oh my, will it ever end????

[tenai98]

First the tumor, now shingles....lots of research to do...didnt realize shingles is caused by a dormant chicken pox virus...Anyone who has had chicken pox can get shingles.....

[Kaybo]

Tenai~
Aw man...that just stinks!  My grandmother had the shingles and there is something you can get at the health food store that helps.  It is called "Rescue" and it is in a yellow tube my mom said.  There is also a shot now - have you checked into that?  They say that the same virus causes Bells Palsy...wonder if it is all related?

Good luck!

K

[yardtick]

My third son Anthony had shingles when he was 4 years old in JK.  He had a very, very mild case of chicken pox at 3 months because I was breast feeding.  My first and second sons were covered with them.  My fourth son just received a chicken pox vaccine last year when he was 16 yrs old.  I was afraid of him getting a nasty case of chicken pox.

I feel for you!  Good luck with the shingles

Anne Marie

[Sue]

Too late now for Tenai98 to get the Shingles vaccine.  I told my doctor that I want it, but I had a small patch of it once when I was in my mid 30's, and he said I couldn't have the shot now.  If you have had chicken pox the virus stays dormant until such time that it decides to re-appear as shingles.  Usually when you are older, your immune system has been compromised, or you are weakened in some way.  I helped take care of a woman in her 90's and she had a cancerous tumor treated with radiation, and I'll be darned if she didn't get shingles.  She was miserable.  That's one reason why I wanted the vaccine, since I've had radiation.  But, 2 plus years have gone by and it didn't manifest itself, so I hope it never does.  You usually have to be over 60 years of age before doctors will give you the shingles vaccine.

I'm sorry you have to go through the shingles thing. 

Sue in Vancouver USA

[Soundy]

I had an outbreak out of shingles right before I got lupus diagnosis ...and several after... sometimes they are mild and
sometimes painful and a burning itch deep in the tissue that you cannot scratch ...I have taken Zovirax to relives
symptoms and get through an outbreak faster...

I have a patch on my chest and one on my leg where post therapeutic neuralgia developed and the skin and just
under surface is numb sometimes or at other times  has a tingly pins and needle feel to it ...

A word of caution ... stay away from babies that have not been vaccinated or people who you know have not
had chicken pox ... when active you can transmit the virus to them and they can get chicken pox

[tenai98]

Fortunately for me at this poiint, the rash as NOT appeared.  Appearently the vaccine is not available in Canada.  I will be calling my doctor to find out more...I was at emergency for over 7 hours yesterday. Thanks to our lovely Canadian system....grrrrrrrrr.....And I had the chicken pox twice.  Doctor said it can re activate because of stress....Brain tumor and son going to Afganistan....But once again, I will deal with this.  Life is to short to wallow in pity (except short term moments...lol). 

JO

[Sue]

Here is what the Mayo Clinic website says about the Shingles vaccine.  Now they say you can have the vaccine, even if you've had shingles before.  Hmmm. I may have to show my doctor this!  Why wouldn't Canada approve this?  Who knows?  Right? 

Sue in Vancouver USA



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults age 60 and older should receive the shingles vaccine (Zostavax), whether or not they have had shingles previously. The vaccine is not approved for use in adults younger than age 60. Also, adults with certain kinds of immune deficiencies should not receive the shingles vaccine.

Getting the shingles vaccine doesn't guarantee you won't get shingles. But if you do get shingles, this vaccine will likely reduce the duration and severity of the disease and reduce your risk of postherpetic neuralgia, a debilitating, painful complication of shingles. In a clinical trial involving thousands of adults 60 years and older, Zostavax reduced the risk of getting shingles by 51 percent in study participants who were vaccinated. In addition, it reduced the risk of postherpetic neuralgia by 67 percent in those who were vaccinated.

The shingles vaccine is a live vaccine given as a single injection, usually in the upper arm. The most common side effects of the shingles vaccine are redness, pain, tenderness and swelling at the injection site and headaches.

The shingles vaccine isn't recommended if you:

Have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to gelatin, the antibiotic neomycin or any other component of the shingles vaccine
Have a weakened immune system due to HIV/AIDS or another disease that affects the immune system
Are receiving medical treatments — such as steroids, adalimumab (Humira), infliximab (Remicade), etanercept (Enbrel), radiation or chemotherapy — which impair the immune system.
Have a history of cancer involving the bone marrow or lymphatic system, such as leukemia or lymphoma
Have active, untreated tuberculosis
Are pregnant or trying to become pregnant
In some cases, the cost of the shingles vaccine may not be covered by Medicare or insurance. Check your plan.

[tenai98]

Cheri
His name is Mike and he has already been hit by shrapnel...Thank goodness it just bounce off his leg and it was on their own range when a fellow soldier somehow mishandled a grenade and it went off...I'm so ever thankful it wasnt a taliban attack.  Luckily for Mike and our family, due to the nature of his job there, he doesnt leave the inside of the wire all that often..just to go to the range. We are anticipating his visit in Dec when he goes on leave.
Thank you for all your prayers and all prayers going out to all soldiers both from USA and Canada.  I did lose a good friend over there 4.5 days before my son left. 
JO

[leapyrtwins]

Jo -

I'll keep Mike in my prayers also.  We all owe a world of debt to those who serve to protect our country.

Jan

[MaryBKAriz]

Hi SOUNDY!

I also was diagnosed with lupus! (mild SLE) I am sending you a HUGE hug!

Take care of your Shingles, JO. Ouch!

I send love and respect to all our troops and their loved ones.

Career Army man's daughter,

Mary

[Soundy]

Hi SOUNDY!

I also was diagnosed with lupus! (mild SLE) I am sending you a HUGE hug!

Career Army man's daughter,

Mary

that's me ...mild SLE  , even though when active it  doesn't seem mild...
and an ARMY brat...

have a nephew that has been in Iraq ,Iran and Turkey for most of past 4 years and a son in basic
as I type who is suppose to be shipped out in March if things go as he has been told ...also 6 of my
former Cub Scouts  all grown up ... say prayers for them all

[MaryBKAriz]

Hi Soundy,

You are right symptoms from lupus are very difficult when a flare occurs. My mom has lupus, also, and she has regular SLE. Her flares can be life threatening so I try to see how lucky I am to "just" be suffering rashes, serious fatigue and debilitating pain.

I have learned to live with lupus and lessen the chances of having a flare and taking care of myself once it begins. BUT I have not figured out the combination for dealing effectively with this AN!  I am trying different ways to approach it and one of these days I will get the idea of how to handle symptoms with Army brat adaptability.

The last thing I HAVE to say, is ever since I have seen your profile photo, I have been intrigued by your child's artistic talent!! I was a highly trained, professional portrait artist and taught privately people from 8 to 80 and I KNOW that artwork is terrific, especially when you consider the age ! Is he/she still doing artwork? I surely hope so.

Take care,

Mary

[Soundy]

She still dabbles ... I just posted to you on the other thread... the younger one with Dandy Lion is
the Headache artist

If being an Army Brat does nothing else it teaches you adaptibiltiy... 10 schools to get through  ... did
get to see more of this country than most people do and that was great...

I was an idjit and sat in the sun Saturday and have some itchy scaly patches popping up... wasn't thinking
... it was chilly and the sun was warm and felt so good ... haven't done a stupid thing like that in a long time ...
before surgery lupus was my biggest problem as far as symptoms ... post AN surgery and the after effects are
more of a problem...