A few days ago I thought I had pulled another muscle in my side as I reached to close a high window. This morning I woke up to red rash on one side of my back and abdomen. Looks very like shingles. Rang Gp this morning and having a telephone consultation this afternoon. I’m down to to 21/2 mg of pred , will I be given antivirals ? Anyone had shingles whilst having PMR. I’m booked to have my flu jab tomorrow do you think I should still have that.
I feel ok apart from pain and tenderness around my middle.
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York54
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If your GP diagnoses shingles-I suspect you will have to take a photo 🙄- I would think he'll tell you to postpone your flu jab, not least because you'd be walking into an environment where there may be other patients that you might infect. If you do have shingles you may be given anti-virals or possibly be told to take paracetamol if you are in the early stages but I'm not sure about this.I hope you don't have shingles. Let us know, York 54.
Thank you, Manchild. I do know this which is why I wrote "infect". Perhaps I should have been more explicit re chicken pox but didn't think it necessary to go into that for York54 as she was primarily asking about the flu jab. 🙂Makes a change for me not to go off on a tangent. 😉
You should be given antiviral drug irrespective of dose.
My daughter (in NZ, no illnesses or other drugs) has just had a course for Shingles which incidentally she thinks was triggered by covid jab - as was SIL’s (both mild cases) but that’s another story.
As for flu vaccine, would say postpone, but check with GP.
I recently had shingles. After three days of right sided pain I awoke to find the rash. I knew it was important to get the antiviral as soon as possible so arrived at the medical centre at opening time determined to stay there until someone wrote a prescription. Fortunately there had been a cancelled appointment. It is important to start the antiviral as soon as you can to minimise the chance of post herpetic neuralgia which is burning nerve pain that can persist long after shingles is/are gone. To answer your question, yes, get the antiviral ASAP.
Megsy thanks for your reply. I rang the surgery this morning at 8. I was offered a call back for 3 this afternoon . I submitted a picture hopefully that will be early enough . X
It is unlikely you will infect anyone - the risk is mainly theoretical as they would have to come in contact with the fluid in the vesicles. Antivirals should be started in the first 24 hours for the best effect. I imagine they will recommend waiting a bit for the flu jab, at least until the spots have gone.
Just had call back . It is shingles and he has prescribed a weeks antiviral tablets. He said probably due to my suppressed immune system. Use calamine for itching and paracetamol for pain .
I also found aloe vera gel (not juice) very effective. I have a few plants and it is also available from the chemist and supermarkets. Wishing you a speedy recovery!
Got the plant in Homebase ,split aloe vera leaves and rubbed on skin. It was the only relief I got - didn't go to dr for over a week because I thought it was a pulled muscle.
Yes, it’s great. I use it regularly for a variety of skin complaints. My plants keep having babies, so I have lots and pot them up for friends and relos.
Yes I've had shingles since pmr diagnosed. I didn't increase pred and was given anti viral medication straight away.Hope you feel better soon🙂Good idea cancelling your flu jab.
The anti viral needs to be started within 48hours(I was advised on this site).I think they did help me.I used to have oat baths which eased the soreness and itching.(Porridge oats tied in some gauze in the bath water!)😄
I had shingles a few weeks after my Covid jab, sent pic to doc and he gave me Aciclovir which I took religiously, using my phone alarm to remind me to take each tablet on time. Kept on with Prednisolone as usual. It was magic! No after nerve pain and no scarring. I used nothing on rash, which got dry, except some dermo cream for excema. Good luck! Take it easy, your body is healing itself.
Thanks for your reply Lolly. That is the drug I’ve been given , 5 times a day! I have some sores on my back which I had scratched before I realised what they were. I have calamine cream for those, they are really sore. I had a bad night last night , could not get comfy for pain in my side. Did it take a couple of days for the drug to work ?
Yes I think it stopped hurting at about day 3/4 but I kept going as shortening the dose isn’t a good idea. I was afraid of the nerve pain continuing but it hasn’t. It felt sensitive to the touch but not painful otherwise. Take it easy!
Make sure that you have your flu jab, that is important, but check with your GP first as you may have to postpone.Shingles is painful and you should be treated for it
Poor you, I’ve had ocular shingles several times, the first and second time was horrendous, the rash on my face and eye lasted some considerable time even though I was taking the antiviral tabs. This was before I had GCA, I’m convinced there is a connection because it was the same eye that I lost the vision, not completely but it became very blurry and now has less vision, it’s never returned to normal sight. Prednisolone is an immune reducing medicine so taking a high dose it not conducive with shingles.
Hope you get through this quickly, don’t have your flu jab yet.
I've had shingles while on pred for PMR. I took the antivirals asap and they healed really well. As they were on my face (and in hair and mouth!) I resisted the temptation to scratch them, to minimise scarring and it worked.
Hi, I had shingles a couple of months ago. I am on 3mg prednisolone. My advice is to take anti virals asap. I didn't and I ended up with nerve damage that took about 6 weeks to heal. Paracetamol didn't touch the pain so I ended up taking gabapentin. Shingles is nasty. Good luck x
I’m on 21/2 mg pred and thought things were on the up ! Just another thing to get over and get on. I’m hoping the antivirals will do their stuff. Sleeping last night was difficult 🥺🥺🥺
having read these posts I wonder I should be having the shingles vaccine: I refused it recently because it felt like just another thing to put up with, but maybe I should change my mind?
Yes - I had shingles, was put on medication within hours and the rash disappeared within 48 hours. It was amazing! I continued with my normal Pred dosage but I was on 10mgs at the time.
I did. Got the antiviral and wasn't too bad...it was on my face, but wasn't really that bad. I would wait a while on the flu shot because you are sick with the shingles.
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