Shingles

I had shingles 3 yrs ago - that was NO FUN! Felt something wront on Thanksgiving evening and ddn't get to doctor until week later. Not much he could do for me - so I had to suck it up. Episode lasted about 4 mos.

DW got shot shortly afterward. After much co9nversations with Blue Shield, finally got her shot reimbursed. They handle shingle shot differently that other shots.

As I understand it, if you had chicken pox, the shingles virus is dormant in your body until body's immune system lower than BAM.

My wife has shingles as we speak. She has had them before. She has had MS for years. We Love to camp, enjoy nature, do our daily walks and that is good for everyone. The shingles are a lot of pain and make you weak. She is up and down all day. She gets up to eat, go to the bathroom and then back to bed to watch TV. It just takes time and rest to get over shingles! We have a busy year planned but for now, it is "One Day at a Time!"

Had singles several years ago. Got over it fairly quick because my aunt noticed a mark I had on my forehead. Saw doctor that day. Less than a month later all symptoms were gone. Wife came down with it 4 years ago. Thought it was a Sinus attack. It ended up in her left eye. Today she still has some signs of Shingles. Takes medication everyday. Needs to visit doctor every 3 months or sooner to make sure it is not coming back.
According to my doctor every person is affected by shingle differently. Getting it in the head can be one of the worst and diagnose. At my recent doctor visit. Doctor asked if I had the Shingles shot. Asked if I wanted one. Gave me a prescription for it. I have not gotten it yet. Getting the shot does not mean you will not get Shingles.

Just got the shot on Wednesday. I have a huge red welt at the injection site - about half the size of my palm. Read where this is a common after effect and am putting hydrocortisone cream on it. Hope it goes away soon. It kinda burns.

The wife and I got our shots 3 years age, No problem. The chicken pox virus will remain dormant in you body for many many years, and then it will erupt as the Shingles. The shot is costly, but getting the Shingles is far more costly in pain and suffering. Ask anyone who had it, so get that shot, it might be one of the better investments you make.

From a guy who knows about Shingles I offer the following:

Get the shot, get the shot, get the shot!!!

It does not matter what it costs get the shot. I would have given thousands of dollars to end the suffering I had to endure because I had not gotten the shot.

The sooner you see your doctor and he can start you on the medication the shorter and less severe your outbreak will be. The initial marks and pain had us thinking it was a Brown Recluse spider bite (on my ankle). The pain and rash quickly spread up my right leg and onto the bottom of my foot. I was flat on my back for weeks, popping Oxycodon's like breath mints and still in more agony than you would believe possible. The pain goes right down to the bone.

As a parting gift the Shingles left me with PHN (Post Herpetic Neuralgia), which is permanent (phantom), nerve pain along the bottom of my foot. Only a small percentage of Shingles victims are cursed with PHN (lucky me), but it lasts forever. Every step I take for the rest of my life feels like I have sharp gravel in my shoe, even when I am barefoot.

Most outbreaks of Shingles are triggered by stress. Keep major stress out of your life and get the shot and chances are you will never have to suffer the horror of Shingles. Good Luck! :E

RoadLife wrote:
Just got the shot on Wednesday. I have a huge red welt at the injection site - about half the size of my palm. Read where this is a common after effect and am putting hydrocortisone cream on it. Hope it goes away soon. It kinda burns.

I had similar reaction. Went away in 3 or 4 days. My insurance covered the shot cost.

When I ask my doctor about the shot last year she said current shingles vaccine is only about 40 - 50% effective. So at $250. I think I will wait. As a kid I remember being quarantined for 2 weeks with the Chicken Pox and having a sign posted on our door. That was in the 40s.

I had my first outbreak about 20 years ago, and didn't know what it was. My sister seen the marks on my back and told me about it. It was discomforting, so I visited a local Dr. I took pills or something for about 10 days - no more problems for 6-7 years, and they came back - on my stomach area - and I knew it then. Another trip, more pills, and it was gone. I have recently been told my my PC to have the Shingles Shot - not at $228.00. I've met folks who have had serious bouts with this, so I just hope I never get them bad; the shingle shot doesn't do any good at this point - it will not stop them from returning, why bother spending the money. Safe travels.

Medicare part D pays for shingle shot.