Shingles

[Beatlesfan]

Hello, I’ve got shingles I believe so researching about it. The pain is unbelievable and can only compare to an episode of back pain by trapped nerves some years ago. Will I ever recover from this pain I ask myself now that the rash is calming down?

[Anthonyh7]

Hello Beatlesfan .. I am so sorry to hear that you have developed shingles. I know from personal experience that it is utterly awful. I contracted it in 2009 just before Christmas. It was because my immune system had been suppressed for 3 years on and off steroids (Prednisolone).

As you may already know shingles is actually the chicken pox virus and of you have ever had chicken pox in your life the virus stays in your body (spine) and remains largely dormant. BUT it can be reawakened at any time especially if your immune system is suppressed and therefore more prone to developing viruses, flus, cold, Covid, Norovirus, and Shingles.

It may also reactivate if you are under a lot of stress, anxiety, worry. Anyway, you must see a doctor asap if you haven't already done so. The quicker you get a prescription of an anti virus drug the better chance you have of avoiding the Shingles and its pain /impact lasting a long time.

I know that it really was painful, I found it hard to sleep as when I lay down it cause such awful pain. Mine was mainly on my left hand side, lower back. The rash follows the path of your nerves so it can show pretty much anywhere, though I am led to believe the back, neck and shoulders are prime targets. It can also impact the eyes so be aware of any changes in that department.

Rest is a very important part of the treatment as well as the anti virus drugs. Pain killers - only Paracetemol I am afraid as Ibuprofen/Nurofen / Aspirin have adverse impact on platelet counts. Take plenty of fluids (water), vitamin C and try to rest as much as possible.

If you send me your email address I can send you the Chapter about my Shingles experience from my ITP book - my email is [e-mail]

Very best wishes to you.. I know what you are going through.

Incidentally my wife also had shingles in 2017.

We both found the experience a particularly "Hard Days' Night " - I had to end with the Fabs

Anthony Heard

[Beatlesfan in reply to Anthonyh7]

Hi Anthony thanks so much for replying about my shingles post. This is my eighth day of severe pain. I have been diagnosed with shingles before in 2001 I think but i can’t recall it being as bad as this that’s for sure. It has attacked my left arm and shoulder and there is severe pain in my neck and shoulders and upper back right side which I can only describe as what I can imagine being stabbed in the back with a sharp knife is like? Until the rash appeared I was wondering if I had gallstones or pancreas trouble but everything now seems to point to what I read and hear about shingles.

You are correct I do suffer majorly from anxiety and stress which also seems to trigger ITP as it did after my mum died. One of my worst bouts of it in 2015 when I was hospitalised. I had a few lesser worrying episodes of bleeding in the next few years but recovered .Then I was in a house fire in 2021 with a friend which was a major shock and that triggered ITP big time which eventually went into remission again but came back with another bad bout in October 22 and lasted a good six months that time. Each time the ITP was preceded by mouth cold sores which I believe is also something to do with the shingles virus isn’t it? I was definitely feeling very run down. It’s such a minefield isn’t it. On top of it all I’m also checking for petechiae every five minutes it seems.

I would be very grateful if you could send me the chapter about your shingles experience so will send you my email.

Kind regards

J.

Sent by iPad Pro

[Anthonyh7 in reply to Beatlesfan]

Hello J... Undoubtedly anxiety and stress will trigger things like Shingles especially if like me you are on immune suppressing drugs. But it could equally be something like a bereavement, car accident, divorce, relationship break up, flu, another virus like Covid, Norovirus even a cold. Our immune systems are so delicate and to be honest very difficult to understand as we are all different and respond to such triggers differently.

I am convinced that my ITP was instigated by the death of my Dad in an accident when I was just 7 years old. The body and mind of course keeps the score of something like that and suppresses it when you are very young. You just can't process it asa child.

BUT it can then trigger a reaction later in life and for me that happened in 2005 when I suffered another bereavement and in my opinion it opened the flood gates that had been shut since I was 7 years old... no coincidence that I was diagnosed then with ITP in 2006.

I hope you are starting to feel a bit better but shingles is a rotten virus to deal with. I just found that rest, the antivirals, plenty of water and fresh food and sleep if you can get comfortable are the only things you can do.

All the very best

Anthony