Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Shingles

ravenwoodglass

Recommended Posts

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Anyone have shingles and be able to give me some ideas for pain relief? Other than cutting off my head. Thought I had a reaction to a new shampoo but it was only on one side of my head. Doctor confirmed today it is shingles. Must say I'd much rather deal with a bad DH outbreak any day.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Jmg Mentor
Jmg
Posted

It's horrible! Sorry its happened to you. 

This was the only thing which did any good: Open Original Shared Link

Not sure if it has different name state side...

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

Oh no!  I am so sorry.  No advice.  I hope you recover FAST!  Hugs!  

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted
2 hours ago, Jmg said:

It's horrible! Sorry its happened to you. 

This was the only thing which did any good: Open Original Shared Link

Not sure if it has different name state side...

I am so sorry you are suffering with this, Raven.  I agree with jmg.........I hope you were put on an anti-viral because they really work well to dampen the severity of shingles.  I took Acyclovir myself when I had shingles 8 years ago and it worked great. Knocked it down so the pain was not bad at all. You have to start the drug within 72 hours of first symptoms for it to be really affective.  I took the generic version because it was gluten free.  I never needed anything for the pain.

Hope you feel better soon!

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for your replies. The doc gave me Valacyclovir. So far no difference but it hasn't spread any more since yesterday.  Have to take it every eight hours. thanks for the link since it appears to be important that I take these every eight hours so will figure out a dosing schedule today. I'm hoping we got it started early enough since symptoms started Sunday but didn't have the rash till Monday.  She also gave me Prednisone to try and prevent any nerve pain after it heals.  I hope this heals quickly.  A vacation from work is always nice but not like this.

Jmg Mentor
Jmg
Posted
12 minutes ago, ravenwoodglass said:

I'm hoping we got it started early enough since symptoms started Sunday but didn't have the rash till Monday. 

It's over 20 years since I had it but from memory you started sooner than I did and it still made a difference to me, so be positive! There's some more potential treatments listed here: Open Original Shared Link but some of them look a bit superfluous to me. The advice on the eyes is good though, a friend of my father had it there and it was not a good place to have it*

Hopefully they've identified the nerve in your case? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*note there isn't really a good place to have it...

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted
  • Author
47 minutes ago, Jmg said:

It's over 20 years since I had it but from memory you started sooner than I did and it still made a difference to me, so be positive! There's some more potential treatments listed here: Open Original Shared Link but some of them look a bit superfluous to me. The advice on the eyes is good though, a friend of my father had it there and it was not a good place to have it*

Hopefully they've identified the nerve in your case? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*note there isn't really a good place to have it...

I'm hopefull we caught it soon enough and keeping my fingers crossed. The 'somebody is slamming my head into the pavement' feeling is a bit better this morning. The rash that was just beginning to spread onto my ear hasn't spread any more so that's a good sign.  I don't remember what she called the nerve but it runs up the back of the skull. She did say to call them if it spread onto my face as we don't want eye involvement.  My boss was really nice about the news and hopefully I will be able to go in Sunday. Really don't want to miss more than 2 days work. Thanks for the link going to check it out..

 

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Jmg Mentor
Jmg
Posted

Honestly I think yr vigilance and speed will pay off. If you get it early enough this is very effective. In my case it still helped even a bit later. You may be able to google the nerve and work out where it starts and ends, the virus typically follows this path.

With me it was on my torso and I didn't realise initial burning sensation was a sign of things to come, just that i was sore. Of course a 20 yr old student isn't 'supposed' to get shingles, which I later realised was just one more sign of a compromised immune system... At the time I was most gutted I missed a big party!  Nowadays I'm far more attentive to what my body is telling me.

Hope you're soon feeling better :)

 

 

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

I am sorry to hear about the shingles Ravenwood.  I don't have much to offer but sympathy.  I hope you feel better soon!

