Ok Folks=shingles Discussion

[foxxycat]

We got a great deal using Blink Health. I paid online with cc and he picked it up free last night. $21 with $5 off coupon.

He took the meds last night but they made him feel yucky. He's got a sensitivity to most meds. Me I have a cast iron stomach. So I told him to cut them in half. They are horse pills and I made him coat it in butter in order to swallow it. The pharmacist said he could cut them in half if he couldn't swallow them. I think he should try half the dose to see how he feels. He ate supper then took the pill. Hour later felt icky.

For now it's not spread but the blisters are getting more pronounced..I just worry about infection if they open.

 

[AbbysMom]

Nope, you're not alone! I haven't had it either and discussed whether or not I could get the shingles shot with my doctor. She checked with the pharmaceutical co. that makes the shot, (Merck), and the answer is No. They wrote back and said if you haven't had chicken pox they advise against getting the shingles shot. I saved the letter. However, my doctor followed up with a blood test to see if I still had immunity from my chicken pox vaccine and fortunately I still have immunity.

I'm now trying to decide whether or not to get the pneumonia shot which is given as two different shots a year apart. I haven't discussed it with my doctor yet, that's next on my to do list.

There is a pneumonia shot that I get every 10 years. I've had pneumonia once and never, ever want to get it again. My doctor has said that once I hit 50 there is a newer once that I should get.

 

[foxxycat]

Yes I have had pneumonia twice. one year apart. It took me 3 months to get back to normal. It wasn't severe enough for hospital but I definitely was tired and the fever for 2 weeks was a major pain. Nothing was helping the fever and I just remember not being able to breathe. I have what I consider delicate lungs anyways so this just made it all that much worse.

I think I am going to ask the doctor about that shot. I definitely don't want to get it again!

 

[Mother Dragon]

For those of us seniors, there is a high-potency flu shot available. It's much stronger than a regular one. I have no idea why. When I got one, it knocked me on my fanny, so I insist on the regular dosage. I'm allergic to mercury, and most vaccines, including most flu shots, are preserved with thimerasol, which is a mercury compound. They are finally making a single-dose non-mercury shot. Before, my husband got the shot and I got the flu. I like it a lot better this way.

About a year-and-a-half ago, both of us had to have rabies shots because a bat got into the house. We had to have shots, the cats had to have booster shots even though they were current on their shots, and we had to make several vet visits, all required by animal control, to whom we had to report the bat incident. All of this because the bat MIGHT have bitten us. At two in the morning, we weren't thinking clearly, so we scooped it up and tossed it out the front door instead of keeping it for examination. Big mistake! Bat bites are painless and impossible to detect. Rabies can show up as long as ten years after exposure. At least they don't do that long series on shots into the abdomen any more. Since we had no evidence of a bite and because it was unlikely we were exposed, we only had to take three painless shots, two weeks apart. Had it been a dog bite or some such, we would have had to endure a very painful shot into the wound area. The real pain would have been having to pay for the shots, which were about $500 each. The painful ones would have cost $750 each. Thank goodness Medicare and our insurance paid for them. I think I'm going to go out and bite a bat!

 

[Winchester]

We've been thinking about the shingles shot; so far, we haven't gotten it because it's a hassle with our insurance company to pay for it. I've been thinking about the pneumonia shot, too.

One of my GFs got shingles; she said it was the most excruciating pain she ever had to deal with. Rick knows a guy at work who got them and he said the same thing.....in his case, it was months before he started feeling better and that was with meds. And Mom ended up with it, too, and she was in hospital for quite a while. It's not fun and it can be dangerous. Her doctor recommended baths with Epsom Salts to cut down on the itching. And I know she had to go braless for quite a while....the rash had centered around her upper stomach and under her breasts. It was bad.

Wow, MotherDragon, I didn't know that bat bites were painless; that's interesting. We had a bat get into our house, I think just the one, and Rick scooped him up with two tennis rackets and threw him out....he didn't kill him.

foxxycat , I hope Jon is doing better since he's been on the meds.

