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Depression after shingles, what do I do?

Posted , 9 users are following.

Becca21
Becca21

I'm a 19 year old female, and have suffered from re occurring shingles. The first time was the worst, experiencing extreme pain and sensitivity and fatigue- it was wrongly diagnosed as impetigo and I was given anti viral treatment too late for it to be effective. The second time it was mild, with a smaller rash which appeared not only on my left arm but also right. This time it has come back without the rash, ofcourse I am experiencing numbness throughout where the nerve runs down my arm up into my fingers. I am also experiencing extreme depression, to be exact: isolated, depersonalisation, dizzy and sensitive to sunlight, anxious and useless, extreme fatigue so sleeping about 11 hours a night, memory loss, headaches and no appetite. If anyone feels this way I would greatly appreciate it if they let me know, so I don't feel like such an oddity! And maybe how you realt with it, when it subsided.

2 likes, 36 replies

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  • looloo43
    looloo43 Becca21

    Posted

    Hi Becca, sorry you are feeling so crappy, so young to get shingles too. I am 45 & just having my 1st ever attack of shingles coming up for 4wks now. it started with sunburn like pain on right shoulder & neck & severe dawn to dusk headaches for 5days. then a rash/spots started to appear same area. spoke to my mum & we suspected shingles so i went straight to docs same day rash started, doc confirmed shingles & gave me anti viral meds for 7days. 2days after finishing them, it came out in other places(both sides) & all over both buttocks big time.  the buttocks were itchy, but the other areas were like painful sunburn. at the same time i felt like i had the tail end of flu & developed quickly a very productive phlegmy cough. i went back to the docs who examined all the areas thoroughly & said it looked like the buttock areas were like chicken pox & other areas were like shingles, he had seen another patient who presented in this way, & it is also possible to get it on both sides of body, but unusual. he gave another week of anti virals which i finish today. i am carefully checking myself to make sure it doesn't come out more like last time. today i feel really weak & exhausted, so it is normal to feel like this with shingles. i understand it is isolating as you don't want to risk infecting other people with chicken pox by socialising in any way; i haven't even seen my mum in over 3wks.  i think my bout of it is due to chronic illness with bowel problems at present, so I am run down with that anyway. don't beat yourself up about having to sleep more at present hun, just go with it if you can. i can get up after a good 8hr sleep & still feel like i could have a nap an hour later. it zaps you. the first doc i saw also gave me amitryptilline to take at bedtime, which is helping with the nerve pain. you might want to ask for that if you feel you need to. I'm going to continue with the amitryptilline until a week after anti virals finish(finish today) & then gradually titrate down to none, & hope the nerve pain will have then subsided. take care hun, & hope you feel better soon. xx

  • Jmac2
    Jmac2 Becca21

    Posted

    Hi Becca21, I have recurring shingles also. I have been in touch with Merry 19451 on here many times. I was just diagnosed with Fibromyalgia which have a lot of the same symptoms. I take 400 mg of an antiviral med. Once a day, plus Plaquelein(that spelling my not be right) anyways. The antiviral keeps the blisters at bay, but not the pain or the rest that goes with it. I should say the blisters are smaller patches. I wish it would take all of what comes with them but unfortunately it does not. The reason I brought up Fibromyalgia is because it also cause same pain and sometimes blisters. The Bone and Joint Doctor I see says that my be what it is and not shingles. Doing five more vials of blood work up to see. If he and my GP keep taking my blood, I won't have to worry about bleeding to death. LOL Sorry I have to have humor in my life right now or I would be crying all the time. Then have to explain to my husband why, which is in possible to do. It's bad enough when you have to cancel on something you have planned with friends all the time. After while they stop asking and then calling because they don't understand. Best wishes and lots of prayers. Jmac

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 Jmac2

      Posted

      Dear JMAC,

      I am sorry you are still in so much pain and are diagnosed with fibromyalgia. At least there is some direction in how to treat you and the pain and accompanying symptoms. Is your husband understanding regarding the fibromyalgia? Sometimes, spouses have a difficult time understanding something unless they have experienced it themselves. Hopefully, your husband is empathetic and supportive of you. Your very loyal friends will not abandon you. In these rough patches of life, you learn who your true friends are, and how strong and resilient you are. You also find out there are many people wanting to lift others up in their time of need, the human spirit...out of this illness you discover a lot of things about yourself and others. Life is a great adventure, with plenty of blips, to be sure...but you will get the fibromyalgia under control...

      Best wishes to you

      Merry Juliana

    • Jmac2
      Jmac2 Merry19451

      Posted

      Thank-you Merry19451, I do have a understanding husband. I was blessed the day he came into my life. He has been through everything with me. As for friends you are right you do find out who is who. I have had some pretty big blips thrown in my path of life. I have(which I do not claim, any more then the other stuff, I just go with the things that come with it)been diagnosed with Hepatitis C, Neuropathy,Reoccurring shingles and now this.This and the Neuropathy seem to have the worst of all. The pain in my feet is worse than before and now I have pain everywhere it seems. I just keep looking at the sky and thankfully be able to do it. I know there is a plan behind all of this, I just sometimes wish I knew it. I am learning so much for all of it,that I have more schooling now then when I was going to school,LOL Thank-you again Merry for being here. You help more then you know. Love Jmac
    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 Jmac2

      Posted

      JMAC,

      I too have a wonderful and supportive man in my life who is my natural antidepressant!

      Regarding the neuropathy in your feet, I too have had it for two decades, and found that Topamax alleviated the problem. Topamax causes a numbing in your feet, but totally removed the horrible burning in my feet. Not that many physicians are aware of this side

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451

      Posted

      Sorry,

      Continued

      Not many physicians are aware of this side effect and use it to the patient's advantage. I realize with Hep C one must be careful of liver toxic medications etc and interactions with your other medications. Just a thought, though, if I can help improve your quality of life. Fortunately, the treatment options for Hep C have improved markedly. I used to work with many individuals who were positive with Hep C.

      Lots of love,

      Merry Juliana

    • Jmac2
      Jmac2 Merry19451

      Posted

      The new medication for Hep C is really,really expensive. Insurance will cover some,but hesitant about paying at all. I was diagnosed in 2006. My sister-in-law was diagnosed two years before me. I watched her go through so many side effects, she was in bed most of the time for a year and a half. Went in remission for six months came back.She went with new med. and is cured. She was able to do all this through trial testing. So no cost to her. I was not able to do to insurance my husband carried through work. I told every doctor I went to (also very expensive) that I would put it all in God's hands. What happened would happen. The first thing He did was give me courage to stop drinking and doing drugs without with draws, craving it and gave all His strength. You really get to know your friends when you give up supporting their habits as well as yours,LOL. I just had blood work done and my GP is in awe of the fact my liver is healing it self. My numbers were running 1500 then and now running 68.Last year @this time it was 71. One small step, but a lot of belief.

      I have not heard of Topamax, but I will talk with doc. about it. Thank-you Jmac

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