There is a vaccine for shingles (Zostavax) but it has to be taken before the disease appears.  They say it doesn't help after getting shingles.

Open Original Shared Link

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted
  • Author
1 hour ago, GFinDC said:

I am sorry to hear about the shingles Ravenwood.  I don't have much to offer but sympathy.  I hope you feel better soon!

There is a vaccine for shingles (Zostavax) but it has to be taken before the disease appears.  They say it doesn't help after getting shingles.

Open Original Shared Link

My doctor mentioned the vaccine. She said we need to wait until a couple months after this heals.  I do think I am going to go for it when I can.

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

I hope you do when the time comes Raven. From my research the vaccine still goes a log way to preventing a second shingles party. 

I did the vaccine last year because every single person I know who has had shingles says it's the worst thing they ever had to deal with. I am so very sorry you are having to deal with this. Oh man, when I hear you say you'd rather deal with dh than shingles any day, I can't imagine how beyond horrid it is for you. I'm sending every positive thing I have your way hoping the Valacyclovir works a very nice treat for you & SOON!

Huge hugs! {{{{{{{{{{{{{{RAVEN}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted

The vaccine does not prevent you from getting shingles, it just keeps it from hitting you as hard.  I do not think insurance will even cover it unless you are 62 years or older.....unless that has changed.  My doc did not recommend it when I had the problem.  She had many patients who got the vaccine and then ended up with shingles down the road.  There is no guarantee with it.

Shingles are caused by stress and being run down....even if you don't feel run down.  It is becoming very common in young people and the doctor who initially saw me when it happened was very young and said it is NOT a problem of aging.  Many doctors, including herself, popped with it while in med school because of the crazy schedules they do.  The best way to prevent shingles is not to let yourself become run down.  Get enough sleep, eat well and try to mitigate stress.......ha, ha....like that is an easy thing to do sometimes.  Mine happened after I started absorbing better with my thyroid hormone.  I went hyper-thyroid so bad and they told me to stop thyroid hormone for 4 days, then they would readjust the dose.  Well, trying to find the correct dose after healing is not easy and I went from hyper to hypo and BAM! Shingles. It's been 8 years and nary a sign of them. I was lucky in that I did not have much pain with it and thought it was from taking the anti-viral so quickly.  I hope that is your experience, Raven, and the pain goes away quickly!

TexasJen Collaborator
TexasJen
Posted

I'm sorry to hear about your shingles! They are so awful. There are several medications that you can take for pain- but the best ones have to be prescribed by a doctor.  Gabapentin, lyrica, and sometimes hydrocodone are often used temporarily (2-6 weeks) for the pain. Tylenol, Advil and aleve typically don't work that well....

With regards to the vaccine, it is recommended for people over 60. Medicare often times will not pay for it so getting it between the ages of 60-64 is good if your insurance pays for it. It is expensive - $296-435 usually. Check with your local health dept. if your insurance company doesn't cover it.  Sometimes they subsidize them. However, the general consensus is to wait about 1 year to get the vaccine after a bout of shingles. 

It does prevent shingles but only reduces your chance by about 30-40% and it doesn't prevent post herpetic neuralgia. 

 

Feel better soon!

Scott Adams Grand Master
Scott Adams
Posted

I had the same break out a few years ago on the side of my head. I took antiviral medication and Chinese medicine which helped.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted
  • Author

Thanks everyone. I hope this is over soon. Wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Cool compresses seem to help the most of anything. Hope I don't end up with bald spots. Just cut my hair short a little while ago so nothing left to hide any bare places.

Jmg Mentor
Jmg
Posted

Hang in there. It's horrible but it will pass and you're unlikely to have any lasting reminder bar a lifetime dislike of getting it again! 

plumbago Experienced
plumbago
Posted

Information from the CDC regarding the shingles vaccine:

Open Original Shared Link

"Shingles vaccine has been used since 2006. Zostavax® is the only shingles vaccine currently approved for use in the United States. This vaccine reduces the risk of developing shingles by 51% and PHN (post herpetic neuralgia) by 67%. It is given in one dose as a shot, and can be given in a doctor’s office or pharmacy."