 

[artiemom]

I got the shingles vaccine last year. I remember I was feeling poorly for about a week after. I even contacted my PCP about the reaction I had. My arm was very sore.. almost like a tetanus shot, and I felt feverish, tired, cold, just not right.

Since I had already had shingles once, I do not want to get it again. If this can at least decrease the chance of me getting it again, or lessen the outbreak, if I do it returns, it will be worth it.

I also had the new pneumonia vaccine. My doctor insisted on me getting it. I have asthma and always end up with severe bronchitis/pneumonia, each time I get sick. I never have just a 'cold'..
I also had clear cut pneumonia a few times. I heard that once you get pneumonia, you are more prone to it for 10 years.

I had the old pneumonia shot 20 years ago....I think.. cannot remember exactly when..

My PCP is not one to prescribe x-rays for pneumonia, she just treats the symptoms. She explained to me that a severe case of bronchitis could still end of being pneumonia.. very hard to diagnose the difference, unless it is diagnosed on an x-ray; and then the treatment is about the same... so why bother with an x-ray?

 

[foxxycat]

I would still insist on xray. So they can see if you have fluid buildup on top of inflammation. But that's just me.

Jons rash is getting worse. The pills making him feel icky. I hope it doesn't get as bad as the pictures on google. It's now coming out on the front left of hip. The blisters on his left back are almost ready to pop.
I am more worried about infection than anything else.

He says they itch n burn. I tried to get him to let me put ointment on them or calamine lotion. I told him to take a bath. Nope says he's fine. Eyeroll.

Men! I
GIVE UP

 

[artiemom]

foxxycat No, I trust my doctor's opinions.. I was an x-ray tech and I know how bad things have to be in order to show up on a plain x-ray. Lots of people are really sick with a negative X-ray ...does not mean that much to me.. Fluid buildup is caused by CHF or Severe Lung disease...

As far as worrying about the shingles lesions getting infected. They usually do not.. They are like chicken pox in that they have to blister, pop and dry up ... that is their course.

The idea is to keep it clean and dry.. Covering the area up with a gauze, if possible or wearing a White T-Shirt is what I did. I wore the T-shirt under jersey...and changed it twice a day. I kept the towels I used in that area, separate from the regular laundry; washing them separate in hot water and bleach.

I can understand why Jon does not want you to put anything on the lesion area.. it is so painful to touch. You do not even have to touch it.. it constantly feels as if it is on fire.. When You move, or something touches the area, even linen or water, the burning pain is unbelievable.. that is from the nerve branch being irritated and inflamed.
The pain is incredible.. think of a very, very severe sunburn or burn.. it is worse than that...

 

[foxxycat]

Sorry for my misunderstanding.
Yes I know what the pain feels like. I have pain daily in my feet and or right arm-I am very familiar with nerve pain, I have Gabapentin if he wants to try it but he most likely wont. He may take Advil or Aleve but I doubt that will have any effect on those types of pains. I personally didn't think Gaba works well. It made me groggy and dry mouth more than anything then this weird buzzing feeling that I just don't like.

I have a few natural products I am looking to try. One is cat's claw and another is turmeric/black pepper. There's a few other herbs/leaves that also have pain killing properties but he's so sensitive to different things that in the past they didn't work well enough and had bad side effects. He is a different animal from me. I have a cast iron stomach and it takes a lot to make me sick-him-after every surgery he's been sick as a dog and dehydrated. I am still trying to get him to pound the liquids. It would be nice if he would go get IV fluids to help but I know he won't do it.

Like I said=he will not complain but I can tell it's bothering him. Last night he was awfully restless in his sleep. Let's hope the meds work sooner rather than later.

 

[artiemom]

I apologize.. I should have realized you are on top of things.. sorry...

The gaba helped me a bit. I did use the zostrix ointment. I think a tea made with the tumeric/black pepper would help. Jon could apply it with an old washcloth...tepid temperature.

