redneck93
09-23-2007, 01:43 PM
I was diagnosed with shingles on friday,the dr. gave me Valtrex. I am in the "blister" stage and it feels like a bad sunburn. Everyone keeps talking about the pain associated with shingles,however,I really don't have any pain? Does the pain typically come after the rash goes away or am I just really lucky!
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sielee
09-26-2007, 11:57 AM
:wave: I think the amount of pain varies from person to person and a lot of it depends on the location. Some places definately hurt more than others. I got mine in middle school.. a massive covering of it. They sent me home thinking I had measles or something. :eek: It hurt pretty badly but not as much as some other things. A lot of the time it felt more like a burning sensation than straight up pain. Weird, right. :) They gave me some anti-inflammatory and some pain-killers. I don't remember that anything like Valtrex was available.. maybe it just works that well.
Hating glasses
09-26-2007, 03:35 PM
A lot of the pain depends on your age and overall general health. I have known two people who had it. My Mom, who was in her 50's when she got it, and my hubby, who is 35...he had it about a month ago. My Mom suffered from it for almost 6 months. She had pain killers but, that messed her up so bad that she decided to just try to live through the pain. But, since my Mom had it (a decade or so ago) science has improved on how to treat it and, since they know that it is a form of herpes, they now prescribe Valtrex to treat it.
My hubby is healthy as a whole. He works out and we eat healthy foods (except on the weekends when we tend to splurge). Also, given his age...his body fought it better than a person in their 50's or a child as our immune systems are not as strong when we are younger and when we get older. He sort of lucked out having it when he did. Not that having Shingles implies any kind of luck. But, if you have to have it, his age helped him suffer less and recover faster.
And, it sounds like you might have caught yours earlier than my hubby did so, perhaps your recovery will be even shorter than his was. He had it for about a week or more (blisters had formed and were already on their way to healing) before he finally went to the doctor...per my gentle prodding. Doc prescribed the Valtrex and gave him instructions to stay away from pregnant women, kids and the elderly and told him that he should be better in a week. In a week's time, he was better. His "Shingles Badge" (the blisters) were healing nicely and were only a nuisance because they itched like mosquito bites.
So, what you are experiencing, based on what I know of my hubby's symptoms, seems normal. Try to be patient. My hubby described the pain from his blisters as the feeling of someone having poured gasoline on his leg. He had them on his upper thigh.
Take it easy and I hope you heal quickly!
My hubby is healthy as a whole. He works out and we eat healthy foods (except on the weekends when we tend to splurge). Also, given his age...his body fought it better than a person in their 50's or a child as our immune systems are not as strong when we are younger and when we get older. He sort of lucked out having it when he did. Not that having Shingles implies any kind of luck. But, if you have to have it, his age helped him suffer less and recover faster.
And, it sounds like you might have caught yours earlier than my hubby did so, perhaps your recovery will be even shorter than his was. He had it for about a week or more (blisters had formed and were already on their way to healing) before he finally went to the doctor...per my gentle prodding. Doc prescribed the Valtrex and gave him instructions to stay away from pregnant women, kids and the elderly and told him that he should be better in a week. In a week's time, he was better. His "Shingles Badge" (the blisters) were healing nicely and were only a nuisance because they itched like mosquito bites.
So, what you are experiencing, based on what I know of my hubby's symptoms, seems normal. Try to be patient. My hubby described the pain from his blisters as the feeling of someone having poured gasoline on his leg. He had them on his upper thigh.
Take it easy and I hope you heal quickly!
redneck93
09-27-2007, 08:27 AM
Thank you both so much for your wonderful information! I hope that I just caught it early enough like you said. I went to the doc as soon as I saw the blisters starting to form. I currently am taking Enbrel for psoriasis,which lowers your immune system,which is why I got shingles in the first place. Right now it just feels like a bad sunburn and my skin is very sensitive to the touch,once in a while I get a "jabbing" pain,but all in all,it's better than I thought it would be. Thank you both again for your responses and I'll be sure to come back here if I need more good information and help! ;)
tess50
10-23-2007, 09:23 AM
hi just read your article thats odd because iv just developed a rash and looks like sunburn under my left bust,and im on embrel too.to another note i am due for surgery on monday for ankle replacement so they have stopped the embrel 2 weeks ago,i am feeling awful just waiting for docter.would you say embrel has helped you to be honest,this last year my walkings so bad and my joints are awful,i was better off without it,iv had so many chest infections and now this im sure is shingles,im so achy and rash looks like a crusty effect and getting sore now under my breast.please let me know how you are feeling and whats your verdict on this thanks teresa.what does it sound like to you.