Went down to the vasculitis clinic this morning, a regular visit though I had rung ahead to ask if I needed to see a dermatologist. The rash on my arm had spread and added nasty little blisters in the centre of each area.....so it's not a reaction to antibiotics, or anything exotic, but just plain shingles.
Does anyone have any experience of this when on steroids and immunosuppressants? The leaflet with the aciclovir is not very helpful and just gives warnings about seeing your doctor if your immune system is poor.
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BronteM
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But I often thought that whilst someone is taking immunosuppressants, your system would be wide open to viral outbreaks and opportunistic bacteria infections she/or he wouldn't have otherwise? This may sound dreadful but that's how I look at it.
Hi, thank you for this. I suspect you are right, and the shingles developed because my immune system is rubbish. In fact they aren't as bad as I expected....the antivirals have probably helped, and the rash is now fading. The bigger problem is that getting them seems to have pushed me back several months and I'm feeling very 'feak and weeble' and rather cross with life. Not helped by yet another UTI which has pushed up my pulse and BP, and not ideal when I'm trying to get things organised for next week.
But hey, the sun is shining and my GP is being great, so I've just got to get on with the resting and relaxing that she has ordered!
If you have had chickenpox in the past then the virus lives on in the nerve root. At times of stress,ill health etc it can reactivate the virus and cause shingles. You also get systemic symptoms which will make you feel generally unwell, of course the UTI won't be helping!
I hope you start feeling better soon. There is nothing worse than feeling miserable over the festive season. Your GP is right, plenty of rest and relaxation.
Best wishes
Keyes
• in reply to
Hi BronteM
Yes. It must be so emotionally exhausting as well as physically.
Are you under an immunologist at all? Have you been explained re. pros and cons of this therapy and what you could do to reduce the undesirable effects etc?
Yes....I'm at Addenbrookes and they are brilliant at explaining and checking. But it's possible that this will mean postponing my next rituximab after Christmas, so I have to be really careful and make sure that I recover as well as possible. So I do have to do the resting and relaxing bit properly!
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Does anyone have any advice for me?
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