Shingles, Swelling, and Loss of Muscle Mass

[cdaigle430]

My Dad and Aunt had the shingles and it was very bad for them-it required several hospital visits. My Aunt kept passing out from it.

 

[mrmikey]

Reading all these remarks about shingles makes me realize how lucky I was when I got them this summer. Started out as a rash couple of inches square (and never got any bigger) on the right side of my neck, itchy and burning, not intolerable just annoying. Thought it was a spider bite as there were two more pronounced marks about 3/4" apart, had it for three days and on the fourth it woke me up at 2 in the morning. Went to the emerg. and after waiting for 4+hours, dr. came in and as soon as she walked into the room, 'You've got shingles'.
Don't get me wrong, it hurt like ...well it hurt so I can't imagine it over a bigger area. The dr. said I'd had it too long for drugs to give me any relief, it had to play itself out. She did prescribe some kind of capiscun (sp) ointment that she said would get rid of the pain.....yeah right. It was supposed to work on the theory that the pain the cream caused would make you forget the shingles pain well that was a load of crap, the cream hurt so bad I couldn't use it, it would burn like no ones business...get it wet and you'd want to cry. Again, my sympathy to anyone suffering.................Mike

 

[ultrarunner]

I was lucky... thought it was poison oak but only on one side of my body...

Showed it to one of the docs at work and he said Shingles. Five minutes later he gave me an injection and that is was that

Hospital participating in Covid trail but volunteers only. We may be required to take it which would be the first time a vaccine with emergency approval would be required.

 

[Doofy]

I'll get the Covid-19 immunizations when available. I've been getting vaccinations for almost 70 years and have never contracted any of the diseases they were meant to prevent. Still working on trying to get the shingles vaccination. Medicare evidently won't pay for it and my secondary insurance will only pay if I get it at a CVS Pharmacy (130 miles away). My usual provider charges $500 for the shot. Still debating...

 

[fried1765]

I'll get the Covid-19 immunizations when available. I've been getting vaccinations for almost 70 years and have never contracted any of the diseases they were meant to prevent. Still working on trying to get the shingles vaccination. Medicare evidently won't pay for it and my secondary insurance will only pay if I get it at a CVS Pharmacy (130 miles away). My usual provider charges $500 for the shot. Still debating...

Make that trip to Anchorage (on a day with clear roads) to get the shot(s).
You may rue the day, if you do not get the shot(s)

 

[Doofy]

Make that trip to Anchorage (on a day with clear roads) to get the shot(s).
You may rue the day, if you do not get the shot(s)

The Wife just stated that exact remark!:thumbsup:

 

[Fuddy1952]

Wife and I got the shingles shot a few years ago then a few weeks later she got the shingles. Maybe a coincidence but neither of us ever had it before.
It was miserable according to her. She put habanero Mexican hot sauce on food...said it helped.

 

[TractorGuy]

The dr. said I'd had it too long for drugs to give me any relief, it had to play itself out.

The PA that gave me Valacyclovir at 6 months also said it was far too late for it to work but she thought it was worth a try. All I know is I got better a week later. If I ever get shingles again I will be on the health portal requesting a prescription for that drug asap.

Wife and I got the shingles shot a few years ago then a few weeks later she got the shingles. Maybe a coincidence but neither of us ever had it before.
It was miserable according to her. She put habanero Mexican hot sauce on food...said it helped.

The original Zostavax vaccine was a live virus. If given to somebody that never had chickenpox it could end up causing them to get shingles when they were otherwise not at risk. I didn't learn any of that until after my bad 6 month experience with the affliction. Doctors tend to push vaccines when in this case they should have verified you had chickenpox before administering the Zostavax vaccine. Zostavax is no longer available for use in the United States, as of November 18, 2020.

I went ahead and got the Shingrix vaccine when it came out.

I haven't had a flu shot in twenty years or better. They say it can't happen but the last time I got a flu shot I came down with the flu soon after and it lasted two weeks.

 

[Doofy]

The PA that gave me Valacyclovir at 6 months also said it was far too late for it to work but she thought it was worth a try. All I know is I got better a week later. If I ever get shingles again I will be on the health portal requesting a prescription for that drug asap.



The original Zostavax vaccine was a live virus. If given to somebody that never had chickenpox it could end up causing them to get shingles when they were otherwise not at risk. I didn't learn any of that until after my bad 6 month experience with the affliction. Doctors tend to push vaccines when in this case they should have verified you had chickenpox before administering the Zostavax vaccine. Zostavax is no longer available for use in the United States, as of November 18, 2020.

I went ahead and got the Shingrix vaccine when it came out.

I haven't had a flu shot in twenty years or better. They say it can't happen but the last time I got a flu shot I came down with the flu soon after and it lasted two weeks.

I can't remember the last time I had the Flu or even a Cold. I get the Flu shot every year.

 

[fried1765]

I can't remember the last time I had the Flu or even a Cold. I get the Flu shot every year.

And......as your wife suggests, you need to promptly get your axx to Anchorage, for the Shingles vaccine.