Shingles Suck

[Mac66]

Picked up a case of shingles. About 10 days ago my left ear started bothering me, just kinda sore in the opening. I wear hearing aids so I thought it was just some irritation which sometimes happens. Got sorer over the next few days and by the 4 the day full blown earache with a painful streak running up the side of my head from my ear. Went to the doctor who put me on steroids which didn't help and the pain spread to the side of my head. The side of my face broke out into a rash and by then the whole side of my head was sore. Started looking at the cause of the symptoms and my son who is a PA suggested that it could be shingles.

I had shingles before, around my ribs. Very painful like a bad sunburn. Went back to the doc and he confirmed shingles. Prescribed anti virulent and pain meds. You can't cure shingles, the AV is to stop the rash from spreading it and the pain meds make you more comfortable while you wait it out.

Been pretty miserable the last couple days. Internally it has spread to my jaw and neck. They both just ache with severe pain. Still shooting pains up the side of my head from my ear. That's on top of the constant headache.

Switched to pain meds from when I had my knee replacement, they worked a little better than what the doc prescribed.

While shingles is not contagious. I haven't felt like going out or doing anything. We were supposed to go up to the woods house a couple days ago and visit my son on the west side of the state on the weekend. If I start to feel better by tomorrow we may go. If not. I ain''t moving.

The good news is that I had nothing to do but watch the inauguration which was interesting to say the least.

[tom mac]

There is a shot that protects for about 10 yrs....won't work now but for future
Got mine about 6 yrs back, have heard it's painful
feel better

[Mac66]

There is a shot that protects for about 10 yrs....won't work now but for future
Got mine about 6 yrs back, have heard it's painful
feel better

Yeah, I got the old vaccine. We've been putting off getting the newer Shingrex vaccine. Just haven't had time. Wish I'd gotten it.

I'm still in a lot of pain. Not fun at all.

[Mac66]

Its now been 3 weeks since the first symptoms showed up. Still in a lot of pain and taking pain meds every 4 hours. Got tired of laying around so came up to the woods house and have been working in the barn.

That was after clearing snow off the long driveway with the tractor and shoveling the cement pad in front of the garage

Temps are in the low teens which means being bundled up which means slow work. I'm assembling pallet rack shelves which are very heavy. Worked for about 3 hours in the cold then came in and took a 2 hour nap.

My ear, jaw, neck and the left side of my head still ache constantly.. shingles still suck

[Mac66]

Been a month since I came down with shingles. While they have subsided somewhat I'm still in pain. The whole left side of my head from my nose to the back of my head still hurts. That includes my teeth, jaw, neck, throat, and ear. I've cut out the pain meds I used for my knee replacement. They really helped but I didn't want to use them too long. Back on Tylenol and the nerve pain meds.

I called my doctor and asked him if there was anything else I could take for the pain he said yes but it is a controlled substance or I could just take 2 nerve pain meds instead. I opted for the nerve pain meds which sometimes makes me sleepy. When I took 2 of them at a time they made me dizzy and sleepy and pretty much useless so I went back to taking one. I do sleep well, at least until my head starts hurting and wakes me up around 5 am every day. Another pill puts me out until 8 or so.

So bottom line, shingles still suck

[Erich]

So sorry.

[Mac66]

Another week +, still got the shingles just not as bad. Still taking the nerve pain meds. Usually wakes me up about 5 am every morning to take more meds. SHINGLES SUCK.

[Mac66]

Well...my face/side of my head is getting better. Still is sore to the touch and bothers me a couple times a day, Just kind of irritating. I found putting a frozen washcloth on it helps numb it. I wish I'd thought of that before. I'm down to one pain pill a day just before I go to bed. Now been 6 weeks. Shingles suck

[tom mac]

sorry to hear... it's taking a while.