Want to exercise after scabs gone but pain still here...
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hi Fellow Shingle Sufferers! I've had shingles across my lower left front for about 5 weeks. Got lucky with just about 10 spots. The scabs are gone and light pink spots remain. When I try to walk quickly outside, I get pain in my front and back again. Is it okay to push past this pain and power walk for 30 minutes twice a day or should I still lay low? I'm also eager to get back to the gym. Thanks!
1 like, 32 replies
usmc1963 debbie25
Posted
debbie25 usmc1963
Posted
Interesting point! From my understanding shingles doesn't discriminate! The people that I know who've had it have been over 60 - 1 male who admitted it and 2 females. I met one female salesclerk who had it at age 35- several times! It's not pleasant to go through for sure!
Merry19451 usmc1963
Posted
Hi,
Perhaps part of the issue is the marginalizing by newer physicians, who are ignorant of the excruciating and agonizing lancinating pain, the physician's ignorance regarding the accompanying symptoms, and their refusal to treat the pain properly with Opioids due to the overdose epidemic.
Best Wishes
Merry Juliana
babs99203 usmc1963
Posted
I don't know if it's fear of talking about it, but I've learned during this how many people either are or were dealing with things we never imagined. I DID get told at work, don't talk about my shingles, as people might start to think they could get it from me! However,! I do talk to as many people as asked me about it, trying to educate them. I've heard from many people who have had it many times (my hubby's had it 3 times), people who got it as a child, people who were fine in just a few weeks, others still recovering months or years later due to PHN. One thing we all seem to agree on is that there's not enough good info out there.
debbie25
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Merry19451 debbie25
Posted
Is there cheese with the whine?
LOL😓
Merry Juliana
debbie25 Merry19451
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Nancy6514 debbie25
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...to all of you co-shingles-sufferers...thank you so much for your entries. it is so helpful to share our miseries and to know that we're not alone. i'm learning that each person's experience is different and that there's not one consistent prognosis. this makes it so difficult to set expectations and time frames. i've had shingles for just shy of 2 weeks. initially, i had skin pain and achiness for a few days and then broke out in a rash on my inner thigh and groin (what a lovely location). i got to my doctor within hours of detecting the rash. she put me on famvir (anti viral med) immediately and told me i have a very good chance of escaping horror from this condition because we caught it so quickly. i had horrific 24-hour-a-day pain for just 4 days. i feel so lucky. and the rash has been a non-issue. but the remaining nerve pain? awful. it's in my lower left back/hip/glute and feels like someone is grabbing my insides and twisting and turning them. with no relief. i can't sleep. the pain wakes me up at night. i've gotten 2-3 hours of sleep each night. motion is my savior. i'm wearing a path around my first floor as i do laps through the night. i originally wound up at this site because i was looking for guidance as to whether or not i could work out, thinking it would help the stress, and relieve the pain. or at least soften it. but recognizing it's nerve pain, an exercise routine won't alleviate that but would for sure help with the stress. now i'm wondering if that's a good idea, as many of you are saying to give in to the virus and rest your suffering body. i get that too. ugh. what to do. i may try a light walk outside in the sunshine. with my music. it's been a great stress reliever for me in the past. although maybe not so much since i got shingles anyway! haha. again, thank you to all of you for your stories and suggestions. these kinds of sites are a gift. good health to all of you as well and may you wake up tomorrow morning pain-free! xo
babs99203 Nancy6514
Posted
Sigh...I hate to tell you but this sounds similar to my situation. I was on a very active vacation (hiking etc.) when I got a LOT of pain. for one evening, then was better with only an odd twinge. Two weeks later, the night we got back, I thought I had a couple of bumps so went to urgent care the next day. Both of us agreed that without any pain at the time and almost no rash it wasn't shingles. Wrong 6 days later, I had the type of pain that you described. I spent the first few nights pacing also. So, the anti-virals may have been too late as the real shingles was those first few signs, days before. The rash is only an outward sign of the condition. It has nothing to do with the amount of nerve pain involved.
Are you on Gabapentin or Lyrica? It's a difficult choice as the side effects can be miserable but it does help. Some suggest opioids, but many doctors won't give them. Personally, I'm not a fan. So here's my regimen: I use Aspercreme pain cream with Lidocaine, Extra Strength Tylenol 3 times a day (both of those were 4 times at day at my worst), I was at 2700 MG of Gab, which is a very high dose, and a prescription anti-inflmmatory I'd been on for years. There's some research showing that anti-inflammatories work well with Gab and enhance its benefit.
Many follow a similar protocol, and it's about the best that can be done. Anything to distract or relieve stress will help, but rest is the most important part. You may have to curtail that so you don't aggravate the nerves.
arik82 debbie25
Posted
Hi everyone. I'm here to join the club.
Mine started 8 days ago. I don't even know what this is when the rash comes out. I even popped them as I do with pimples. It started off as a pain at my back. It was painful I couldn't sleep. This last for 4 days. I can't even stand straight walking, curving as the pain drag my body. I cannot take it anymore, I bought a Capsaicin Salonpas and put 3 patches on my back thinking I must have sprain my back muscle. During that hot patches, I feel like the problem is gone. I can walk normally. But it seem like the hot patch created a pressure on my right chest, like the blood is moving thru it. Then I notice red rashes on my lower right chest the next day. No pain at all. There isn't any pustules until the 2nd day. It wasn't painful to touch at all. I even pop a few but I didn't notice any painful feeling like what the forumers here do. Then on 7th day, I notice that there's rashes on my back where I put the hot Capsaicin patch. It was shingles. This one isn't painful, it feel like damage skin slightly burning feeling but nothing excruciating. Thank God. I was wondering anyone of you here didn't experience pain or itch? Or does the pain come later like 2-3 week? I notice the shingles on my chest from clear blisters now becoming black spot. Was it healing?
arik82
Posted
Also I'm not on any prescriptions. I tot of overcoming this naturally since I'm not in pain and the site of the shingles are not on my face.
Merry19451 arik82
Posted
The level of pain can vary person to person, whether they started on Antivirals, according to the site, and age. Sometimes, the pain worsens the second and third week.
I would strongly advise to stop popping the vesicle-blisters, as you can cause a secondary staphylococcus infection and more scarring. The fluid on your hands contains live varicella virus, which is very contagious to individuals who have not yet had chickenpox, including pregnant women.
When all the vesicle-blisters have scabbed over, you are no longer contagious.
The Shingles is following a natural area on your torso, back to chest.
I would go easy with your activity level as Shingles pain worsens with increase exertion. Usually, the people on this site are the ones with more severe or prolonged symptoms or recurrent episodes.
Often ice or cool compresses help numb the pain.
You can also try an over the counter Solarcaine with Aloe, or ask your pharmacist for an
OTC high percentage Lidocaine cream. That will also help numb the pain.
I hope this helps you.
Best Wishes
Merry Juliana