Shingles

[MaryAnne]

Has anyone on the board ever had shingles?

A friend,who is in her 50's has it on her head and the Doctor was afraid it might go in her eye,causing blindness. She was given medication and the pressure on her eyes has abated.

She was also told to stay away from people that have never had chicken pox or pregnat women. She is highly contagious.

I just heard a firefighter say it burns worse than anything he ever experienced.

Doctors are now suggesting the shingles vaccine. Do you think it would be worthwhile? 1 out of 3 will have them.

 

[BrianDamage]

Has anyone on the board ever had shingles?

A friend,who is in her 50's has it on her head and the Doctor was afraid it might go in her eye,causing blindness. She was given medication and the pressure on her eyes has abated.

She was also told to stay away from people that have never had chicken pox or pregnat women. She is highly contagious.

I just heard a firefighter say it burns worse than anything he ever experienced.

Doctors are now suggesting the shingles vaccine. Do you think it would be worthwhile? 1 out of 3 will have them.

I'm planning to get vaccinated in the near future.

 

[Jen]

I have heard that shingles is exquisitely painful too.

I think it would be great to have a vaccine for that. Very worthwhile.

 

[MaryAnne]

I have heard that shingles is exquisitely painful too.

I think it would be great to have a vaccine for that. Very worthwhile.

There is one,Jen. They are now telling people to get one.That is how I heard the Fire fighter.
The chances increase as you get older for having them.

 

[Addy]

Has anyone on the board ever had shingles?

A friend,who is in her 50's has it on her head and the Doctor was afraid it might go in her eye,causing blindness. She was given medication and the pressure on her eyes has abated.

She was also told to stay away from people that have never had chicken pox or pregnat women. She is highly contagious.

I just heard a firefighter say it burns worse than anything he ever experienced.

Doctors are now suggesting the shingles vaccine. Do you think it would be worthwhile? 1 out of 3 will have them.

I was offered the vaccine back last Nov by my Dr. I turned it down, wishing I hadn't now. Plan on getting it at my next physical.

 

[MaryAnne]

I was offered the vaccine back last Nov by my Dr. I turned it down, wishing I hadn't now. Plan on getting it at my next physical.

I am too,Addy after hearing how bad it is and how the chances are 1 out of 3 getting them.

The Lady I mentioned could have been blind if they went into her eyes.They are on her eye lids and was causing her eyes to swell.Medication has helped that some.

I go next week for blood tests. I intend to ask then.

 

[Patrick]

I just got over shingles. I don't remember it "burning worse than anything I've ever experienced" but for every person it's different. I caught mine in time and it was gone in a matter of days. It's a misery, to be sure, although I've endured worse.

The shingles vaccine would not help people like me. I've already had it and could get it again, vaccinated or not.

The medical advice was correct. You cannot catch shingles. If I have shingles, people who have had chicken pox will not get an outbreak of shingles by being around me. I was no danger to anyone who's had chicken pox. However, people who have not had chicken pox would catch chicken pox from me.

You can have a shingles outbreak anywhere you have nerve endings which would include your eyes, although I was fortunate enough to have it on my chest, stomach and back.

Shingles is very peculiar in that it only strikes on one side of the body. Either the left side or the right side, and the pock marks do not spread across the midline of your body. Weird condition. My pock marks went right to the midline of my stomach and my spine...but did not cross it.

I did have a sense of humor about my condition. My mother was complaining about a mean old lady who lives down the street from her. I told mom to invite her over. While my mother entertained her, I'd sneak into her car and sit in the driver's seat with my shirt off.

 

[lilly]

I got the vaccine a couple months ago. I have seen people with it and it is horrible. One of my friends had it for an entire year and it was on her head as well MaryAnne.

I would highly recommend the vaccine.

 

[NightSwimmer]

Zostavax is a live virus vaccine. You can attain an identical benefit from exposing yourself to a child with chicken pox.

 

[lilly]

It is necessary to have been infected with varicella-zoster virus in order to develop shingles, according to the Mayo Clinic. Infection with the virus first leads to chicken pox and later in life can cause shingles.

 

[NightSwimmer]

It is necessary to have been infected with varicella-zoster virus in order to develop shingles, according to the Mayo Clinic. Infection with the virus first leads to chicken pox and later in life can cause shingles.

Yes, it is the same virus. They remain dormant in your spinal column after you have chicken pox. If your immune system is compromised for any reason, then they can reemerge. Being exposed via contact with an infected child (or by the Zostavax vaccine) stimulates the immune system to attack the virus.

 

[MaryAnne]

Thanks for all the answers. It is always nice to know what others experienced.

So many I have talked with say it is the worst they ever had. I often wonder if they ever had poison Ivy? )