Today Shingles, a good day to start my fitness regime!

[psc0452]

I've discovered this NHS weight loss website whilst in bed with a horrid attack of Shingles. There's nothing like being hit by a virus or the like to make you stop and look at your current health and fitness level.

I've a back condition (spin-degeneration which causes a lot of pain) so I have to be careful what I do. However, in my youth and up to my mid 30's being very sporty (squash, jogging, golf|), I am amazed at my lack of exercise in my early 60's. Energy levels very low and its hard to start again at any sport when you are struggling to reach any level and always being 'tail end Charlie' when out jogging with a group or even on a nice walk.

Less of the whining I think and get something started!

I've been referred via my GP to 'Nordic Walking' and looking forward to it. At my age, I'm ready to look stupid marching around the parks and streets of Bedford with my Nordic sticks.

Started calorie counting today.

Thank you NHS.

PSC

[FatbellyGutbucket]

You have my empathy. I had ocular shingles towards the end of 2013. I went to the eye clinic at a local hospital and scared the other patients. It looked as though I'd been hit in the face with a a baseball bat - and felt like it too. The post-herpetic neuralgia has only, recently, cleared up enough for me to stop taking codeine every night.

If you're on codeine, be careful. It is addictive. I managed to stop taking it by taking a low dose of amitriptylene instead. After about a month it was easier to stop the amitriptylene than it would have been to go cold turkey on the codeine.

I'm not sure if you're in the right age range but there is a shingles vaccine now. It's being introduced gradually - 70s and older first. then 60s and so on. Shingles can recur. I'll get the vaccination at the first opportunity - it's not being offered in my age range (50s), yet.

[psc0452 in reply to FatbellyGutbucket]

Thanks for your reply. Imy not on codeine but a nerve drug Gabapentin (had it for my back before) which is notoriously good at increasing appetite therefore weight gain. Also a son and so to get off it, so I won't stay on it for long.

NHS only give the shingles jab for over 70s (im early 60s). I've had shingles twice before - once around the eye. My sister is a pharmacist for the NHS and she's going to look into the reason why you cannot get it earlier.