Recurring Shingles
I'm 21 and have had recurring shingles since I was 9... I used to get it about once a year but have had it 7 times in the last 2 years. It used to knock me for six for about 3 weeks but I'm getting better at recognising the early symptoms so that I can have my acyclovir prescription ready and waiting for when the spots come out! The first thing I notice is that I find it uncomfortable to wear my bra (I always get shingles on my side) and then I get that distinct "been hit by a bus" feeling... Absolutely knackered, deep muscle aches and a little nauseous. And then joy of joy, the shooting pains begin! This is the part I find most difficult to cope with, I get really sharp pains drilling down my side and a dull pins and needles like feeling that is continuous. I don't get alot of blisters, just one or two, but they are always inside a mottled rash about the size of a side plate.
I have seen numerous doctors about this who have all said that it's rare, esp for my age, but that's about it. I guess there's nothing that can be done.
The only advice I can give about recurring shingles is just try and get good at recognising it early! And then try and chill until it goes. Useless, I know, but that's all I've got.
If anyone's got some better advice it would be greatly appreciated!
Pompholyx Sharing My Experience
I am a 29-year-old male of Asian decent (Taiwanese) living in the United States. My first episode happened last November and has continued ever since. It was diagnosed by a dermatologist this April. The worst that I've suffered was when all my fingers and palms, toes and soles were covered with small itchy blisters. Currently my hands are 90% pompholyx-free (yay!).
I think there are three major factors that contribute to the outbreak (environmental, mental, and diet), and I'll explain each in more detail:
Environmental: During dry winter seasons, I develop skin rashes all around my body (guys hate lotion), I think if dry skin can contribute to skin rashes, it probably can contribute to pompholyx outbreak as well.
Solution: Make sure your body is well moisturized, I really don't enjoy the oily sensation, but it sure beats waking up to the itch in the middle of the night! Cetaphil cream (not lotion) work very well for me. Stock up when they're on sale!
Mental+Sleep: I was unemployed when the first episode occurred, and I think stress has a lot to do with it. Also, make sure you sleep at least 7 hours a day, and try to relax and think positive thoughts as much as you can.
Solution: I just try to be grateful of what I have... there are people out there who are suffering diseases 1000x worse than pompholyx or being unemployed....
Diet: The dermatologist told me to cut out chocolate and nuts (especially peanuts) completely. It was HARD. But I started about 2 weeks ago, and it's been working so far. There was a scientific study about the possibility of chromium in chocolate that induced a flare up (from breast milk)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17671414
For nerds like me, you can check it out (be aware though, it's just a sample size of 1!)
solution: see above, you can cut out coffee too, but that will be too hard for me.
Medication:
As a prophylaxis, I take a 180mg fexofenadine every night. In addition, when you see (or feel) small blisters starting to accumulate, there are two topical steroids that I use.
0.05% clobetasol propionate (GSK markets it as Dermovate), ointment form
0.5mg/gm fluocinonide, cream form
http://img.medscape.com/fullsize/migrated/551/352/dn551352.tab4.gif
clobetasol is listed as class 1, very high potency steroid, and fluocinonide is listed as class2, high potency steroid. My dermatologist assured me that applications to the extremities (fingers, toes) will not cause a lot of absorption to the body, so you can be very generous in your application.
I also take multi-vitamins. My dad (who's an MD) told me Asians do not absorb B-vitamins very well, so it's important to supplement with either B-complex or B-12 vitamins.
This is a pesky condition to have...
Recurring Impetigo Or Shingles?
I took this disastrous trip to Greece (I was completely healthy before the trip) and upon my return last April within a few days I started having this sore growing larger everyday on my chin. Somewhat yellowish and had a 40 C temperature for a week and very sick for another week. I took Doxy for two weeks which apparently did not eradicate the bacteria.
Two weeks later while a big red spot remained on my chin I started having another sore on my back but the doctor diagnosed (by observation) that this sore was shingles (i had shingles on my leg 4 years ago) so prescribed me Valtrex.
Then I started having another yellowish sore on my lower back last month which is likely a return of impetigo since it itches a lot with no pain and the doctor prescribed me 250 mg twice a day erythromycin for 3 months. I have been taking it for 2 weeks now and the sore appears healing however as a result (of likely my immune system weaken by impetigo) I came down with a second shingle in less than a month!!!. Not to mention chest infection last week too on the top of everything else So it appears I am now in a cycle of impetigo and shingles. How I can get out of this vicious cycle I have no idea. I have never been in a similar situation. is returning impetigo (followed by returning shingles, third or fourth in 4 years and second or third in a month) a norm. I asked my doctor to give me higher dose of antibiotics or a stronger one but he refused. What are my options to end this vicious cycle.
