Time To Raise the Roof, I Have the Shingles!
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (118442)
Gainesville, Florida
July 31, 2016 3:01pm CST
No, I'm not a roofer, and no I'm not putting new shingles on my house. I have come down with a case of the Shingles on my head, neck and face. You know, the disease caused as a result of getting Chicken Pox when we were kids? Yeah, that Shingles.
I've always heard how painful Shingles can be, but now that I have it I can certainly understand what all that fuss was about. It's very painful, and everywhere from my neck up is super sensitive to the touch right now.
I was able to see my doctor this morning and get some antiviral medication, but Shingles is not curable, so I'm just going to have to let it run its course. The medication should help temper how bad it gets though.
I'm surprised I knew very little about the virus. I always just thought it was a grown-ups version of Chicken Pox, and it is in a way, but much different. Apparently, once you've had Chicken Pox, the virus goes dormant in your body, attaching itself to nerve endings in your body. Nobody knows for sure what triggers the virus to wake up, but when it does, wow, watch out! In my case, the virus activated along a nerve in my neck, and the virus breakout followed that nerve stem in my neck, face and head.
At first I thought this wouldn't be so bad. You know, like once you get Chicken Pox you'll never get it again. I thought now that I have Shingles I'll never get it again. Nope, doc says there's no limit to how many times a person can come down with Shingles. Great, way to ruin my day, doc!
Have you ever had Shingles or Chicken Pox?
30 people like this
32 responses
@marlina (154166)
• Canada
31 Jul 16
@moffittjc I can imagine the pain you are in, as I still remember mine when I had the shingles.
Good luck.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Jul 16
@marlina Thank you! How bad was your Shingles, and how much of it did you have on your body?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Jul 16
Mine hasn't spread near my eyes yet, so I'm hoping I don't have to go through that, but it is in my right ear, and that is killing me! Doc prescribed painkillers along with my antiviral medicine, so starting tonight I'll be taking it when I go to sleep. It hurts just to lay my head on the pillow!
4 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
31 Jul 16
I sympathise with you as I've had both. I've never heard of anybody getting it in their head, I thought the usual place was round your middle, which is where I had it. The pain is horrible, isn't it? I hope it doesn't last too long for you.
6 people like this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Jul 16
The two people I know that had Shingles both had it on their torso. Doc says people can get it anywhere on their bodies, but he did say it was unusual to get it on your head. Oh well, why be like everyone else! I guess I like to be different! lol
5 people like this
@1creekgirl (40523)
• United States
2 Aug 16
@moffittjc My case of Shingles was on my forehead and down the middle of my nose. Thank the good Lord it didn't go into my eye.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
@1creekgirl Wow, that was an interesting location to get Shingles! Everyone I've talked to that has had it on their head has dealt with the same situation as me, where it spreads only on one side of their head and neck! But I guess you've got us all beat with your case! lol
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
31 Jul 16
both I spent a whole summer being shingled from mid abdomen all on m y left side to mid back and I was fortunate to have been stopped fro m working as it was painful but the anti viral med did really help me and I had it where it
where it would not show when I got dressed.they were tiny little electric
shocks is what they felt like, painful
4 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
31 Jul 16
@moffittjc yes it would be better if you just stayed ho me thats when I found myl;ot and sp ent a lot of time here too.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Jul 16
Yeah, I know what you mean. Every little touch to my head, neck or face feels like I am being electrocuted! Very painful! Doc says my sores should clear up in about a week to two weeks, but he said the pain can linger for a month or longer. I have nothing that prevents me from being able to go to work, but with sores all over my face and head, it is rather embarrassing so I may just take the week off and relax at home.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Jul 16
@Hatley Well, I guess if there is one advantage to staying home with the Shingles, it's that I get to spend more time on myLot! lol
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
31 Jul 16
I have had chicken pox but not shingles. I hope you feel better really soon!
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Aug 16
Thanks Jennifer! I hope I can get through this quickly!
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
31 Jul 16
No to shingles fortunately but I have seen many who have. I hope that they are not too painful for you. Rest up! It is worse to catch chicken pox as an adult.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
4 Aug 16
@moffittjc You can be left with some residual discomfort in the nerve pathways. I hope that it settles down very soon!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Aug 16
@garymarsh6 Yeah, my doctor told me I would be dealing with lingering pain afterward. Most of my sores are healed now, but I definitely still have the lingering pain for sure. It's driving me crazy.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Jul 16
It's very painful to the touch, but luckily its on a part of my body that doesn't require clothes. I could imagine how painful it would be for someone's clothes rubbing against the affected area. That would be a killer! My only issue is sleeping at night, it is very painful to lay my head down on the pillow. But I've got some strong painkillers I picked up today that I'll start using tonight to help me sleep.
