in the past week I was diagnosed with shingles. And it’s knocked me for six.
I am Hashimotos, and during the past few months I have had a fair bit of stress, largely due to preparing to move house in a months time. So this would certainly have prepared the ground for Shingles to be possible ! I would really appreciate any advice that you guys learnt on your journey through this horrible Virus.
This is my second time around, but I am 20 years older now and also did not have Hashimotos then.
(blood tests results taken a month ago TSH 0.01(0.27-4.2). T4 18.2(12.0-22.0). T3 5.8..(3.1-6.8).
Thank you for any help ?
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C70rol
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I understand all too well. Hit my left shoulder/neck/chest.
I assume you have received Aciclovir?
I used lidocaine/benzocaine creams to help with the painful aspects. It helped but there were all sorts of problems getting hold of a suitable form and had to buy some of my own. At one point I was given vagisil as the only one available.
I very reluctantly accepted amitriptyline (low dose) to help with being so uncomfortable when trying to sleep. Hated it - ended up being very tired and oversleeping.
It’s all a bit of a blur now but one night I found I had pericarditis which was deeply unpleasant. And a known issue that can occur. I could not lie down and had to spend the night propped up.
As the blisters passed their worst, I started to get a bacterial infection and got antibiotics to prevent that worsening.
Throughout, I kept to my usual dose and schedule of taking levothyroxine.
Unfortunately, I also ended up with post-herpetic neuralgia. I use capsaicin cream. (I know some people use other approaches but, in time, I found capsaicin works well. But there are major issues with supply.)
I want to write something positive! But it isn’t easy. Most people get over it after a few weeks and that is that.
I feel too ignorant and it had not been an NHS option for me.
Certainly I would very much want NOT to ever have shingles again, nor see anyone else get it. But the extra step to positively recommending a jab to others needs more certainty.
I was wary about the jab and it’s effects with Hashimotos .so I spoke to my pharmacist who said he has had many people who have the jab and don’t seem to be any better than those that don’t have it. But it definitely shortens the length of time you have the virus by a couple of weeks. So no, didn’t have the jab
However I contacted a London homeopathic clinic and they are sending me some ‘Shingles Combination’‘tablets, with a chart of how to take them . And it will also be more comfortable.
I'd be wary of a pharmacist who referred simply to the shingles vaccine (or jab). Zostavax and Shingrix being considerably different in terms of their effect. Which is why we in the UK have moved to Shingrix.
Shingrix is more effective, especially in older people. And is safer.
Therefore experience of people who had Zostavax is inapplicable to Shingrix. Bearing in mind that we have only switched for a bit over a year. Therefore almost all their experience of shingles vaccination would be based on Zostavax.
I think treatment for shingles is wholly inadequate.
For me, I noticed a mild itch days before my first blister started to appear. And the first blister felt like an annoying insect bite and I didn't realise what was happening for at least another 36 to 48 hours. Then I got multiple blisters, and they grew and became painful and extremely itchy.
That is, it was fully established before I would have received any treatment - even if I had something in my cupboard.
Thus, many of the effects of shingles can already be occurring. That would include sometimes affecting the eyes with the possibility of sight damage, and ears with the possibility of hearing damage. As well as the possibility of internal organ damage.
It is a case of having the Shingrix or not. It is not a case of alternative treatments once you actually have shingles.
Do also bear in mind that incidence of shingles appears to have increased in recent years.
And from what I have read, so long as it is still OK in someone with ongoing post-herpetic neuralgia, I'd definitely accept if offered. Having it again doesn't bear thinking about.
I've just had the first part of the Shingles jab, next vaccine is June 2025. I wasn't going to bother but a friend has had shingles twice and was really poorly with it. I must admit I was poorly after the vaccine for 48 hours, felt like flu and sore arm for a week but after seeing how bad my friend was I decided to get jabbed.
C7orol, I have had the shingles jab and was fine with it. I was quite worried about side effects as I usually react to Covid jabs etc I certainly didn’t want the disease as I know a few people who had nasty problems with it and I do react to fillers ( no Teva/acacia powder for me.)
I was recently prescribed amitryptiline for nerve pain. Only took one tablet and couldn’t get out of bed due to dizziness. At least it wasn’t as bad as the vertigo I had after first 2 Covid jabs.