Vaccine Information Statement
Open Original Shared Link

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

I looked up my receipts for the Shingles Vaccine. We both got ours late Nov. of 2014.  My husband has Medicare & his bill was $236.99; he does not have Part D coverage. I have CHAMPVA & my bill was $72.29.

Here is information on Medicare coverage of the shingles vaccine:

Open Original Shared Link

The shingles shot isn’t covered by Open Original Shared Link or Open Original Shared Link. Generally, Open Original Shared Link cover all commercially-available vaccines (like the shingles shot) needed to prevent illness. Open Original Shared Link for more information about coverage.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      127,016
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Kmmmn
    Newest Member
    Kmmmn
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121k
    • Total Posts
      69.8k
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      Rectal pain

      By trents · Posted

      Not long before my celiac dx I was experiencing proctalgia fugax but it seems to have disappeared and I haven't been bothered with it in over 20 years.
    • Kmmmn
      Rectal pain

      By Kmmmn · Posted

      Sorry, late to the party.  I started experiencing proctalgia fugax (sp), when I was about 16 - I am now 59.  This is a very painful spasm of what seems to be the sphincter muscle.  This almost always happens in the night and wakes me. For the first few decades this would usually happen around once a month on Sundays.  Very weird I know, but it was that regular at times you could set your watch by it.    In my 40's symptoms became less frequent.  I found that by essentially shoving an ice pack up my backside I could get some relief. 18 months ago I was diagnosed with Celiac and the PF now occurs pretty much weekly, sometimes more often.  I only just came across this thread so as yet have not mentioned PF to my GI doctor (thought it was just a 'me' thing) but will next time I see him in March.  I feel for you, it is indeed crippling pain.  I am a teacher and I think I have had PF 2 or 3 times in the classroom and have had to call the office for cover until the symptoms and sweating subside.  Good luck.  Hope this helps in some way. KMMMN
    • Dulcita
      Tapioca Intolerance?

      By Dulcita · Posted

      Celiac, and sensitive to latex, kiwi, avocado, bananas and tapioca. After having a reaction to another Amy’s product (canned chili) which is labeled gluten-free and has no listed tapioca ingredients, I have realized that for those of us who are sensitive to tapioca, it may be even worse than I thought. Not sure if I’ve got this right, but I do know that companies that focus on gluten-free foods use a lot of tapioca. If a certain product doesn’t have any tapioca ingredients, they see no reason to list tapioca or its relatives in the “known allergens” or the “produced in a facility that also uses …..” statement — because it hasn’t been designated a known allergen.  They probably don’t even feel it necessary to apply the kind of Best Practices protocols (extra cleaning) to a production line that may have used tapioca in a previous product. So we may be ingesting tapioca when we are eating something, seemingly tapioca free, produced in a gluten-free dedicated facility. Really discouraging. 
    • Katya773
      Wholefoods 365 Organic Wheatgrass Powder

      By Katya773 · Posted

      Hi Everyone,   I recently purchased this wheatgrass not realizing that it wasn’t gluten free. I had two servings before I got really sick. Abdominal cramps , diarrhea and horrible nausea. My daughter read the label and told me it wasn’t labeled gluten free. I thought this was safe because supposedly it’s healthy. I called WholeFoods and they told me that they can find out more about the product and email me when it was picked and harvested. I was diagnosed back in 2019 and I really should know better! Anyone else had a reaction to wheatgrass powder? 
    • emily 1
      Black Pepper Reactions

      By emily 1 · Posted

      Yes, unfortunately I was diagnosed about 15 years ago. Some of us I guess the gut never heals and from what I've learned you can actually have a setback which is probably the stage I am at where I actually have become more sensitive to more items.
×
×
  • Create New...