2 people like this
@tnmathewsbsuedu (51)
•
31 Jul 16
I had chicken pox when I was young but don't remember what it felt like. My brother had shingles.. he said it hurt! :/
In order to heal up more quickly you should take into account the type of virus... Shingles thrives in an arginine rich environment. Keep this chart in mind when choosing what to eat ;)
Foods with Lysine (Encouraged)
All meats
Fish
Yogurt
Cheese
Milk
Eggs
Apples
Pears
Apricots
Avocados
Pineapples
Green beans
Asparagus
Foods with Arginine (Avoid)
Tomatoes
Wheat Germ
Brussels sprouts
Cashews
Grapes
Pumpkin Seeds
Pecans
Blackberries
Blueberries
Peanuts
Chocolate
Sugars
Also I found this --
Equal parts of tamanu and tea tree oil (Calophyllum inophyllum and melaleuca alternofolia) 5x a day diminished the pain (after initial burning when used) and within 5 days the blisters had healed completely leaving only a red patch. -- be careful with essential oils though!
Good luck!
4 people like this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Aug 16
Thanks! I wish I would have had this list earlier...I've been eating a lot of chocolate, peanuts, cashews and grapes today! lol
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130064)
• India
1 Aug 16
I had herpes zoster probably the same as shingles. way back in the year 2013 I had it on the back of my left leg from knee down to the middle of the calf. It has left numbness on that leg and now the docotor thinks I am on my way to varicose veins. Not a happy situation.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Jul 16
They provide the Shingles shot to children nowadays (both of my children have had the shot), but they don't offer it to adults until age 50. Actually, you can get the shot at any time, but the cost is not covered by insurance until you reach 50. Doc says that now that I've gotten Shingles, I can just wait it out a few more years and get the shot when I'm 50.
2 people like this
@amadeo (111948)
• United States
31 Jul 16
@moffittjc wow!what is the cost of this?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Jul 16
@amadeo I'm not sure what the cost is, by my doctor said there's no use in paying for it now, since I have the shingles. He said after I heal I should be good to wait another 3-4 years before getting the shot, after I pass 50
@xFiacre (12597)
• Ireland
31 Jul 16
@moffittjc I sympathise. Long time ago all 5 of my kids and my wife got chicken pox over Christmas. No fun there, and I know a lot of people who've had shingles in some very painful places.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Jul 16
I feel bad for people who get Shingles on parts of their bodies that require clothing. It must be hell putting on clothes when your skin is so sensitive to touch as a result of Shingles. I'm having trouble laying down to sleep at night, because just laying my head on the pillow is extremely painful.
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
1 Aug 16
I had chicken pox as a child. I had Shingles a few years ago. My doctor, every time I see him tells me to get the preventative shot but Its not covered with our socialized medicine... I keep asking my doctor why it isn't covered and he has no answer. Its usually seniors who get Shingles so what's up with that? It certainly was not a pleasant illness and I have phantom pain usually in the winter off and on occasionally in the areas that bubbled up when I had it a few years ago... What does it cost you in the states for the vaccine for Shingles? Just thinking about it makes me want to spend the couple hundred dollars and just make sure it doesn't happen again... Although there is news the government might be paying for it soon... I hope you have a short version...
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Aug 16
Not sure what the cost of the shot is here in the States, but I can try to find out. I asked my doctor why the insurance companies make you wait until you're 50 before they'll cover the cost of the shot, and he said it's because Shingles mostly appears in seniors. However, from everyone I've talked to that has gotten Shingles they all got it in their 30s and 40s! So my questions is, why wouldn't the shot just be covered by insurance for anyone of any age?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Aug 16
@PainsOnSlate I was reading up on it a little bit more this morning, and it used to be that the shot was only available to people in their 60's or older. It's only been recently where they've lowered the age to 50. Maybe one day in the near future they'll realize that they should just offer it to everybody, regardless of age!
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
1 Aug 16
@moffittjc it would be nice if that would happen. Especially when some get it, get it coming back every few years. ( I was in my 60's when I got it)
1 person likes this
@AutumnSnow (4584)
•
31 Jul 16
WOW Im sorry you have to go through this. I never really knew what it was till just a few years ago a friend of mine got it and I politely asked and she explained it to and show me on her arm where it started it looks really painful and scares me cause I had chicken pox when I was 16.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Aug 16
Wow, you got chicken pox pretty late! It's very uncommon for teenagers to get it, as it's something kids get when they're really young!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Aug 16
I'm starting to learn from talking to so many people that you can get shingles at any age, although it's most prevalent in seniors.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
@JAMTECH Me neither, until I started looking into it more. I probably would have been better off not knowing all this stuff! lol
1 person likes this
@itslikethistome (796)
• United States
1 Aug 16
Yes Shingles is very painful. I had a bad case of chicken pox as a young child of 7 and I didn't get my first case of Shingles until 30 years later. It continued up until the year of 2005. What stopped and prevented my Shingles from ever coming back once or twice a year was the Amino Acid L-Lysine 500 mgs or 1000 mgs in capsule form is best. To keep the Shingles virus and outbreak from ever rearing its ugly head again I take 500 mg tablet or capsule a day.....The beautiful thing about the amino acid L-Lysine is that almost immediately it took away the excruciating pain from my then Shingles outbreak. This Amino Acid L-Lysine and when I sensed another outbreak coming on I would take 500 mgs 3x a day of this God-send amino acid for 3 or 4 days or until the symptoms of an impending outbreak disappeared. ANOTHER amazing thing about this wonderful amino acid is that it QUICKLY dries up a bad outbreak of Shingles as well.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Aug 16
Is this something you can by over the counter or at a health food store? I might have to check it out!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Aug 16
@itslikethistome Thank you! I'll check it out. We have a vitamin store right down the road from where I live!
