Skeye wanted a shingles update

The shingles have finally cleared up.  Even after the pain stopped I still had skin tenderness, numbness and my sores would flare up at times.  My PM doctor prescribed lidoderm patches and I wore 3 each day for a long time (these are not cheap even with insurance).  Just a little hint with the lidoderm patches.  You can wear up to 3 at a time for 12 hr on then 12 off.  I found that if I took my shower at night I'd wait and put them on in the morning.  They seemed to stick better if you waited instead of putting them on after a shower.  Thanks for asking Skeye and for everyones support and suggestions.  Don't ever want them back.  Still not sure why I got them but it was shortly after having an injection in my back and now I'm very leary of getting anymore. 

Hi Jag,

I usually post in the Fibro section, but I saw the title and had to reply.

You mentioned that you developed Shingles after a injection in your back. I don't know what kind of shot it was, but I had bursitis in my shoulder yrs ago and the dr gave me a steroid shot. A wk later I developed Shingles, never thought there was a connection. Yrs later I read that steroid shots can bring on a case of Shingles. I have been blessed w/ about a dozen bouts of Shingles and never had another steroid shot. I have also been told you can only get Shingles once. NOT!

Last yr I had gone to an ortho due to problems w/ my shoulders and knees. First thing he said, steroid shot. I said no and told him why. He basically smirked and said how helpful it would be. I still refused and that was that.

This isn't meant to scare you, just to give you a heads up. I never had pain patches given to me for Shingles, just oral med and it made me sick. I have had the patches this past yr for my shoulder, knees, and Fibro pain and yes, they are so expensive.

Glad you're feeling better, hope you never get them again.

God bless.  Alice.

 

That is why my PM doctor had me using the lidoderm patches for so long to make sure I didn't have on going problems with them. My mother in law is 85 and she still has pain from a shingles attack over a year ago. Age is a real factor with shingles as far as long term effects. I go to my PCP in Jan. for my yearly check up and will talk to her about the vaccine. But as Alice said steroids can bring on a shingles attack also. I got mine after a steroid/numbing agent shot but it was also about the time I had quit my job and applied for SSDI so I'm not sure which brought it on but the steroid injections have me scared now.

Shingles is the chickenpox virus, You can not get shingles unless you have had the chicken pox. Once you have chicken pox the virus hides away in the nerve cells, and remain dormant, if for some reason your body is stressed or your immune system is lowered or compromised the chicken pox virus will become active and come out as shingles! If you notice when shingles appear they follow the nerve root path. Because that is where they reside, and that is also why they are so painfull! In some people Steroids lowers your immune system, they often tell you to avoid people with colds or with the flu while you are on steroids! So that might be why you got shingles, the steroid lowered your immune system and the chicken pox virus came out. When you have shingles you should avoid being around any one that is pregnant, or any one who has not had chicken pox or has not been vaccinated for the chickenpox. Because they can get chicken pox from the person with shingles!
And now you know the rest of the story!

White Beard