Ow

[pegkerr]

I am coming down with a rash that I suspect is an outbreak of shingles. Am about to leave for the clinic to get it checked out. Hope it's not: I've had shingles before, and it was very painful. However, I'm fearing the worst. Oy.

Edited to add: Yes, the doctor confirms, it is shingles. The rash just appeared this morning, so I am getting on the anti-viral in very good time, which we hope will lessen the intensity of the outbreak. AND they gave me Acetaminophen with codeine for pain management, so I should feel little pain tonight. Or if I do, I won't care very much. Hurray for major drugs.

Comments

[chance88088.livejournal.com]

ugh - but at least you caught it early. speedy recovery!

[porphyrin.livejournal.com]

Sympathies. :(

If indeed that is what it is, at least it's early enough that you can shorten the amount of time you have it...

[lisajulie.livejournal.com]

yes, catching it early is the key. You can be given anti-virals and that will shorten the outbreak significantly. It will also shorten the time you are shedding active virus particles and thus lessen the time that you can give people chicken pox.

The voice of bitter experience here - I _didn't_ figure it out in time for anti-virals, did give someone chicken pox, and was able to advise another person in time for them to get the anti-virals.

[aome.livejournal.com]

You just aren't having any luck lately, are you? A friend of mine had a mild case of shingles recently - fortunately, he caught it before it got too awful. Hope that's the case for you, too.

[trinker.livejournal.com]

You've already gotten advice about anti-virals. The other thing is that neurontin/gabapentin can help with the pain, in certain cases. You might want to ask betoir about it.

[wintersweet.livejournal.com]

Ooh, shingles = evil. Hang in there.

[lisajulie.livejournal.com]

Another piece of advice from someone who has suffered - apply heat to the area that is painful (a heating pad worked for me). This really minimized the pain for me.

[amethistdolphin.livejournal.com]

*hugs* though I do not know what that is... it still sounds horrible!

I don't suppose it's a cure...

[bohemianspirit.livejournal.com]

...but blueberry pancakes might make you feel better. ;-)

From the back cover of the old children's book, Old Black Witch!:

Bewitching Blueberry Pancakes

List of Ingredients

1 1/4 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tbs sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk
3 tbs melted fat or oil
1/2 cup washed blueberries

As you stir in the blueberries (this is the magic part) say three
times:

Gobble dee gook
With a wooden spoon,
The laugh of a toad
At the height of the moon!

Pour on a hot griddle and watch. You can make things disappear just
like Old Black Witch. Put three pancakes in front of any hungry boy
or girl [or writer suffering from shingles] and watch them go.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_lore/]

Goodness, shingles!? :( You're lucky you could recognize it. I have being high and I hope you recover quickly!

love, lore

[neonnurse.livejournal.com]

Add to your regimen Lysine, available cheaply over the counter, and at the same time cut out nuts and chocolate, which are rich sources of arginine. Arginine promotes viral replication, but Lysine attacks the viral shell and make it difficult, if not impossible, for viruses to replicate. Plus, lysine is a natually occurring enzyme, and you can't overdose on it. Basically, lysine is the bomb against general virus attacks!

Acetaminophen with codeine

[jbru.livejournal.com]

Hey, you know...we have friends in Canada. If you should need management of this kind in the future, you can do so without a prescription and trip to the doctor.