27-04-2017, 10:37 AM
21
Re: Shingles
You don't catch it, you develop it.You've already got the gubbins in your body from when you had chicken pox...
It attacks you when your immune system is low, and/or when you're stressed, which is often simultaneous, obviously.
It's a bastard, therefore, which gleefully delights in kicking you when you're already down.
There is now a shingles jab available, but I'm not sure who's eligible.
27-04-2017, 10:37 AM
22
Re: Shingles
Originally Posted by Twink55
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How does shingles start?When the virus that causes chickenpox reactivates, it causes shingles. Early symptoms of shingles include headache, sensitivity to light, and flu-like symptoms without a fever. You may then feel itching, tingling, or pain where a band, strip, or small area of rash may appear several days or weeks later.
Aha, just looked it up Twink. I see what you meant about the chicken pox virus reactivating in later life, and it seems, like my friend said, it can be activated by a weakened immune system or stress. I guess because of her run of bad health coupled with the chemo, that's what's done it to her.
She worked as a nurse for the NHS for nearly 30 years, so recognised the symptoms quite quickly and asked for the anti-virus medicine, but it's still knocked her for six.
She is still only half way through her chemo treatment too.
27-04-2017, 10:51 AM
23
Re: Shingles
Originally Posted by Mups
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Aha, just looked it up Twink. I see what you meant about the chicken pox virus reactivating in later life, and it seems, like my friend said, it can be activated by a weakened immune system or stress. I guess because of her run of bad health coupled with the chemo, that's what's done it to her.She worked as a nurse for the NHS for nearly 30 years, so recognised the symptoms quite quickly and asked for the anti-virus medicine, but it's still knocked her for six.
She is still only half way through her chemo treatment too.
27-04-2017, 07:08 PM
24
Re: Shingles
Mr Mags had shingles a few months before our daughter's wedding, he was in a lot of pain with it and got through a couple of bottles of calamine lotion. Even after it had cleared up he was still in pain with the nerve damage left behind after shingles.I'm sure it was brought on by him stressing about his speech at our daughter's wedding.
He had a second flare up of shingles a few years later but although he had the blisters, it wasn't as painful as the first attack.
27-04-2017, 07:34 PM
25
Re: Shingles
Originally Posted by Twink55
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Poor lady, having shingles is bad enough but with a poor immune system, caused by the Chemo, she must be really suffering......even the Chemo makes you feel ill too! Tell her to be firm with the doctors about which is the best, rather than the cheapest, treatment because she will also be under great stress if she is having Chemo..... and stress can make you feel 10 times worse. Send her my best wishes .
Thank you Twink. I can't remember the name of the medication she had, but she asked the GP for a particular anti-viral drug, and that is what they let her have.
She doesn't suffer fools gladly, and knows how to go about things much better than I would.
I don't know how she's coped. She had the mastectomy, followed quickly by a nasty infection in the wounds, followed quickly by pneumonia, and just when she thought she'd turned the corner, the damn shingles arrived.
She can't complete the chemo course in the same way now, and so they have had to change the drip feed to tablets instead. I think she's incredibly brave, but stress has a nasty habit of catching up on us, hasn't it.
27-04-2017, 10:13 PM
26
Re: Shingles
I was just reading about this after seeing the post by islandman. I knew it was extremely painful, but I'd never realised it was such a horrible illness that could cause permanent disability. Plus they don't really understand how the virus works. As pretty much everyone has had chickenpox we are all at risk.
According to info the vaccine only gives protection for a few years and doesn't work so well over 80. If you've already had a bout it's not worth vaccinating as having shingles is meant to give you immunity a bit like chickenpox. But I do know people who have had it more than once.
I was intrigued that it's recommended that being around children who have chickenpox is a good way to get a boost to your immunity. So hug a sick child and feel better!
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2563790/
27-04-2017, 10:20 PM
27
Re: Shingles
Originally Posted by AnnieS
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I was just reading about this after seeing the post by islandman. I knew it was extremely painful, but I'd never realised it was such a horrible illness that could cause permanent disability. Plus they don't really understand how the virus works. As pretty much everyone has had chickenpox we are all at risk. According to info the vaccine only gives protection for a few years and doesn't work so well over 80. If you've already had a bout it's not worth vaccinating as having shingles is meant to give you immunity a bit like chickenpox. But I do know people who have had it more than once.
I was intrigued that it's recommended that being around children who have chickenpox is a good way to get a boost to your immunity. So hug a sick child and feel better!
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2563790/
Yes, I have heard of reccurences too, Annie.
Sounds awful doesn't it.
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