Shingles
 

Is there anyone here that has recurring shingles? If so, I'd like to talk to you. :ohdear:

I do but doubt I'd be much help. I'm one of those "lucky" ones who really isn't in a lot of pain from shingles. I get the blisters, some burning, some mild pain but nothing like most suffer. However, feel free to contact me if you'd like.

Has your doctor recommended the shingles prevention vaccine? If it doesn't totally prevent shingles, it is supposed to lessen the severity of the symptoms.

My hubby had them twice now, this last bout was the worst. He had it on his butt cheek all the way down his sciatica to the bottom of his foot. that was almost 2 years ago. he has nerve damage in his leg as he went to long to get help for it. He still has pain from it. He has since gotten the shingle vaccine. Worst pain he has ever had...he said he would take bypass again rather than deal with that pain. It was horrible..

How often have you had an outbreak? I received the vaccine 3 years ago and within 6 months had my first outbreak. In the last 2 1/2 years I've had 6 outbreaks in the same area.

I received the vaccine 3 years ago and within 6 months had my first outbreak. In the last 2 1/2 years I've had 6 outbreaks in the same area.

Have you all found 'doubt' within the medical community that shingles can be recurring?

R-E-L-A-X.......... I got the shot and 15 months later got the shingles. Of course, I was suffering some chest pains, being tested for blood cancer and my golf game was suffering. Then the shingles! I thought 'what else'.

After reading about them I found 'worries' can trigger this. So I put myself in a better place. I stopped doing things that pressured me. I worked out for my heart (very slowly); got past the blood cancer and although I still feel a shingle tingle - no recurrences.

Again, try to relax and find a better place.
I know people might say what's to worry about here in 'paradise' but I think there are some social pressures however so subtle.

No. I had shingles twice, diagnosed twice by doctors, no doubt at all. Both times my shingles symptoms were quite mild because I recognized what was happening and immediately went on medication. I haven't had a reoccurrence since I had the shingles shot.

Seeking immediate medical care for shingles is critical. If you have a suspicious rash.... run, don't walk to the nearest Urgent Care Clinic.

Never been questioned. Go in, see doc, get meds, go home. Shingles are pretty distinctive.

I've had them 3 times. The first 2 were small areas, however very painful.
The last time, 3 years ago, I had it on my entire upper left side from my scalp almost to my waist. The pain and burning was awful. I also had several blisters including one on my eyelid. It took several months before the pain was bearable. Never want to go through that again !!

I had shingles shot about a year ago and thought I was free of it. Wrong. Apparently only 53 o/o avoidance. I did't know until I went to the dermatologist that it was shingles. Mine didn't hurt as much as some of the horror stories I heard.

Shingles is a very strange affliction. From what I've learned over the years is that the majority of people will have shingles only once. There are very few that will get it over and over again. I've also learned that stress can have a part in it. As for my previous post asking if anyone has run into doubt from doctors, I didn't mean in diagnosing shingles I meant in the fact that shingles keeps recurring over and over again. I've found it very frustrating convincing them that I need to keep a supply of meds on hand at all times just in case. I know that I must start meds immediately at the first sign of another outbreak. As long as I can do this, I find I can live with it. Of course, I do wish it would stop.

I agree. If I'm not mistaken, I read the following: If you get shingles and it goes away, the chance of it coming back is about 5%.

And someone warned about stress? That's right, stress can bring it on. And stress can bring it back again and again.

It wouldn't hurt to practice a healthy lifestyle (i.e.,get some exercise, good sleep and eat healthful foods etc.). Depression and stress can be the result of living a poor lifestyle. Especially as we get older, we need to be more careful.

The first medical website I googled, www.md.com, says that shingles reoccurs more often than previously thought, about one-third of the time. I don't think there are a lot of accurate statistics available.

I think most peeps who responded to this thread are probably already living a healthy lifestyle.

My doctor said that although the vaccine only prevents shingles about half the time, it does lessen the severity.