Does anyone know anything about these itchy things?
#128181 - 12/06/04 07:12 PM
|
|
|
|
|
MissS
Reged: 02/11/04
Posts: 837
|
|
|
I've got shingles AGAIN..(this is my 3rd round this year with the pesky things.)
Does anyone know anything about this stuff? My doctor has put me on acyclovir and I was wondering if anyone knows if there's any side effects to this medication.
I'm always afraid to take something new. Does anyone know of anything else I can do for these things?
Terri
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi TeeCee,
I got shingles during my first pregnancy.Luckily it was only a small patch on my shoulder and while it itched like mad it didn't get any worse. My mum had them only a few months ago. She got them all on her face and she was put on some antibiotic (I think) but the doctor told her that it was serious and could have major life threatening complications if she didn't take the medication (which she said the side effects were almost as bad as the shingles!). Sorry, don't really have much advice I guess but just wanted to say I hope you get better soon. It was awful hearing mum talk about how bad they made her feel. You definately have my sympathy.
--------------------
Amy
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Holy crap! I thought you could only get shingles once in your life, but I guess I was wrong.  If you do have shingles there is nothing to take but that antiviral and you will want it since they are painful!!! But I went through a course of it (and turned out to have poison ivy) however the antiviral didn't cause any side effects. The prednisone and antibiotics did though!  Also heavy pain relievers are prescribed for shingles too. So you should do some google searching about shingles for sure and you will learn a lot. I did that but luckily I didn't have it. (But I have had poison ivy for 6 weeks and counting and scratch all night -so I guess it was 6 to one half dozen to the other  ). BTW too if you have shingles on the right and left halves of your body it is NOT shingles as they can only be on one side and there is a blood test to tell accurately if it is shingles. GOOD LUCK and get better soon!!!  P.S. Benadryl cream works the best for itching imho.
--------------------
IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Oh yeah, you can get shingles again and again. I've been getting them since I was 28 years old. (20 some years now). I get them at least once a year, and sometimes 4 or 5 times. I get them on the left, back side of my body, on my upper hip.
When I first had them, there was nothing they could do for them. I've just suffered with them until now. I didn't know they had something that could help them, so I'd just never mentioned them again.
I'm glad to hear that I won't get these things on the right side, too. At least that's something positive.
I have a recheck on Wednesday, and I'll ask the doc about the cream for them.
I wouldn't want to have to deal with poison ivy. 6 weeks of itching? Whew! Well, I guess you know what I mean about itching being such a pain in the butt. (literally for me, hee hee).
Terri
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Oh, I'm sorry to hear that you had shingles and I feel so sorry for your Mom. Was that the first time she had shingles? Do you know if she was on Acyclovir? What side effects did she have?
Thanks for the sympathy!
Terri
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
To be perfectly honest I don't know what pill she was on but I'll ask her next time I speak to her. I can't remember all the side effects but I think she said they gave her a sore tum (and she's not an IBS sufferer) however most antibiotics will do that I think. Mostly I remember she had a migraine but she didn't know if it was the pills or the fact that the shingles were on her face and temples and made her head very sore. Have you asked your doc what side effects your pills might have? I've got a great doctor who's been seeing me for about 5 years and understands about my tummy so he's pretty careful about what he prescribes for me.
--------------------
Amy
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
TeeCee, since you seem to get this so often, have you talked to your dr about staying on the acyloviar? My girlfriend has herpes and its actually a similiar kinda virus that causes the shingles, actually, I think its from the chicken pox virus but it works in the same way! Anyways, she was getting outbreaks all the time so now she just takes a preventative dose of the acyloviar and only gets an outbreak like once a year! She says she doesn't have any side effects from it at all and its safe to take long term.
--------------------
Taking it one day at a time.....
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Oh yeah, my mom used to give me baths in oatmeal when I had rashes and things. It's supposed to help draw out anything in the rash and help it heal faster! I had posion sumac so bad one year, I practically lived in the bathtub!
--------------------
Taking it one day at a time.....
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Quote:
I guess you know what I mean about itching being such a pain in the butt. (literally for me, hee hee).
Me too! 
Wow I thought you only got them when you were run down. But I wonder if you get them because you had them without taking anything for them. I think the antiviral is so necessary. As I said I didn't have any side effects from it and I took the whole course JUST IN CASE I actually had shingles and not poison ivy. 
--------------------
IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
if possible- maybe it will work for shingles too. Unfortunately stores don't want to carry it in winter so I couldn't use it this time.
--------------------
IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Posts
