Is thi8s the shingles or the medication?

Shingles effects different people in different ways like its little brother chicken pox.

Very often, as well as a rash that can be very painful some have the sympeoms of a very heavy duty cold....like death warmed up. Let's hope you don't suffer any of the possible long term effects like post herpetic neuralgia, which can be a miserable, painful thing. Let's also hope you don't suffer recuring shingles.... I've just had my ninth attack in as many years and have been taking Tramadol to control the pain for the last three years.

I'm all doom and gloom I know and it's a very small minority of us who do suffer like this, hopfully, you won't be joining the club.

It is likely the shingles rather than the anti viral. I always get alot of nerve pain, and random symptoms like indigestion or pain in the kidney or bladder and feel like I have a flu. I get little rash that doesn't bother me badly. Hope your feeling better soon.

Isabella ~ I would guess that it is your body working with the medication (I hope that you mean the Valacyclovir or the British version of it by some other name) and together they are waging battle with the (shingles) retrovirus.  This is a huge battle and I have always felt really rugged during the few days when this is on-going.  However, it is nothing compared to what you would have had for several weeks without the medication.  Let me know when you have turned the corner and are feeling better.  It is importantg that we continue this discussion on this page, as others need to know the outcome, Isabella.  Good luck, stay strong.

thanks folks. This is the first time I've had it and it's a pretty bad infection. I'm suppose to be going to my son's in a couple of weeks to spenmd Christmas and I hope I'm well enough to travel (the kids have had chickenpox)

how long does your flu like symptoms last?

How long is a piece of string?. The first time I had it it lasted all told for two weeks.

The second attack was about a year later and lasted about 10 days. It was after the second attack that the PHN started.

On the third attack Iwas prescribed an antiviral medicine I can't remember it's name but it did shorten the attack to about seven days, but unfortunately it didn't eliminate the virus because shingles is a recuring problem with me.

Attacks are quite short lived (around ten to fourteen days) but the after effects are more or less permanent.

Your grandchildren will be safe, then, if they have already had CP.  However, they might get shingles in later years.  We really have to make parents realize what a hazard CP is and get the children vaccinated.

I'm in my seventh day now and hardly able to get out of bed I feel so unwell and that's on top of the pain of the shingles. I can't help wondering if the tablets are contributing to this ill feeling. 

They usually give you a seven-day prescription for the aciclovir and the bettle will last at least that long.  Think of it as a battle because it is that.  You are the unwilling host of this battle and I only hope that you  can wait it out and then be free of the other ~ and worse ~ effects of a shingles "attack".  There is not much you can take to alleviate these problems ~ pain killers, etc., have no effect.  Just eat what you can for strength and get the correct amount of fluids ~ as much sleep as you can to lessen your awareness of your discomfort.  Try to avoid troubling yourself with other problems (like work or family responsibilities) as they must wait until you are back to normal.  People who have never had this should take it as a lesson from you about what shingles can be ~ and let's all "preach" about children getting the CP vaccine ~ we need to stop CP once and for all time.

I stopped the anti-viral medication, as I thought it contributed to my feeling crap, and on discussion with the GP was informed that if I hadn't started the medication within 72 hours of taking the infection, it would have to run its course. Unfortunately I put it down to an alergy until it was too late. I am now 14 days into it and the rash is fading but I still feel dreadful and the pain is very bad. I'm just so tired I dread the journey to my son's next monday although I'm flying.

I was told 4 days or 96 hours for the anti0viral but, on my first shingles event, the ER doctor would not give me the anti-viral because I was then at 6 days.  I suffered across my back, under my left arm and across my left breast for nearly three months and still have scars and PHN (post-herpatic neuralgia) in those locations 12 years later.  Now I know the symptoms and jump on it PDQ (pretty damn quck) ~ certainly within the 96 hours.  Too bad, Isabella, that it will put a damper on your Christmas plans ~ you have my sympathy.

thanks Susan and everyone. I'm a month on now, the rash has faded but the patches still look ugly and the pain is still bad. That I expect. What I didn't expect was this complete exhaustion. Some days I feel as bit better, then the next I can't get out of bed again. I see alot of people complaining about the pain, but nopt the ongoping exhaustion. Is this unusual? I spent most of my christmas break in bed.