Shingles?!?!?!?!?!?

[YankeeCandle224]

I dont know if I posted this or not, my life has been insane. But, I was in the hospital for several days a few weeks ago from yet another horrible bladder, and severe pylenephritis, with possible passing of stones prior to coming to the hospital.

Well, I had a pain in my butt, so debilitating that I could barely move, lay on my side OR my back, and every doctor I have, every nurse, and a medical consult team have seem my behind and nobody, even after a CT scan said that they could see anything, but they believed my pain, nobody can fake the kind of reaction I have had from this pain.

I went to a pain doc appt the other day, just prior to moving into our new house, which we are in now THANK GOD, and showed HIM my butt. With no hesitation, in about 2 seconds, literally, he said it was shingles!!!!!!!! I have this awful rash on my behind now, where the most intense pain was in the hospital, and I still have pain, and the rash/blisters are mind boggling, and keep in mind we moved on Tuesday.

Now, this is a bit personal, but about a month or so ago, I THOUGHT I had herpes in my genital area, but thought it odd that it was only on the right side, well the right side is where the shingles are, and the doctor told me no, it was not genital herpes, it was an outbreak of shingles, and just imagine that pain, with IC, and all sorts of bladder problems.

I feel relieved in some way, scared in others, because now I know it wasnt herpes, but it was shingles, and I'm so afraid that this is going to recur, with that immense pain, to other nerves radiating off my spinal cord where the
varicella zoster (chicken pox virus) has laid dormant for about 36 years cause I had chicken pox at 4!!

Anyone, please, let me know if you have experienced this. My doctor told me that because my immune system is so incredibly stressed and unhappy that this is what caused the reactivation of the virus.

Weirder things have happened, but it saddens me to have another diagnosis added to the list of 10 or so syndromes, diseases, etc, that I have.

I hope you guys are doing ok, I know I havent been around much or replied much, but have been in the hospital and moving, or at least trying to move lol.

Love to you all, Sandy

[ICNDonna]

I have never had shingles, but my husband did --- his struck his face and scalp. After treatment, the shingles have not returned. I do know from talking with people who have had this, and from my husband's experience, that shingles can be extremely painful.

I hope yours goes away quickly.

Sending healing thoughts,
Donna

[littlebear]

Hi,
I'm so sorry to hear about all that you've been going through (along with everythign else no less!). I had shingles 20 years ago and they've never come back. I also have a friend who had them 15 years ago he's never had them come back either. Wishing you as speedy a recovery as possiblem, little bear

[gypsyjoy]

:yikes: :yikes: That is what my shingles were like. I got them 5 years ago and they hurt like hell. And there just isn't much that was helpful for me...Heck, I had to DX myself cause the only medical center within 100 miles didn't know what it was.!!
I took care of a couple for years and they both had them and that is how I knew what they were.Stress will cause them to flare back up or so I have been told.
JOY

[Donna L]

I had shingles about 15 years ago.Definetly brought on by high stress........I was given medication for a week (very costly but OH SO WORTH IT!!!) and they went away, never to return. I have had a # of heavy stress times since, but there has been no re-occurance. Mine felt like itching and burning at the same time. If anyone has ever been bitten by fire ants (lived in Fl for 8 years) that what it felt like.Not fun...Hope you get better soon...Donna L

[Iris]

Feel so sorry for you, I have heard shingles are very painful, I know my mother had them around her waistline. I have also lived in Florida, so know all about fire ants, ouch they are painful, so imagine shingles is no fun at all, with everything else. Hope you start to feel better soon, soft soft hug, Iris.:yikes: :flower:

[YankeeCandle224]

You guys are so kind I am sitting here crying. I hate that I come on here lately and do nothing but whine, but my life as become totally insane, lots of stress and physical things with this move, a yard sale we are supposed to have because my husband INSISTS, and I'm just so down from being in the hospital again, only to come out and start feeling so bad after the abx were gone.

I need these shingles like I need a hole in my head. That area on my poor butt and buttbone are sooooooo incredibly painful that there arent words to describe it, and my left hip feels "out of joint" and I cant get up from a sitting position without help, am having my 3rd or 4th or something period in just a few weeks, worried I am becomming anemic.

Not to mention the guilt, guilt, guilt that I feel here at home for not living up to everyones expectations except my lil girl and my lil boy, my 16 yr old is following in daddy's footsteps in making me feel useless because I am sick, literally all the time and am afraid of losing some kidney function from all they've been through.

I'll stop whining, I just want you all to know that I appreciate everything y'all have done for me in these past months since I found this great board. I feel like I take so much more than I give on here and hate it, I want to be there like you all are for me, and I will be again, sometime, if my life ever becomes normal again.

