shingles advice

[Bluevelvet123]

Hello, has anyone had shingles? I’m 53 and I’m pretty sure the shingles has gone to my digestive tract. I’ve got a constant gnawing pain around my diaphragm. So frustrating. V different from my usual bowel pain. Wondered if anyone has any advice?

[Shanpa69]

Hello Bluevelvet .. l do not have much advice for you in regards to shingles going to your digestive tract but l wouldn’t be surprise if it’s not a contributing factor to the symptoms your experiencing l am on my 16 time of having shingles which is extremely painful and frustrating l feel your pain l have just received a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis which is a bowel disease. I hope you get some answers to your symptoms as it’s very challenging in these current times to get some health care professionals to investigate.. take care of yourself l hope you have lots of rest

[userotc in reply to Shanpa69]

16th!!! I presume youve either not been vaccinated or it hasnt worked?

[Shanpa69 in reply to userotc]

Hi .. l have been refused the vaccine by my GP l even asked if l could apply for funding somewhere but my GP said had to wait and see they said l didn’t meet the criteria due to my age.l am hoping to change GP surgery soon as l am having a difficult time with my current one

[userotc in reply to Shanpa69]

If you're UK, thats the same as my mum who also misses out as she's only 69. Im sure you realise that changing NHS surgery wouldnt help so must assume youre not UK.

My dad did a risk-benefit assessment for that vaccine (as he did for covid and flu vaccines, the latter reported on OC NutriHealth website). Whilst the reported risks outweigh the benefits, it was marginal and the extreme pain mum had in 2023 outweighed it. So she may jab at 70 (unless her memory of the pain' fades a lot!).

[Bracondale in reply to userotc]

That RBA was excellent and reinforced my decision to not have the flu vaccine (which I haven't for quite a number of years now).

[Shanpa69 in reply to userotc]

Changing GP is not primarily due to with having the shingle vaccine it’s multiple issues however l was told by another out of hours GP that they can give it to you if you have health conditions that lower your immune system. Also having the shingles vaccine does not guarantee that you will not have it again l have a long way to reach 70 and l don’t think l can cope with further outbreak’s if l had the money l would pay for it . I might try and save up for it. I hope it works out for you mum l feel her pain as it’s awful take care

[userotc in reply to Shanpa69]

Thanks. I agree that the Vax wouldn't guarantee protection (dad has stats on that!).

Re compromised immunity, there's no suggestion or evidence that my mum's is although she does have ckd. So she probably wouldn't qualify for the related criteria in updated guidelines linked below but I'll suggest she tries on the basis No.1 applies.

ukkidney.org/about-us/news/...

[Bluevelvet123 in reply to Shanpa69]

Thank you Shanpa69. Sorry about your ulcerative colitis diagnosis. That’s not nice. Can’t believe you’ve had shingles 16 times.

[Shanpa69 in reply to Bluevelvet123]

Thank you for your kind words l know it has been a difficult time. I know l don’t understand why l keep getting shingles but each time l have the symptoms are worse l wish you a speedy recovery take care

[Musicbox]

yes l had terrible shingles follows your nerve…l thought l had appendicitis but developed shingles even after rash had cleared etc ..internal pain continued

[Ronnieboy]

I had bad rash around my neck in almost a perfect circle and a pain in the breastbone area they said it could be shingles but only after I had a shingles jab,but it suddenly just cleared up.

[Luisa22]

Yes, I had shingles twice in the same year, in 2000. It came after tremendous stress and multiple bereavements in 1999, plus some very hard work in early 2000.

I was lucky that my shingles pains didn't last long and I got no nerve pain in those areas after it had gone away. The pains I felt (like a heavy bruised feeling and aching like I'd been "kicked by a horse") were in the places where there was a shingles rash.. I remember the pain started before the rash, but faded away as the rash also left, and the rash left no scars.

But shingles can also make you feel pretty rotten. To me, it felt like almost a dose of flu as well. I don't mean respiratory symptoms, just the flu-like malaise and a bit of low fever. So I wouldn't be surprised if anything which isn't normally great would also kick up a bit during a dose of shingles.

I made a herbal mix and used that to bathe the rash 4 times a day, plus I also drank some of the herbal mix 4 times a day. The doctor told me it would last about 3 weeks. Mine lasted 9 days. and I believe the herbs helped.

I used: Golden Seal, Myrrh, Echinacea angustifolia, Chickweed, and Yarrow for the lotion and herbal medicine. Also vitamin C and some multivitamins and minerals.

But even if you don't take anything but just rest, drink plenty of fluids, get as much sleep as you can, keep warm, eat nutritious easy to digest foods, and just wait, you should be over it fairly soon.

[Bluevelvet123]

thx for the advice

[Luisa22]

Is the pain you feel in the same or similar place to where the rash is? If so, that's probably just the shingles and should pass. The first rash I had was on the left side of my ribs, and I felt pain in left side and midriff area. The second one was in the groin, (and strangely because that's not supposed to happen , on both sides), and I got lower abdomen pain and some pain at the top of my legs. But nowhere else.

[Bluevelvet123 in reply to Luisa22]

Thanks Luisa22. The pain from the shingles seems to have passed now but has left me with upper abdominal pain and my bowels are all over the place! Definately feel better this am so hopefully this is nearing the end. x

[Luisa22]

Even just a trip to the shops can upset IBS, so I'm not surprised that your bowels are playing up right now. It's a big stress (on the body) when the immune system has to fight something like shingles. It's no joke.

Any kind of stress can upset IBS, physical, or mental.

It's good you're starting to feel a little bit better. Take care x