I have Hashis and do seem to react quite badly to some illnesses/ meds.
I literally had it a few months ago and it totally wore me out- I would say it's stress related in my case- I feel like my body is spending all its energy on fighting itself with the hashimotoes which gives me low immunity to other things 🤷♀️My GP in Spain gave me antivirals and told me to make sure i drink about 1 -2 liters of water as they aren't great for the kidneys not sure if it was acyclovir
I had shingles before in the UK when I changed jobs and was feeling overwhelmed
I had shingles badly about 12 years ago, and since then had 2 recurrences, less severe , at times of big stress. Also left with post herpetic neuralgia down left shoulder blade which reacts to stress anfd has been part of my life since. BUT! I had the Shingrix vaccination and the neuralgia has reduced a lot, leaving just one patch instead of a line. I had 2 days of headache and feeling unwell after the vaccination and then it cleared.
I had shingles four years ago. I'd had a playful cat scratch my back just before. When I got the pain all on my back, I just assumed the cat scratches had become infected. After really suffering for over a week I went to my local pharmacy. The pharmacist examined me, refused to tell me anything but told me to call 111 immediately. I did and later that day I was told it was shingles. I was told it was too late for the Aciclovir but I was given it anyway. I don't think it helped at all.
I can honestly say, I have never been in so much pain. It was continual and unrelenting. It lasted three months and then gradually subsided. I found lidocain 4% cream was the only thing that touched the pain. It's not available on the NHS. Expensive at over £26 for a small tube - my local Tesco ordered it in for me. It was worth every penny! I would not have got any sleep without it. I refused amitriptyline. I had taken that previously for fibro myalgia and never again! I took my thyroid meds as usual - I was in too much pain to notice if I was hypo or hyper.
I had not had the jab - I was too young!! As soon as I qualified, I had it. I was very worried about it's side affects as I react extremely badly to everything. But I had no side affects at all, other than slight soreness at the injection site.
My husband saw how much pain I was in and immediately booked an appointment for the jab. He had no problems with it but then he doesn't react to anything!!
I found lidocaine was good for the blistering phase but seemed to be relatively ineffective as it turned into post-herpetic neuralgia. Maybe I didn't use enough, of a strong enough product?
Hi, I m sure you are right but when I asked two local chemists about it they told me single use tubes were available on prescription but only for administration prior to a minor operation. I never asked my GP for a prescription. She gave me co codomol after really suffering for over two weeks with just paracetamol which was useless! That was over 4 years ago and it may be it's changed since then. I found lidocaine really helped with the pain after the blistering phase but it's affects didn't last as long as I would have liked.
I bought LMX4 4% cream. It s pil just says it's for use either 30 minutes prior to an injection or use after a needle has been inserted. At the time I first bought it about 4 years ago I was told 4 % was the strongest I could get here and that it was not available on prescription. I bought another tube 18 months ago but just bought the same thing. I didn't enquire then about a stronger version. This pil doesn't mention shingles - but it ought to!!
My cat which is an indoor cat (rag doll). Started scratching a lot to my horror I saw some fleas running through his white fur. Off to the vets we go and yes he had fleas. So we paid £46 for some stuff on the back of his neck. This was just before Christmas just got back from a 3 day break and he is sitting on my lap. I part his fur to see a black flea running through it Shreik! I have just noticed a bite on my ankle. I am ringing the vets tomorrow to ask for a refund it clearly hasn’t worked and I need to get something to fumigate my house as well. This is all because my husband let one of the neighbours cats in who scoffed my cats food!
My cat just likes sitting on someone's shoulder. He leapt on my back as I walked past him on the bed. As I moved, he slid off down my back sticking his claws in to save himself. It was really painful. But preferable to having a cat with fleas on your lap! Fleas are really difficult to get rid off once they get into carpets. Good luck
I'm sure my shingles was triggered by my first covid jab. Amitrityline was useless. Pregabalin worked much better. Still get some post-herpetic neuralgia in my armpit and the Shingrix vaccination hasn't made any difference to it but I hope it will prevent future outbreaks.
BHT, a food preservative, was recommended by a friend of mine. It worked for my friend after a month of sheer anguish. She was better within a week. The brand I know about is Wholesome Nutrition BHT. I'm not a doctor/nurse and haven't had shingles myself. I hope you feel better soon!
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