Working with shingles

Hello, I am in beautiful Scotland,

I have had shingles for three or four weeks my stomach has not been well and the pain is absolutely horrendous.

I too went back to work today as needs must but I am lying in my bed with awful pain in my shoulder blade and in the breast and underarm.

So god you are not sensitive you are ill.

Take your holiday and rest yourself up and hopefully you will feel much better but watch cause just when I thought I'd turned the corner with it the little bugger has turned round and bit me on the ass.

I wish you well soon.Heather

Christiane,

Please know that most doctors don't know enough about shingles and the nerve pain that often comes with this virus, so don't rely on doctors to give you much help. This forum and research you do online is probably your best source to guide you. Listen to your body. Feeling tired with little energy can last for months. It is a long lasting after effect of shingles no matter what some doctors may tell you. Everyone is different in how they react to this serious illness. Try to practice relaxation techniques and avoid stress!!

Dear Christiane,

I am so sorry you are going through this disease, again. Most physicians are abysmally ignorant of the pain, the treatment, the accompanying symptoms, and management of Herpes Zoster Shingles.

They are unaware that the varicella virus invades your Central Nervous System (spine and brain) and is circulating throughout your entire body. They fail to consider that patients have fatigue, exhaustion, malaise, headache, depression and anxiety, to name a few.

Unfortunately, I strongly recommend that you rest and sleep this week. You cannot power through this disease. Depending on the location of the pain and rash, ie eyes and ears and head vs thorax, recovery varies. One needs the tincture of time.

Is the physician you saw your personal physician? If so, I would consider changing, ASAP, as he hasn't a clue about viral infections, let alone neurological disorders and shingles.

Please know we are here for you. Many of us are marginalized.

Best Wishes

Merry Juliana

Christiane, sorry to hear you got Shingles again. I'm not a doctor but I do know about Shingles being I got Shingles about 10 month ago and I was one of the unlucky ones that got the post pain which I still have. I don't know what doctor told you that depression was not part of it. You need to see a different doctor I think. I don't know if you can get the Shinkles shot in Canada but if you can as soon as you get rid of the Shingles they can give it to you. It's not saying you won't get shingles again but they say it won't be as severe. If you are depressed they should be giving you an antidepressent. Good Luck

Thank you everybody for your support. This is so helpful and makes me feel less isolated. My daughter is here for my vacation week and determined to spoil me, which I appreciate sooo much.

I will definitely look for another doctor. I got a fee recommendations from friends already.

I am not quite sure if I navigate correctly through this forum, but please be assured I am reading all the comments and replies.

Medication is a problem for me. I have a number of allergies and do react strange to chemicals. Most of the time I rely on natural remedies which help but take more time and yes as my grandma always said: "You are sick you have to stay in bed and take it easy. Our bodies tell us what we need"

Thanks again everybody.

Hi Christiane,

?I'm also 56, also in Canada, and am just recovering from the dreaded shingles diagnosed a few weeks ago.  In my case the Doctors at the small town emerg I attended were well educated about the condition, and I was my own worst enemy on my initial visit by refusing pain meds, not realizing how badly rest, even if brought about by meds, was important to the healing process.

?A second visit to the same emerg due to severe pain, in th wee hours of the morning a few days later, elicited the same wise counsel and care.

?My biggest disappointment was that my incredibly strong, heretofore seemingly invincible body had let me down.  There are so many ancillary components to the shingles diagnosis that they run the proverbial gamut.

I mostly want to let you know that you don't suffer alone, and that I wish you well.