Travel to Florida with shingles

Hi Paula I too had shingles last spring after a trip to Cancun Mexico! I also took antiviral meds within the 3- day window. I wasn’t feeling up to going outside among people until about the 3rd week, so you are doing splendid! I would definitely not advise being in the sun for prolonged periods of time. Although this trip will allow you some time to de stress, it won’t make your shingles outbreak leave any sooner!

I do advise you to ask your doctor if this early on in your treatment period if this trip is advisable from the doctors viewpoint.  If not, then when this terrible illness subsides (although some people never get any relief as a result after the initial shingles outbreak (PHN sets in afterwards), you may well be the small percentage of the lucky few who doesn’t come down with PHN! 

Good luck and I hope you can make your trip! Keep us posted 

Hi Paula  I got shingles last July and now suffer with PHN. Not bad pain like it was in the beginning but it is the burning and sometimes feels like my leg is frozen. I had it pretty much under control and then we went to Florida the last two weeks of December and I kept my legs covered. I walked the beach every day but never laid out to sunbathe. Even with it covered I had more burning pain than usual. It seemed to bother me more in the evening and I would place a cold wet towel over it and take an xstrength tylonal.  So staying out of the sun as much as you can is the best option

leg is freezing. 

Hello Paula, I know for myself that heat makes the outbreak worse and can trigger an outbreak. When I go swimming at the local pool I can't go in the hot tub, when ever I do it seems to activate an outbreak. Not always but why take the risk. Stress also is a major factor. Boy what a tough one. We need the sun for its healthy properties. I'm very fair skined so I always wear a lot of sun screen and hats. I limit the time spent in the sun but still have managed to enjoy our short summer! Maybe with careful planning you too could have a fun vacation . Maybe take the antiviral before going....Also keep taking lysine and other vitamins. Hope this helps. Best if luck gayleen

You already have shingles. You won't get MORE shingles if you're in the sun. But for other issues, I'd say it's hard to say. Some people get the anti-virals early like you and have almost no symptoms that bother them beyond where you are now. My hubby's like that (he's had them 4 times). But if the virus has progressed more, you may still be feeling ill or uncomfortable in the future. Every person is different, sad to say. I had a LOT of pain for about 12 hours, and only some mild discomfort before and after. I didn't get the tiny rash (like you) until two weeks later. Then I was VERY ill for weeks and now still have PHN 15 months ago.

Others get the rash, the pain and then the other symptoms like headache, nausea, severe fatigue and generally feeling lousy over the next few days or weeks. The anti-virals helps stop or slow down the spread of the virus. You may feel totally fine or you may feel worse in a few days. THAT would be a bigger concern to me than possibly having some sun. But as it's been a week and you feel OK, you're probably part of that lucky bunch!