Shingles :: Recurring Every 4-5 Months
I have shingles, I am 33 years old, female, and shingles re occurs with me every 4-5 months. I do not have a lower immune system or anything else, my Doctor puts it down to stress related but I don't think I am stressed. It is really painful, and my skin is really sore to touch. It appears on my left side on my bum cheek and the pain is all down my left side. Each attack I get the pain gets worse. My doctor has now given me a repeat prescription for the antibiotics and I have codipar pain killers for the pain. I sympathise with anyone who has shingles. Roll on the day they find a cure.
View 2 RepliesRecurring Shingles - Spots Appear In The Same Place?
I'm 36 and had my first outbreak in early June. The rash appeared on my right front abdomen. This week I started feeling like I did last month -- very tired, very nauseous and yesterday two spots appeared on my rt. breast. The physician's assistant I saw today took one look at the spots and said it wasn't shingles because it wasn't in the same area as last time. Do reoccurring shingles have to appear in the same place? Can an outbreak only produce one or two spots?
View 2 RepliesRecurring Shingles :: Small Patch On My Forehead Pain Radiates Down On Face
I am 40 years old and have been suffering from recurring shingles since I was 25. They are always a small patch on my forehead and the pain radiates down one side of my face. The nerve pain lingers for several weeks and sometimes months after the blisters are healed. I have been told the vaccine is only given to individuals over 50 and I have also been told that since I get shingles frequently the vaccine would not help me.
I typically get them several times a year and the sun is the worst trigger for me. Since I get them on my forehead it is a bit difficult to prevent.
HSV From Sharing A Drink?
How likely is it to contract herpes or another STD from drinking off of another person's glass? I accidently took a sip off of my friends drink and I'm terrified I have contracted something. She didn't have a cold sore at the time or in the days prior.
View 3 RepliesHIV Prevention :: Drink And Cup Sharing?
Last night u had a couple friends over. I recently got my wisdom teeth taken out and this afternoon I used a new cup to rinse but as I rinsed with salt water I noticed some brown spots in the cup. It grossed me out and a family member said maybe someone used by accident. I know my one friend used a plastic cup but I thought he threw it out and I'm pretty sure he did. But I'm not sure if this friend may have hiv and if I used the same cup the next day with wisdom tooth surgery happening 5 days ago could I be at risk for transmission if he does have it? I'm incredibly paranoid and nervous
View 1 RepliesPossible To Give Chlamydia By Sharing A Bath?
We only shared a bath once also, is it possible to get chlamydia any other way other than through sexually contact? I've read horrible stories about children getting it from their parents without sexual contact and having their children taken about way because they assume rape.
View 4 RepliesHIV Transmitted Thru Sharing A Car Key To Short Cocaine?
Can It be transmitted thru sharing a car key to short cocaine
View 8 RepliesHerpes :: Sharing Someones Drink?
I am really stressed out because i have a very bad health mouth because of tonsils and also oral thrush (white patches) on back of the mouth, if i try someone else's drink with that kind of health but he/she has no herpes, could i get the disease? No kissing just sharing drinks..
View 11 RepliesSharing Drink With HIV Positive Friend
I accidentally drank out of a glass that my friend who has hiv was drinking out of (the two glasses were right next to each other). I don't know if he was bleeding but if we can assume there was in fact blood Can hiv survive in water? Can it transmit like this? I don't know if i had any open wounds too so if we assume i did as well is it possible? Or would this count as an environmental transmission that is nonexistent.
View 3 RepliesSTDs :: Risks Of Sharing Wet Towel
I recently had an encounter where I accidentally may have used the towel which the sex worker just used to clean herself. What are the risks of stds for this action? Do I need any testing?
View 1 RepliesHIV Prevention :: Sharing Food - Indirect
i have a question related to hiv: i was invited to a friend party. he served some sausages. everyone ate these sausages using just their hands, no forks or other tools. we had this single dish full of mustard, and after each bite from sausage, all of us were dipping their sausage in this plate of mustard.
is there are risk in catching Hiv or hepatitis from sharing the same mustard plate? just think what if i dip my sausage in the same place as one of my friend do, this after he take one bite of his sausages, and then he dip his sausage again to take mustard... even if when they bite there is the possibility to take some blood on the meat, and then put this blood into mustard? and i take this mustard 3 seconds after?... There is NO RISK, even if we were 7 persons, and all of us, were dipping parts of sausages in this plate? from a sausage, one can have 3-4 bites. so after each bite, they dipping the remaining part in mustard. what if some saliva remain in mustard, or some blood left in mustard? and if I ingest the mustard with saliva or blood? NO RISK?
Mental Health :: Sharing Visual Hallucinations
Just out of interest, I get the following, although somewhat reduced by my current medication (quetiapine)
1. Flashes, peripheral disturbances;
2. Illusions -- shadows morphing into animals / people;
3. Seeing what I call 'black rats / cats';
4. Spiders on your desk...;
5. 'Throbbing' objects such as keyboards;
6. Seeing people on the street who just vanish into thin air;
7. Seeing people morph into skeletons
8. People faces screaming at your window...
9. People walking into your lounge you know but are dead / or miles away
10. Talking to people who aren't there.
Fortunately my medication stops at about number 6.
Shingles From Someone With Shingles - Spread?
Hello! I am a 34 year old woman who has just been diagnosed with shingles. I have had them for about a week and am quite uncomfortable, but not miserable. I have had some stomach pains for a few days that I believe are associated.
One problem I have is in all the information on the net and from doctors they stress the point "you can NOT get shingles from someone with shingles"... well, I disagree. My mother is a non-hodgkin's lymphoma patient who was diagnosed with shingles about two weeks ago. I live by her and help her and I find it hard to believe my shingles didn't come from being exposed to her!
Just wanted to let others know.
Can't Get Shingles From Shingles? Spread?
I've just been diagnosed with Shingles. I have been told you can't get Shingles from Shingles, only chicken pox from shingles. But I am the third person in work in a week to come down with Shingles. If you can't get Shingles from shingles, how come so many people in work have it?
View 25 RepliesRecurring Pleurisy?
I had a cough for nearly four weeks, after which it suddenly got more painful. After one cough I collapsed on the floor and after that the pain was so bad I couldn't even push bowel movements (sorry to anyone who thinks that was one detail too many). I hobbled to my GP, who diagnosed pleurisy and gave me antibiotics and painkillers (codeine).
This seemed to help. Things were definitely improving after 3 or 4 days. A week later, I was feeling fine. The cough had stopped too. There was, however, a slight pain on coughing (and not-so-slight pain on sneezing) that did not go away.
That was three weeks ago. For the last 3 or 4 days, discomfort has been returning. It's not nearly as bad as it was, and is now mostly on the lower left side of my chest. I don't think it's bad enough to bother my GP with yet. Has anyone else had a similar experience? What happened next?
Recurring Cases Of Impetigo
I'm 17, and have been getting impetigo from the age of 5 years old, the doctor believed at the time that it was from face paint. I've been getting recurring outbreaks every year since then, normally up to three times a year. However, as I got older I believed I had "grew out of it" (if that's possible) yet I severely burnt my lips on holiday and I felt the tingling feeling straight away after not having an outburst for about a year and a half. One thing I can tell you all is that as soon as you think you can feel the first symptoms of having it use the antibiotic cream (fucidin cream) asap, this will reduce the spreading of impetigo immediately. I've recently just had another outbreak just for being run down and so I now know I definitely will still be getting it. But there is hope, I was given a leaflet about this when I last got the cream from the doctor and it stated that you can get a swab taken from the inside of your nose and sent off to the lab where they will find out if you have the bacteria that causes impetigo living up there. This doesn't mean it will appear around your nose but when you get impetigo due to whatever reasons- mine normally being from stress, being run down, change in the weather etc.- then it will trigger it and appear in the usual place. I researched it some more and it said that your whole family that live in the same house should be checked as they could have it and that's what could trigger you off even if they've never had an outburst of impetigo. I had a swab sent off yesterday and I'm hoping that this is true as they will then give me a cream to kill it from up my nose and supposedly it won't come back. However, when I had this done my doctor seemed to know very little about it and I've never heard of it until now, I don't know why this is so I shall see if it works out. I just wanted to share this all with you as I know how horrendous impetigo is, I hate going out with it and as soon as I feel it coming up I know I'll have it all over my lip for a while.
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