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (48445)
• Canada
1 Aug 16
@moffittjc That time it took a good 2 weeks, it went from my cheek across to my ear and then it went across the back of my head, in my hair. It was hot as it was July and it was very miserable. I had a very light bout of it that time, the next time when it was on my chest I had it for 2-3 months. They'll probably offer you painkillers, and with me, I took them a couple of days and just slept thru what would have been the worst 2 days.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
@Juliaacv Your experience with shingles on your head sounds exactly like what I'm going through now! Except mine started on my neck and then went to my ear and then to the back of my head. We even got it at the same time...in July! lol
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Aug 16
When you got it on your head and face, how long did you have it before it healed and went away?
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40523)
• United States
2 Aug 16
I'm glad you got to your doctor early since meds can help lessen the severity. Ask your doctor about the Shingles vaccine. I had that, but then had the Shingles a few years later. The vaccine and the fact that I got to the doctor quickly kept it from being a really bad case.
Hope you'll improve soon!
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40523)
• United States
2 Aug 16
@moffittjc That's too bad, a lot of young people get Shingles also.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
@1creekgirl Yes, I've been finding that out lately. I can't believe how many people I've met over the past few days that tell me they got shingles in their younger years, as opposed to their older years.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
He did talk to me about the vaccine. I'm not old enough to get the shot yet, I have to wait until I'm 50.
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Aug 16
How long did it take you to get over it? And how bad did you have it?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Aug 16
@KristenH My doctor says to let him know immediately if I start getting it near my eye, as there can be complications with vision. So far, it seems to be concentrating itself on my neck, side of my face, ear, and head. Let's hope it doesn't work its way around to the front of my face or toward my eyes.
@KristenH (33351)
• Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
1 Aug 16
@moffittjc I had it for a month, when I was in the middle of moving and my water therapy for my back pain. So I had to sit it out for about 5 weeks. I had it on my face and near my eye. My doctor sent me to my eye doctor--but it wasn't in it. But that's about it.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Aug 16
@DianneN I'm working on it! I keep thinking lots of positive thoughts!
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
I will be able to get the shot in three years. Doc says after I recover from this outbreak my immune system should be able to keep it in check for a couple of more years until I am eligible of the shot.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246838)
• United States
3 Aug 16
@moffittjc Good, and feel better soon.
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
1 Aug 16
@moffittjc I had the Chicken Pox when I was little and shingles last Nov. - Dec. I say the two months because it seemed to hang around for that long. it was awful. I thought the same thing about shingles, that you wouldn't get it again. You poor thing, I don't wish shingles on my worst enemy. It is painful, a pain. I hope it leave you soon.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Aug 16
At first, everyone was telling me that I'll only have it for a week. However, as I talk to more and more people, and research it more and more on the internet, it seems that it actually takes much longer than a week to heal. I was able to get on antiviral medication right away, so maybe that will help limit my breakout to about a week or so. At least I hope so! I don't want this to drag on for an extended period of time!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Aug 16
@HazySue I'm trying to get rid of it quickly! I guess I really have to just let nature take its course! lol
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
1 Aug 16
@moffittjc not only is it not pretty but oh so painful. I hope you do get rid of it quickly.
1 person likes this
@OKennedy (1130)
• United States
1 Aug 16
I have heard about shingles seen the commercials and from the looks and sounds of it surely not something anyone wants due to it not being curable and it being painful more than any other reason. I wish you a speedy recovery or at least for it to subside for a bit.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Aug 16
Thanks! I'm hoping for a speedy recovery too! I have fun plans for this coming weekend! LOL
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Aug 16
@OKennedy Whether I'm healed or not, I'm not going to let it ruin my weekend plans! The power of positive thinking says that I'm going to have a fun weekend no matter what! lol
1 person likes this
@OKennedy (1130)
• United States
1 Aug 16
@moffittjc hey Jeff Happy is good positive thoughts and energy making plans all of that helps the body to heal is my belief.
1 person likes this
