Do I know about shingles...YES! I was hospitalized for several weeks with little help. It is now been 2 1/2 years with the pain. Lyrica did very little for me. I began to use alcohol and the pain goes away. I was told by a physician I need not be soooo stressful. Strange I don't have much stress but continue to battle shingles. Good luck

I had them nine years ago and am reminded daily. They started under my breast around through my shoulder blades and met again where they started. I was also on Valtrex and Vicodin for the pain. I have not had the blisters again just the itching and annoying pain. The doctor said it was the nerve endings that were attacked, wanted to give me medication for the pain but it does not last very long at any given time, just starts and stops through out the day.I have gotten use to it as part of my life. I have heard some people have gotten them much worse. I also got the shingle shot after I had the shingles, I went to my local health dept. as the insurance company would not pay for it and it is very expensive.

I believe the vaccine will only work for those that have not been bothered with shingles.

I had shingles 10 years ago in my right eye and up through the hairline. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, the nerves were damaged and I don't feel it in my eye, but I do recall in the beginning how my face and hair hurt.

Being put on anti-viral medication helped tremendously. The rest took time. Ten years later, I still put in an eye drop every day to keep things calm in my eye. The virus is gone, but the cornea is damaged, and I'm not a candidate for a replacement. I am on very friendly terms with my opthalmologist ( I know that's not spelled right, but that word is just too hard to spell, lol).

I've always been afraid to get the vaccine in case it triggers another case, and I haven't heard it would help since I've had both CP and shingles.

On a separate note, my kids had the chicken pox vaccine, had a mild breakthrough case, and then had a full-blown case. Makes me sort of frustrated with the vaccines and I wonder what that will mean for them in regards to shingles down the road...

Yes, I had them on the right side of my forehead and I think I would have rather had a mack truck hit me. At least then (if I survived) the pain would have been understandable. I had them in 2006 and still suffer from itching and some slight pain. I take a generic allergy tablet almost every day to control it (it really does help me) to control the itching. Diphenhydramine, please check with your doctor to see it this is ok.

I get shingles occasionally when I'm stressed. First got them six years ago when I was in chemo - right at the base of my spine. It was difficult to sit comfortably. I get an outbreak when I'm overstressed - in the same spot. I got the creams, the antivirals, etc. What I've found is the best thing around is a tube of Abreva. It's for cold sores, but shingles is just a cold sore really. I can tell when I'm going to have an outbreak because that spot starts hurting (same with cold sores). I just start putting Abreva on the spot two or three times a day and the shingles go away. First outbreak was about the size of the palm of my hand. Now I usually only get two to three bumps.

GET THE SHOT!!!!! They are terrible and takes a lot of time to get over. My SIL had shingles and I watched her suffer. My husband and I got the shot.

Just one year ago I had shingles develop while in the hospital with a heart attack
Yes the pain is no fun but pain medication helps. Also My Dr ordered Proctozone-HC 2.5% to rub on it. That was a blessing
Unfortunately shingles tend to take time to get past the pain stage but it WILL get better. At the time of the outbreak I doubted that last statement but it really does
Thinking of you and wishing you a fast recovery

[quote=sc-sunshine]My mom and husband have both had shingles. Mom is still having problems from a year ago. Her doctor gave her medication.
My husband will not go to the doctor...he took turmeric (yes the spice) capsules 3 times a day the bottle says 2 capsules once a day so he tripled his dose it worked. If you believe in using herbs Swanson carries this cheaper than Walgreens

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis...-turmeric.html



This helps a lot---and DRINK--lots of water, till you are floating!------aspercreme seems to help. Oak bark tea helps on the rash if yo canot use aspercreme.....

When I got shingles FOUR doctors did not diagnose it and two were dermaltologists! A friend saw the awful rash on my back when I bent over, and said "When did you get shingles?"

I found I only have an outbreak after I get dehydrated.

My DH had a terrible case of the shingles...of course he wouldn't go to the doctor until it was too late for the antiviral meds to help. What gave him relief was acupuncture. We saw a practitioner in Austin who could work miracles. He had about 4 weekly treatments and had almost no pain in between treatments. Kept him off the pain meds.

Anita