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Shingles - fucidin h cream giving me shortness of breath

Posted , 4 users are following.

dan36959
dan36959

I've had shingles for about 5 weeks on one side of my back and chest. Unfortunately I did not get diagnosed until the second week, so I missed the opportunity to get the antivirals, however the doctor gave me fucidin h cream, a combination of steroid and antibiotic. 

Now after 4 weeks of applying the cream several times per day, the rash has been progressively fading but on some days I am still having fatigue and nerve pain throughout my rib cage. 

When I put on the cream, the pain subsides right away, but lately it seems to also give me shortness of breath and coughing that is quite annoying. 

Any reason why the steroid/antibiotic cream would be giving me shortness of breath?

1 like, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Merry19451
    Merry19451 dan36959

    Posted

    Dan,

    The corticosteroid cream in itself should not cause shortness of breath (SOB.) Fucidin or the preservatives and additives in the cream may be absorbed into your blood and causing an allergic reaction. I would stop the cream immediately and call your physician. If the rash has healed, scabs are off and skin clear and unbroken without an infection, you do not need the fucidin, and may be absorbing too much systemically. I do not know how large your rash is. As you seem to be sensitive to the medication, I would call the physician who prescribed it.

    I would try cool compresses and liquid Vitamin E Oil in the pharmacy for oral use...it is purer. It is very soothing. Also Lidocaine cream or sprays, especially with Aloe can be very soothing...Solarcaine with Aloe in the States advertised for Sunburns or Bactine for wound care contain Lidocaine.

    The hydrocortisone is what is helping you right now, BTW, not the antibiotic part of the cream.

    Sometimes, you just need a thick covering over the raw nerve endings to soothe the irritation and prevent them from firing so often. Vitamin E Oil is great for that. Lidocaine will actually numb the area for awhile, if you are in too much pain.

    I hope this helps you.

    I am a Nurse Practitioner in the States.

    I have had Herpes Zoster-Shingles in my right ear every three to five weeks for the past twenty-one years and twice in my right eye.

    Best Wishes

    Merry Juliana

    • renee1960
      renee1960 Merry19451

      Posted

      i have been having shingles for 30 years ..now i have been getting them every couple weeks...i really dont want to say where...i am really getting into  trying to be healthy and i dont know if going on healthy pre and probotic  are causing me to have shingles more often..with getting toxin out of my body.... i seen that you get them often how do you treat them. thanks
    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 renee1960

      Posted

      Renee,

      I would check the ingredient list of the pre/postbiotic food list to see which are high in Arginine, and which are high in Lysine. The amino acid Arginine triggers the Herpes virus, and the amino acid Lysine helps prevent it.

      I was trying to eat healthier foods by consuming more nuts and legumes. The frequency and severity of my Herpes Zoster-Shingles episodes increased markedly. Not until somewhat informed us us the connection between Herpes Zoster-Shingles and the Arginine and Herpes connection did it click with me.

      Let me know if this is the problem with you.

      Best Wishes

      Merry Juliana

    • dan36959
      dan36959 Merry19451

      Posted

      Thank you Merry. I got a sunburn spray with lidocaine but so far it doesn’t do much. Thankfully the pain seems to only surface at night though so at least it’s not all day.

      It’s been 6 weeks and even though the rash has mostly cleared up I am very tired and need to lay down often. Is fatigue part of PHN?

       I will go see the doctor this week to see about pain management. 

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 dan36959

      Posted

      Dan,

      Fatigue and Exhaustion are a huge part of the Herpes Zoster-Shingles symptoms. Unfortunately, physicians fail to inform their patients about this. You need to sleep and rest, sometimes for months afterwards. Obey your body's signals, as you cannot power through this.

      Best Regards

      Merry Juliana

    • dan36959
      dan36959 Merry19451

      Posted

      Thanks Merry, I appreciate the time you took to reply. It sounds like you've experienced a lot of these cases, including first-hand.

      ?Any idea what people do to adapt their lives to fatigue and recovery that can take months? Though so far my employer has been supportive, as the sole income for my family I'm scared about taking too much time away from work. Do people go on long-term disability for their recovery? 

  • Merry19451
    Merry19451 dan36959

    Posted

    Dan,

    You would apply the Vitamin E Oil topically.

    Merry Juliana

  • Merry19451
    Merry19451 dan36959

    Posted

    Dan,

    As someone who has experienced discrimination due to illness, even though I worked in the medical field, I would not try long-term disability unless absolutely necessary. I do not know your occupation, however. If you can work reduced hours, it is usually a better option. What is your occupation? Perhaps you have excellent job protection and can afford to go on and be approved for long-term disability. I don't know that you would be approved for long-term disability.

    I was terminated. I was a single mother.

    Best Regards

    Merry Juliana

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