Now I'm dealing with Medical Issue #3 Now!!

[jgibson]

Don't take this post as me venting. I'm really looking for feedback to make sure I'm covering all my bases.

Last Monday I left early from work because I thought I had the beginnings of a migraine. Slept for a couple hours, still had it when I woke up. On Tuesday I woke up with what I thought were bug bites across the left upper side of the ridge of my eye, next to my nose.

By Wednesday, they had broken out into some serious blisters. Not to mention that the left side of my face was starting to swell up too. I didn't want to take any chances, so I went to Vanderbilt's walk in clinic. After seeing two different doctors there, they lowered the boom on me....

Shingles!!!

"I'VE GOT WHAT!?!?" I thought I might have had a staph infection.

Talk about something hitting me out of nowhere.

Anyway, the blistering is around my left eye, and up around my hairline and under my hair on the left side of my face. They also sent me to an ophthalmologist to make sure the shingles were not in my eye. The good news is my eye was clear. Actually when I woke up on Friday, I couldn't barley open my left eye. Looked like I got hit by a baseball bat. So I went back in to the eye doctor and he checked me again. Eye was still clear. Still had 20/20 vision. But this time they gave me a prescription for steroid drops. Those seem like their doing the trick, because my eye is getting better (as far as the swelling goes).

The doctors at the walk in clinic gave me two prescriptions. One for Valtrex (Antiviral), and one for Lyrica (for nerve pain).

So, that's where I sand right now. My face looks like I slide into home plate face first. Or better yet, it looks like I have road rash on parts of the left side of my face.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. IT HURTS!!!! Actually the pain kind of comes in waves, so it's not consistent like my gall bladder pain was.

Anyway, my main goal is to make sure I don't need any additional medications for my heart. Everything seems ok right now. No fever. No raised heart rate. But I still have the swelling on the left side of my face. Any thoughts on what I should possibly do with this. The doctors are all convinced that since this a virus, the valtrex should take care of it. Just trying to see if anybody else has any other pointers.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Bina]

Oh boy Jeff, you have my sympathy on this one.......!
Many years after my Mom's kidney transplant she got shingles....I don't know how or where, but she got it. It was on her neck, ear, and part of her face. After it cleared up she still had some tingling and numbness in certain areas, but it did improve. I think I remember her having a cream to put on, maybe cortisone? I can check that out tomorrow.

 

[Adrienne]

I have heard or read that shingles is the same virus as chicken pox and that it comes back (not with everyone) many, many years later as shingles. Did you have chicken pox when you were a boy? Poor you, I hope the shingles gets better soon.

 

[jgibson]

Yes I Did

Yes I Did

I have heard or read that shingles is the same virus as chicken pox and that it comes back (not with everyone) many, many years later as shingles. Did you have chicken pox when you were a boy? Poor you, I hope the shingles gets better soon.

I did have chicken pox when I was a child. All the doctors have told me that it is easy to get Shingles when your immune system is down. Of course, I'm sure that a major heart surgery, followed by a gall bladder removal just two months later can possibly cause your immune system to go down a bit.

I hope I get rid of these soon too. I can't imagine what adults go through when they get chicken pox late in life because they never had them as a child. Ouch!!

 

[Nancy]

The chicken pox virus lies dormant in the nerves (which is why it is painful) in the body and for some people it just pops up out of nowhere, usually one sided.

Joe had it on his face, just like you. It was the worst rash I have ever seen. It was terribly painful. He did get anti-viral medication too, and something for the pain.

For some people the antiviral helps a lot. For Joe it did not. He suffered a lot with it, and it remained painful for years. There was not much help at all for the pain.

I hope you are one of the ones who is helped by the antiviral. Not much you can do about the rash until it heals up.

I think for most it is a one time thing, but it can recur in a few.

I am very sorry you got it. I think it is fairly common, unfortunately.

 

[surfsparky]

Just wanted to chime in and say sorry to hear all that you are going through. You have had MORE than your fair share lately of health problems! Enough's enough!

Thinking and praying for you and hope you recover soon,

Yolanda

 

[Philip B]

Shingles

Shingles

I got hit with shingles in late July. Mine were on my right leg. I didn't have a clue about what was going on. I was at a golf school and my clothes broke the blisters open. My leg was a mess and the pain was intense.

The doctor I saw told me it was stress induced and related to the chicken pox thing (a kind of herpes simplex). My doctor was probably right about the stress induced stuff. At the time I broke out, I had been invited to consider a new job which would have resulted in a short notice move across the country. My wife was extremely stressed about the situation which put more stress on me.

Your meds sound the same as mine. It took about a week for the blisters to settle down and a few more weeks for the scabs to fall off on their own. Unfortunately, I ended up with some scars. I hope you fair better than I did.

-Philip

 

[DebbyA]

Jeff,

How awful for you! I hope they can get it under control soon. Good news that your eyes are safe.
There is a shingles vaccine, but it is currently (in the US) only available to those over 60, and not covered by insurance. When I had a checkup just after 60th birthday my doctor recommended it. I asked why I might be susceptible since I don't have a history of shingles. She said because of getting older and be cause it can be brought on by stress, like upcoming heart surgery.

Good luck!

 

[Mb]

Oh gosh, I feel badly for you. What a time you've had!

My husband got shingles, after opening the top of the wok when I was cooking dinner one evening. Steam hit him in the forehead. Two days later, shingles. He also ran back and forth to the Dr. having them check his eye.