Thanks for 'listening' to me, thanks for being there, and thanks for putting up with me.

Love to all, Sandy

[Donna L]

Was there a reason your doctor didn't give you a prescription? When I had mine, I was given a script to have filled, (with a warning that I would suffer from shock when they told me the cost) but the meds worked. Mine hit my neck and across my shoulders, I can't even imagine how you must feel .......The stress you're under isn't helping you......could hubby maybe go with you on your next doctor visit? It would be good if you could get some validation...I'm so sorry......hope you start to heal soon....Donna L

[crystilclear]

I feel so badly for you!!!!!!! What a hard time it has been! With all of that going on at once. It's ok to cry and let it out. Just know that it will get better. Hang in there. I know that talking it out and just having someone there to reaffirm how you feel IS important. Don't feel bad we are hear to listen and support eachother. We all have times when we need extra support and then times when we can offer someone support. I really hope you will be feeling better soon. Mom takes care of everyone who takes care of mom? Give yourself some slack. I'm positive if they felt the way you do they'd understand. Take care of yourself. Leave the unpacking to someone else or ration how much you do. You NEED rest and sounds like a llot of TLC. I hope you will be doing better soon and are able to enjoy your new place. Take care - Chris :kiss:

[YankeeCandle224]

After I got out of the hospital for the pylo and bladder infection/e coli..I had a week of levaquin that I took. The pain doc saw the shingles on a routine visit and told me just to keep it clean, and it would go away eventually. Well, eventually isnt good enough because it's hard to sit. I have been using Lidoderm patches that have lidocaine on them, and they do help the blistering and deep nerve pain, but when they wear off and I take them off, I can see small amounts of pus on the pad (sorry so gross) and am worried they are getting infected despite my crazy cleaning routine of betadine, hibicleans (a hospital antiseptic) and neosporin 3 x a day. He told me there are lots of antivirals out there I could take but they cost a lot and he felt these would be gone soon, but I'm wondering how soon.........Money or not, if they arent gone by the time I see the gynecologist on Monday I'm asking for the meds. Thanks Donna for the help!


Chris, thank you for your post, I know I just babbled on and on. We didnt have the yard sale today, mostly because I went ballistic on my husband and told him I was sick, and that unpacking at my own pace was all I was going to do til NEXT weekend when I have enough stuff to make a substantial amount of money. He keeps saying he'll be at work then (ohhhh cant wait for him to go back to work!!), but my oldest son and two younger ones already said we'd do it together when we have plenty of stuff unpacked. Its just been so hard, we just got back together a few months ago after a long 5 1/2 year seperation (we never got divorced, mostly for the kids sake) and we are used to making our own decisions, ddoing what we think is best and we are butting heads so bad, plus the fact that when he lived with me last I was a robust, happy, healthy RN with a dream job, 3 lovely kids, and never sick except bronchitis once in a while......now, the sickness never ends and he doesnt know how to deal with it.

Anyway, enough rambling again, just thank you guys so much.

Love, Sandy

[Katrina]

Sandy,
I had 2 bouts of Shingles and now take a vitamin C suppliment because I don't want to go through that again....Mine was on my left side and sometimes I just feel so odd like the left side is still screwed up even when the rash is gone. Dod has said with an immune system weak like mine I will get it again...ahhh. Sorry you went through so much pain...and a struggle to get the diagnosis....atleast mine was diagnosed right away.

I would say mine right around but too...glad I was already sitting on pillows.

I hope you feel a lot better real soon.


Take Care

[crystilclear]

Wow what a difficult situation to be in on top of all your health problems right now. Would it help if maybe if you could both go to a counseler together? My hubby goes once in awhile with me because I understand it is very difficult for him to go through this too. Sometimes I neglect to think of his feelings and get too easily caught up in how bad I feel. I know he is affected as well. My kids are all younger and don't understand what I'm going through. I'm glad they said they'd help you unpack. I gave up feeling guilty about my limittations because if it were to happen to them I'd do anything I had to do to help them. A family should be there to help and support eachother. Remember you've done a lot for them already. Mother's sometimes get neglected and all the things we do are sometimes overlooked... We all make sacrifices for our families and when it is our turn I hope that we all will get support from them as well. I'm sorry you're going through such a hard time. I'm here if yoiu need to talk. I hope you have a great weekend (well as much as possible considering). Take care, rest, and try not to worry too much. I hope you will be feeling better soon. - Chris

[Mimi-in-Chicagoland]

I'm so sorry you have shingles on top of everything else, YankeeCandle. :( I hope it goes away soon. I have a friend that has had the shingles, and I know that its horrible. I hope you feel better soon...don't do too much. :kiss: