Not true.
Got it down the outside of my left thigh. Started with a nuclear lightning bolt of pain down my sciatic nerve. Doubled me over for a bit. Then the rash broke out. Loads of little juicy blisters - itched and then hurt like road rash. Think i was early 50s at the time. Hesled slowly but completely. Bon courage.
Hopefully it won’t be too bad for you.
My mother had it, and it turned into Bell’s palsy in her face which lasted for months. Eventually, it went away, but it was not fun.
Definitely not true. It’s the same virus that causes Chicken Pox and which never leaves your body. Shingles is just the virus presenting in a new and even less fun way. Get the vaccine.
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Will do.
Try to start some valacyclovir ASAP then start the two dose Shingrix series in a couple of months.
I wasn’t sure if I should get the shringx vaccine. All four of us kids never got chickenpox. My 2 half siblings had chickenpox. I went ahead and got the vaccine. Pharmacist said it can’t hurt. Family practice doctor said I didn’t need it.
Not a doctor but think your pharmacist was correct. If you haven’t had chickenpox you can contract it from someone who has shingles (ie. Their shingles causes you to get chickenpox). Believe the shingles vaccine reduces the chance or severity of that.
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Gabapentin for pain if/when it gets bad.
Anti-virals ASAP, but it might be too late for them to help.
Get ready to be uncomfortable for a while.
I’m glad that you posted this. I don’t think that I ever had the chickenpox, but it sounds bad enough that I want to make sure I never do get it. I just did a quick search and the CDC recommends that you get the vaccine even if you haven’t had chickenpox.
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The good news is that most children are getting vaccinated for chickenpox (at least here in Canada) and you can only get chickenpox from someone with shingles if you come into contact with their open sores.
I would recommend getting it but even if you don’t your chances of getting chickenpox these days are pretty slim.
Having said that I got chickenpox when I was 17 and it was no picnic in the park.
Started anti-virals but I it was past 72 hours. Anti virals will help mitigate any new outbreaks at least.
This is a pain in my ass.
I have known several people who got shingles much before age 50, including my friend’s kid who got it during his sophomore year of college.
The second I turned 50 (and insurance would pay for it) I got the two-shot series. But I get every single vaccine offered to me.
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Had it in my 20s just under my ribcage front to back. Painful, itchy, scabby, oozing nightmare for a couple months. Then for about 4 more months, random icepick to the kidney pain. Happened a couple times while driving. Not conducive to going in a straight line. Got the shot as soon as I could when I turned 50. When people say they don’t know about getting the shot I tell them to suck it up and get the f ing shot since the other option is so much worse. The shot sucks for a day
I know it beat the hell out of my mom for a couple months… I don’t recall her every saying this one thing helped, but any combo of getting your mind off it.
Wish I could get the vax prior to being 50.
Had it on my back. Uncomfortable but not really painful, however I got the vaccination as soon as it was available. My mother had it around her eyes and it was extremely painful.
Pharmacist here, even if you never had an active case of chickenpox, over 99% of the U.S. population has been exposed to varicella so that’s why the recommendation to get the shingles vaccine.
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Had it. Miserable for about 2 months. I am in the unlucky group that has residual issues. 3 years later, still dealing with it.
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That sucks. My wife had a small red streak on her back and thought nothing of it. Had a single blister. Picked it. Cried.
I got a very minor case of shingles 2 weeks prior to my 50th birthday.
I waited about a year to get the vaccine.
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