My precious sister has shingles! While it is caused by a dormant chickenpox virus, it still is likely to run in families. I remember our mother having shingles and also grandparents. It seems the experiences for persons with shingles range from horrible to practically nothing. If you know a positive story about someone breezing through shingles, please share it. There has got to be an upside and/or easy side to this illness.
What have you ever done to help someone with shingles? I want to do what I can for my sister, but she seems to be faring quite well so far.
The very worst part for my sister is not being able to be around her pregnant daughter and daughter-in-law and her three grandchildren that have not had chickenpox. I do not like for my sister to be ill and yet my magic wand seems to have run out of steam.
My fitness update. I am riding 25 minutes a day on exercise bike. I am already feeling the results.
I don't know any stories about shingles that are positive. They made my life hell for 6 weeks. I do know that the earlier you get on meds for it, the better off you'll be.
ReplyDeleteTell me about the bike; do you do all 25 mins. at the same time? How can you stand it?
I don't know anyone who's had the shingles so I don't have any stories about it.
ReplyDeleteGO GRANNY! If you are like me just knowing you are doing something good for your body makes you feel good. Keep it up!
Sorry to hear about your sister getting shingles. My mother in law has it. When we were in France last month visiting her, she had been dealing with it about a month...she is on meds and they seem to be helping alot with pain and such...I don't know to much about it myself.
ReplyDeleteThis may sound odd, but when my daughter was around 5, my neighbour had a daycare and it was chickenpox season lol, I made darned sure she played over there to get it. I think its far more dangerous to not expose them young then to make sure they get it. As an adult, it can be so terrible and I have known a few adults who have been so sick with it because they didn't have it as children.
I realise there is no guarantee that someone wont get it more then once, but its quite rare.
I hope your sisters shingles aren't too hard on her. Good luck!
I had shingles about seven years ago. I thought I had poison ivy! It really wasn't that bad. The funny part is I'd only had chicken pox the year before when I was 40.
ReplyDeleteDad and I'd went to the Rose Bowl that year and it was hotter than hell. I didn't feel good but soldiered on like a trooper. I was pretty cranky the last day we were there and said I thought I was sick. As you know, with traveling, tempers can run short, especially in the heat. Dad said that if I was really sick, I should go to the doctor.
He said that I had shingles just to prove that I was right.
Anyway, that was a long story about nothing. Except that having shingles was not too bad.
Judy, your story actually was positive because you only had shingles 6 weeks. I've heard it can last a lot longer. About the exercise bike, I wear headphones and listen to music or a book tape while I ride.
ReplyDeleteOGO, thanks for the exercise support. I am so hoping to have a favorable discovery of the fountain of youth to report in a year.
Moon, I also exposed my young children to chickenpox so they would get it over with.
Nora, I'm not surprised you had shingles because one of the causes is "stress". You and my sister have a lot in common. You not only worry about your lives, you take on the cares of the world with you strong empathy and stress for everyone else. Oh yea, Judy you fit that stress mold too don't you? Anyway, Nora your story was a positive one and also a most unusual one. Chickenpox at 40???
You are doing great!! Keep on riding!!! The thing about exercise is getting motivated, then getting into a routine of doing it. It sounds like you're getting into that routine part of it, so this will become a normal part of your life, which is terrific!
ReplyDeleteI don't have a positive story about shingles because I personally only know one lady who's had it, and her experience was a bad one. I have heard though that shingles are often not bad at all, and some people get through it without much problem. I hope your sister gets well soon. How frustrating it must be for her.
I really don't know any good stories about shingles either. They just have to run their painful course usually. I hope in her case that it runs quickly!!
ReplyDeleteSorry you couldn't get into the Blogstock blog, but if you just e-mailed Cliff or Ralph they would have gladly let you in! It will be in Nebraska and several that wanted to come can't because of gas prices or other things. I plan to have a fantastic time!
I have taken care of many patients with shingles (herpes zoster)when I was nursing in a hospital. My understanding is that you must have had chicken pox (varicella) earlier in your life. Then, the herpes virus lies dormant at the nerve base until you are unlucky enough to have the virus decide to suddenly come to life. Stress does play a big part in getting shingles, but lots of people never get shingles after having had chicken pox in childhood. (Knock on wood) The most painful part is as the virus is traveling along the nerve to the epidermis. I understand that they are awful, so I hope I make it out of this world without ever popping out with shingles
ReplyDeleteJD, thanks for the cheerleading. That is the kind os support that keeps me motivated.
ReplyDeleteRachel, I don't have Cliff or Ralph's email addresses and I did ask twice in blog comments how to log into the site. I hope to get in when it's over to hear about everybody's wonderful time.
Kacey, I didn't realize you are a nurse. Hope that knowledge won't make me bug you with medical questions. No wonder you pointed out the Angry Pharamacist! LOL I still can't believe that blog.
Yes Annie, I am a retired nurse...still holding a valid license, but ready to let it default. I went to nursing school when I was forty and discovered that my family would not perish if I were to be out of the house while they were in college and senior high. I worked for twenty years, mostly as contingency and now am getting a whole $102.00 a month retirement.
ReplyDeleteI read TAP yesterday for the first time in a couple of weeks...he apparently still hates the whole world....even the old man who stood and waited while he filled his script. I think I would be afraid to have him fill my Rx's.
Granny Annie - I have taken my natural healing book off of the shelf and here is what they say about shingles:
ReplyDelete1) Take 4 - 400 Iuds daily of Vit. E. Also rub Vit. E oil topically on the blisters. This will help in some cases.
2) It is reported that if you split open the leaves of Aleo leaves and rub it on the blisters, it will help.
3) Another person wrote that she took 500 millograms of Vit. C every hour for several hours until the pain had disappeared. She took no other pain killers during this time period.
When my husband had shingles, we tried these remedies and they seemed to help. Every person is different and will respond differently to special remedies. It wouldn't hurt to try.
Nothing new here.
ReplyDeleteCrud!!
I hope your sister is doing better.