Shingles PSA

[Veronica]

I had shingles while I was touring Nova Scotia by bike in 2006. I went to a doctor in Canada when all I had was the really bad headache. A few days after the doctor visit the blisters appeared all over one side of my forehead. I had no idea what it was and just kept riding. My oldest sister kept insisting it was shingles every time I called her to check in. (She's such a worry wart; she wanted me to call her every day.) Of course geographically she was my emergency contact. I didn't think I had ever had chicken pox. None of my older siblings or my mom can recall me having them. I guess it was a mild case.

I never got any medicine for it. I just kept popping advil and riding my bike. Maybe those 60 - 80 mile days pulling a trailer scared them away.

I didn't know for sure it was shingles until I went for my annual eye exam and I had some additional scarring on my corneas and my eye doctor asked if I had had shingles since my last visit.

I hope you have a quick recovery.

Veronica

[maillotpois]

My training partner got shingles a few weeks ago - in the groin area - and it sounded so dreadful that I got a prescription from my doctor and shelled out the $200 for the vaccine. I had chicken pox in my 20's and never realized there was any increase in risk because of that until my friend got it.

[Pax]

The year after my dad died my mom had the worst case I've ever seen. It's been two years and she still looks like her ribs are covered in burn scars.

I will be getting the shot as soon as possible.

[Blueberry]

So can you get the vaccine before 50? Or not? I've known that it was something I wanted to avoid - but didn't realize the vaccine was available (or that it had age recommendations).

Hope you feel better soon!

[maillotpois]

You can get it under 50 or 60, but you need a prescription in order to do so.

[zoom-zoom]

I had shingles 3-4 years ago, in my mid-30s. Started as a crazy tingle on my abdomen, then an insane itch...I had a cluster of blisters, but none actually ruptured. I self-diagnosed myself once the little pink spots started and got into the med-center. Doc confirmed my diagnosis and got me on Valtrex (herpes med) immediately. I think that greatly shortened and lessened the severity of my outbreak.

My brother had a similar outbreak that he never had diagnosed. Fortunately our immune systems seem to have been strong enough to avoid serious outbreak. A friend of mine had shingles on her face and has permanent scarring. It's scary, since it can lead to blindness if it develops in a person's eye.

My MIL's boyfriend had it during a skiing trip and spent a few days in the hospital.

Definitely something to vaccinate against, if possible. I like to think that maybe I am at less risk of a future outbreak, since I've already had it once.

[Blueberry]

Thanks, MP. I'll definitely add this to the questions to ask my doc at my annual list

[nscrbug]

I got the chicken pox last April (I was 43 at the time) and that was miserable enough. I've heard that shingles is 10x worse than chicken pox. My primary doc insisted that I didn't need to get the vaccine just yet, but after reading this...I think I'll encourage him to write me a script for it at my next visit.