i know people grieve in their own ways, but . . .?

[beth eathorne]

dh has gone to work today...he is trying to take tylenol during the day and keep the pain under control using the good stuff to help him sleep. still no rash. i have read that is the most painful stage. thanks for all the good wishes. will keep everyone posted.

[crochetgoddess]

I had shingles last year when I was pregnant. I was also on the herpes medicine and it was very expensive....thank goodness I had good insurance.

I got them on my left hand inbetween my index and middle finger right on the knuckle. My doctor thought it was a bug bite at first, and then an allergic reaction to something and a couple days later it hurt so bad that I couldn't even tie my babies shoes and was bawling!! Went back to the doctor and discovered that was indeed shingles. I was only 4 months prego so there was no worry about it harming the baby. I only had it on my hand on the outside of my skin, but the pain radiated all the way up to my armpit and believe me it was horrible and it left a huge scar on my hand and everyone in awhile it really starts to throb and hurt.

 

And from what I understand from my doctor, once you get shinges, you will get them again.

 

I am so sorry your husband is in pain.......I understand it and it sucks!