Sharing my experience - recurring shingles

I also wanted to make you aware of another great support:

http://www.topix.net/forum/health/shingles/TPG8SQA6GG4P8OGVI

It is another place to post with other people going through shingles and PHN.

Thanks for the advise. Trying to remain positive. I do feel better knowing that others have experienced the same thing and that I am not just some isolated case. It does frustrate me because I feel that we and the general public have all just been mislead about the shingles virus and that the doctors are clueless about this disease.

I am 23 years old and I have recurring Shingles for 5 years now. I am perfectly healthy and yet it happens around once a month.

My first out break was the absolute worse thing ever. it was huge and on my arm and it itched so much but I honestly thought it was just poison ivy. (I play in the woods a lot) I used drying lotion and it worked out pretty well. My out break was gone after 3 weeks.

My second and continuing spot is on my left bottom cheek and is a big spot. for about a year I still thought it was poison ivy. finally I did some online research and figured out it was shingles. I realized that the tiredness that I felt constantly and the very sensitive feeling on the back of my legs that almost hurt was all related to that. Lets just say I am annoyed after 5 years. I have had nearly 60 breakouts in 5 years.

I am currently in an outbreak as we speak, except this time it has moved.. Lower. Lets just say an out break in the lady area is terrible. lucky my it is the size of an eraser is not smaller. I have been taking my Aciclovir twice a day and making sure I keep it clean.

My doctors don't believe me and that kills me because there has to be something I can do to make it stop. But of course "I'm too young for that to happen too"

It's so annoying when doctors are ignorant of a condition and don't believe you! I'm 65 and have been having

recurring shingles for 15+ years. I've noticed that it relates to certain things that I eat like nuts. One peanutand I break out in my usual spot on the back of my thigh. So I watch what I eat. I find that L-Lysine cream helps heal it quicker and prevents an outbreak.Try to eat the foods high in lysine and stay away from foods high in arginine. Google will give you a list.

Good luck!

Here I go again...the dreaded shingles!!! Since my first attack at 18years old I have had at least 6 bouts.

The vaccine, which I have only just heard of, should be available to everyone who has suffered this disease more than once. I am 60 now and absolutely dread getting it in my eye, it's bad enough round my

abdomen and back of thighs - which fortunately for me are the only two sites I have had breakouts. It's a

horrible condition as everyone who has had it knows. I've been off work all week as I am so irritable and in pain...I can't even get dressed - my skin is so tender I can't stand anything against it. Is there a pressure

group for us multiple shingle sufferers to be offered the vaccine? I will definitely try the Benzoic acid...thanks for that!! Good to know (but sorry to know) others are feeling like me ...Get well very soon xx

I am so happy and relieved to see that I am not the only one with this health issue! I have been suffering since 2000 and am turning 45 soon. Doctor’s have no idea what is going on and I have seen many over the years. I don’t get it as frequently as some of you for which I am now grateful. Please take your anti-virals right away. I did not years ago and have nerve damage now. It somehow got into my blood stream and affected my entire body. I see a neurologist and take Neurontin daily. Check with your doctor to see if this might help for you. My shingles normally appears on my collar bones and chest area. It does not stay on one side of my body either. A few years ago it appeared in my groin area and I freaked out. I have had numerous blood tests over the years and they always told me I was free of STDs. I’m currently waiting for the results of my latest round of tests to come back as my GYN thinks it’s genital herpes and not Shingles. I would love to create a US support group (I’m in DC). Please feel free to contact me.

Hello. Like everyone else here, it is at least good to know that I'm not on my own in having recurring shingles. I am over 60, had my first surprising bout in 2010, when this appeared as a quite small patch of very itch and painful blisters on one of my cheeks ( my bottom, not face!). I thought initially it was some bad reaction to

Insect bites. I'm currently on my 5th bout - with the shingles appearing on my left cheek each time now. I

Really sympathise with anyone who gets large clusters of shingles, as even a small patch like I get is incredibly painful and irritating. The skin around the outbreak becomes very sensitive and, probably because of the

site of the outbreak - touching the area around the shingles affects nerves regulating my bladder leading to a desperate urge to go to the loo! I consider myself to be very healthy, eat all meals from scratch, am very slim and active for my age; have my own business, but don't really feel I overdo things. I certainly don't feel

stressed. I think it's just random whether you get this or not - as there doesn't seem to be a clear cause of an outbreak occurring. I don't usually bother the doctor with this, but did go yesterday as my current attack has

come sooner than expected ( I was getting repeated outbreaks twice a year). The doctor was not aware of recurring shingles at all. She's gone away to 'look it up'. Meanwhile, she's taken a lot of blood samples to check if I am deficient in any minerals, etc. Before an outbreak, I do get a mild headache ( very unusual for me )

and then the inevitable itching starts.

