Recurring Shingles

I am a 45 yr old female with a healthy diet, physically fit & 'on paper' in excellent health. However, I am currently experiencing my 13th bout of shingles in the last 12 months. Initially the bouts were spaced a month or so apart. More recently they have been every 2 weeks. I thought maybe I had reached a plateau when I had a space of 4 weeks but have now had 2 bouts with only 10 days apart.

My GP has been excellent & is as exasperated as I am. Apart from having a full body CT scan I have pretty much had every else tested. I have even had an HIV test so that we can rule that option out as well as testing for any underlying cancers or disorders. As I said 'on paper' I am sickeningly 'normal' & healthy.

I recognise that stress can be a huge factor in enabling the virus to take hold. Certainly, over the last 12 months I have had many outside stresses which were pretty much beyond my control - death, family illness, problems at work. However, in recent months things are getting back on track & in the last 5 weeks I managed to have a relaxing holiday, an easy week at work & 2 weeks at a convalescent spa. I well & truly cleared the decks. Unfortunately I managed to break out in a rash just prior to going to the spa & then again towards the end of the 2nd week.

I have to admit that I then felt very low & wondered what on earth I could do in addition to break the cycle.

I have a friend who is a practitioner nutritionist. She has adviced Lysine to continue over an 18 month period. I have also had 2 periods of a month where I have attempted to boost my immune system with a high dose probiotic & Vit C supplement. I take Manuka '12' honey daily and a 'lemoil' solution which is a high dose (easily absorbed) Omega 3 & 6 oils in a palatable solution. I love fruit & veg. I eat lots of organic fat free natural probiotic yoghurt.

I have probably had about 5 courses of the Acyclovir antibiotics over the time but recognise that it does nothing to prevent the virus. It does however, dry up the rash much more quickly & lessens the neuralgia pain.

I have grown to recognise when I am in for another bout of shingles. For about 7-10 days prior to the rash appearing I will get the neuralgia pain in my lower back. It is mostly bearable but on occasions has stopped me sleeping & sometimes is sharp enough to stop me in my tracks or make me 'jump'. During this time period my mood can become very low & I have no energy or motivation. For someone who is normally a 'bubbly' person at work & gyms/runs regularly I find this aspect the most debilitating. It is hard to pick myself up & start again as the symptons lessen. Usually once the rash appears it is like someone has turned a switch back on & I feel fairly 'normal' again.

Having exhausted my GP's list of tests I arrived home today to find a message from her on my 'phone. I last saw her yesterday & she was going to speak with a consultant colleague for more advice. The next stage is that at the very start of my next rash she needs to take swabs from the blisters & get them sent off for analysis. I will keep you posted.

I try to remain positive & hope that I may experience some 'knock-on' effect from my 'resting' period in the coming months. I do feel lucky in having a sympathetic GP. I think the illness has struck a chord with her as we are of similar age, I am on the face of it, very healthy & she clearly doesn't enjoy being beaten....

I generally get a lot of sympathy from persons who learn of my 'problem. I do feel however, (& maybe it's unfounded) that my usual work colleagues are a bit fed up of it. Other than a week off when I had the first bout I have taken no other sick leave. I am sure however that my work attitude & tolerance has changed. I think as well because my symptons aren't necessarily obvious to them that they may think its all something & nothing. Who can blame them? I get on my own nerves!! It is a very tedious illness.

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