Just thinking of ideas.. and just a reminder.. the lesions are highly contagious until they scab over...

(((hugs))))

 

[foxxycat]

I have already had chicken pox So the doc said there's no way to get it unless my immune system is compromised or I am under stress or other opportunistic thing happens because I did bring up one of us living elsewhere for 2 months until it's cleared up. I don't need that crap right now with work stress.

 

[foxxycat]

Well this morning he's not feeling well. Said he couldn't sleep. His chest hurts and the back hurts. I tried to get him to go back to the doctor but he's not interested. He is going out to meet a friend and I told him to ask him if he had chickenpox already but the doctor said as long as no one touches the sores on his back then they won't get it. And I doubt he would let anyone touch his back LOL. The front is getting more pronounced. I asked him if he was stressed out and he said no. Not sure why they came out now. He was sick with the crude for two weeks back in March. I don't think the pills are helping at all. It looks like it's spreading. I told him to drink twice as much water. The odd thing is the doctor didn't even listen to his breathing when he came in. I thought they check that? My family doctor ALWAYS listened to your breathing whenever you came in with medical issues. Sigh. The days of a good doctor are long gone.

 

[Freedom]

Shingles can develop with stress. I broke out in shingles for the first time, last year - 6 days before my first total knee replacement! I was put on antibiotics immediately, and that plus all the antibiotics they load in your body with the implant put a halt on it, thank goodness. I was told it typically only appears on one side of the body at a time; it does not cross the midline. They don't know why. My break out was on the right side.

When I saw my Primary doc, she said once you have an outbreak there is no point in having the vaccine, as it won't work. So now I know I could develop it if I get really stressed. Great!

I'm not sure why your husband only has Gabapentin which I believe is for pain; but no antibiotic??

 

[artiemom]

Ok, so I am going to disagree with your doctor about how this is transmitted. Just from my own knowledge.

Once you have chicken pox, the virus lays dormant in your body until something, anything, triggers it to become active. It can be stress, it can be because your immune system is low, or it can just come out of the blue.

If you have had chicken pox, you will come down with shingles.
If you never had chicken pox, you will come down with chicken pox after being associated with someone with shingles.

The lesions are contagious until they are scabbed over; just like chicken pox. The infected individual needs to keep the area covered and dry.
Constant hand washing is also needed to decrease the spread of the virus.

Once the lesions are scabbed, then the person is considered non-contagious.

I knew this from my job. I worked in a hospital.

Also, my cousin, who never had chicken pox as a child, came down with it after his mother came down with shingles..

I do not know how the chicken pox vaccine plays in this schema...

Yes, you can go around and see people but you have to make sure the lesions are covered and no contact between the lesions and people are done...

When I was working, employees were always required to stay home and away from people, until the lesions were scabbed over. At that point they could return to work, but keep the affected area clean, covered and dry...

All doctors do listen to their patients heart and lungs. I do not know why this guy didn't.. makes me wonder ....

I do think there are varying thoughts on how to treat shingles.
My own PCP said that there was really nothing that would help with the pain or lessening the outbreak. She did suggest the gabapentin, but only as a trial, because she said some people have found some relief from the pain. She also told me that antibiotics do not help because it is a virus.. and does not cause secondary infection.. it is the pain that is unbearable.

The lesions do not cross the midline, They follow a neural pathway-- A nerve bundle branch.. that is why they are only on one side of the body.

Once you have shingles, yes, you can get it again. The virus is still lying dormant. The vaccine is decrease the potential for an outbreak or to lesson one if you get it again.

No vaccine is 100%... nothing is..

 

[Winchester]

foxxycat , what's the latest on Jon? How is he doing?

 

[foxxycat]

He took the meds as directed=the rash on his back is scabbing over. The rash started to come out on his front of chest but the meds must have worked to stop it from spreading. took the last pill Sunday. He said that it's still painful on the front side but no rash. He thinks that it would have been fine without the meds. I said no-the blisters started coming out on the front before the meds-after the meds-only one tiny bubble. MEN!