Interesting that I've never had a cold since these have started, although I'm often surrounded by people with

colds. I have though now got a related? side effect of permanent tingling in my feet and skin that itches a lot - especially my back. The doctor is testing for diabetes - but, given my diet and active lifestyle - I will be extremely surprised if I have that condition. I'm starting to think the symptoms I have are all related to the Shingles. I

am someone who avoids medication wherever possible, as I am quite sensitive to most medications, and

usually feel nauseous or even more ill if I take anything that isn't 'natural'. It would be good to know whether these attacks will stop or decrease. I just hope they don't increase, or appear in other areas.

Reading these posts has been very helpful. I think I will not ask for the vaccine as I can't see that it will

change anything, and could actually aggravate the condition. I will try the tea tree oil and lavender, and after

I've got blood test results back - then research other natural remedies. I normally pride myself on being

extremely healthy and do everything to keep that way - so this is so annoying! I hope we find out what works

for each of us to prevent this painful, sleep-stealing problem.

I am so glad that I am not the only one with recurrent shingles. I am 24 and I am on my third round in a year and a half. The doctor currently has tests going for HIV... from there they are going to be testing me for an autoimmune disease.

Well finally a discussion about shingles that makes sense! We are all here because we have had shingles or continue to have regular bouts of the bloody Zoster virus. My story is quite shocking and one that has major impacts on my life. I contracted shingles 2 years ago and because i was miss diagnosed left me with severe Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. I was deaf on one side paralysed down the affected side, and almost lost my sight in the left eye too! I was hospitalised for a week and the mri showed severe swelling in the brain. Basically it was a close call!! 2 years on still deaf on the left side, have terrific daily phn pain and the paralysis is greatly improved. What i dont get is why a healthy fit young women in her prime should be struck so cruelly.

I have since had shingles about 4 times and quite natrually panic! I suffer for about 2 weeks with extreme fatigue, nerve ache in arms and legs. Feeling of malaise and unreality. My heart rate is increased and i only feel safe at home during an attack. I am just recovering from another bout and this time the shingles were in my hair on my ear and neck. Unfortunately it made me have a slight palsy and affected my speech.

Please some professional must know why we are plagued with this wretched virus.

Im too young for the vaccine but take aciclovir each time i get an attack. When im not fighting the virus i teach first aid to children so perhaps im always surronded by the Zoster! I do also suffer from a small wart and a persitent verruca so possibly riddled with it!!! Thanks for reading we are in this together

.

hi there i have been suffering with re-occurring shingles for 9 years and i have finally had enough after having 7 break outs this year!! i went to the docs this morning and he assured me that it is not shingles as you only get that once and it is in fact herpes simplex although i get severe pain down my right side in the few days before i get the rash (i get it in my right bum cheek) i feel disappointed that he just disregarded what i had to say i have read everything there is to read on this subject and seen countless doctors over it and some say its shingles some say its herpes

Hi all,

I'm 82 fit had Shingles some 7 months ago on my right arm which caused me the loss of use of upper arm and shoulder, I have now got the use of my arm back again although not completely and have started physeo' to strengthen my arm and shoulder to hopefully complete getting the use of my arm back. I am still getting severe shooting pains in my arm and surface pain on the lower arm and the inside of my wrist. I am currently taking PREGABALIN to help control the pain in my arm but not to great effect.

I would add that since getting Shingles I have had Blood Clots on both lungs which was treated with Warfarin followed with cancer in one Kidney which was removed successfully and am now well back to fitness and looking forward to a short holiday in warmer climes.

I wonder if anyone out there has any advice on pain management that may be an improvement on my existing medication?

Wow, got me worried now. I got shingles on my face first week in January. It was put down to a low immune system as I only finished active breast cancer treatment in last year. This week my youngest grandson has chickenpox & we had to look after him as his big brother has taken ill & is in hospital. I insisted on taking him despite my sons worry about me, but I really didn't think I could get it again. Can anyone tell me how close together their repeat bouts have been? I'm already fatigued because of cancer treatment, then the shingles.