I've known a number of people who came down with the shingles....Our daughter at age 24, a nephew at age 32, etc.etc. Very painful, and am glad I have not contracted them myself.

I hope this runs its course quickly for you......


Mb

 

[EVELYN]

One of my best friends just got over shingles.....it took a while and her eye was also involved. I can remember her saying how much it hurt and she felt as though she wanted to rip her eyeball out of the socket. I'm sooo sorry you
now have to deal with this.

BTW, she is now fine, but it took a bit.

Evelyn

 

[njean]

So sorry to hear that you've been aflicted with shingles! That is a terrible illness & I sympathize with anyone who's had it! My poor sister got them the year before last, (on her back & chest) & she was absolutely miserable. The pain she said was enough to drive her insane! The doctors gave her ointments & meds to relieve some of the pain but she was still pretty bad. And the doctors told her that some people suffer shingles for years while the more fortunate, will have them for a few months & they'll go away but there's always a chance they may return. And as others have posted, she was told that stress tends to trigger them in some people. (my sister had been through a very stressful period in her life -- lost her husband to cancer & then her son, two years later!)

Hang in there & I pray that it gets better for you! Hopefully you're one of the lucky ones & recover from them soon!

 

[Mary]

Hey Jeff!

Been there, done that!

Mine appear on my left thigh; similar to Phillip's.

I was afraid I would have an outbreak right after valve replacement, but they held off for four months. Then I had the case from Hell!

The Valtrex will take care of them, and you should have no problems with your heart.

In my case, stress, either physical or emotional, brings an outbreak. My family physician put me on a preventive dose of famvir last September, and it's working. I did go ahead and get the shingles vacine a few months ago, and I'm hopeful that I have no more outbreaks.

 

[WayneGM]

Sorry to hear this. I had a bad case of shingles in 1985 and I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy. In my case, it was the lower half of my body. I was off work for a month as I could not wear anything other than a hospital type gown (although I wasn't hospitalized). It is viral, related to the chicken pox family, but unfortunately while the ointments help to sooth the pain, this tends to be one of those things that once it outbreaks, runs its course until it goes away. I was told at the time that it is something that can lay dormant and then be triggered by something, often stress related. I've been lucky, it hasn't ever reoccured (knock wood).

I hope it clears up soon. Best wishes.

 

[Superbob]

Jeff,

So sorry you are having this latest problem. I think you have had your quota of medical issues now, so all should be getting better. I had chicken pox as an adult and it was the most miserable I have ever been in my life. Actually recovering from OHS was a piece of cake compared to that. So I empathize with what you're going through. Hope all improves soon for you.

Cheers,

 

[Curtsmum]

Jeff,
just wanted to say sorry and hope it passes as quick as possible, sorry no advice.

 

[JAJ99]

I don't know anything about shingles, but I hope you feel better soon. You've had a rough time since your surgery . I wish this all behind you!

 

[jgibson]

Yes, the pain is bad

Yes, the pain is bad

For those of you who have had shingles, how long did it take you to catch it before you went on your antiviral medication?

I can't remember if the blisters started appearing on Monday of Last week, or on Sunday evening, but I would have started the meds on day 2 or 3 at the latest (I hope).

I've read that the quicker you catch it, the quicker you can get rid of it. I'm just looking for any kind of hope here. I know it's when people wait weeks that it can really turn into a problem, and if people have it around their eye, and don't get on a medication fast, it can move into the eye. Scary situation.

I was in our church service this morning, and I got a wave of pain behind my eye that felt like somebody stuck a hot poker in it. Thought it was going to knock me over.

I'm really looking forward to getting this behind me.

 

[Mary]

For those of you who have had shingles, how long did it take you to catch it before you went on your antiviral medication?

I can't remember if the blisters started appearing on Monday of Last week, or on Sunday evening, but I would have started the meds on day 2 or 3 at the latest (I hope).

I've read that the quicker you catch it, the quicker you can get rid of it. I'm just looking for any kind of hope here. I know it's when people wait weeks that it can really turn into a problem, and if people have it around their eye, and don't get on a medication fast, it can move into the eye. Scary situation.

I was in our church service this morning, and I got a wave of pain behind my eye that felt like somebody stuck a hot poker in it. Thought it was going to knock me over.

I'm really looking forward to getting this behind me.

Generally, if you start the medication 48 hours after the first sign of the outbreak, the drug can significantly reduce the pain and stop the spread of the blisters.
I think you will do ok since you got started about the 3rd day. The medicine will not be as effective as it could be, but it will help in a significant manner.
Don't forget . . . you can't be around anyone who hasn't had either chicken pox or the vacine. You are contagious until the first blisters start to heal and you have no new ones.

 

[WayneGM]

To be honest I had it checked at the ER as soon as I felt "something funny", probably no more than 2 days after the first signs. It started in my lower body so I thought it might have been something else if you get my drift

It was a few day after that, when it got REALLY bad, so I did catch it early but it was still too late and it had to run its course.

 

[Tiffin]

I am sorry that you are suffering from shingles.

Last year I had an attack of Bells Palsey from my childhood chicken pox.

Also got the antiviral medications. Doctor told me if they can catch the virus within 3 days of outbreak the medications works the best.

I get on my elbow area a feeling of burning or raw rubbing and now know that is a sign that the virus is going for an outbreak. In fact I have to call doctor tomorrow because that is starting again.

Heart surgeries seem to make the virus act out worst in my opinion. Never had problems with it til now.