Shingles Anyone?

[Vanilla Orchid]

I had shingles several years ago. It's caused by the same virus as chicken pox. You can transmit chicken pox if someone comes in contact with the blisters from shingles. Stay away from pregnant women.

There is now a vaccine to prevent shingles. I don't know if it does any good if you already have it. There are drugs if your pain is severe. Mine was not--just annoying.

[greens girl]

I had shingles five or six years ago on the right side of my face above my eye. I was given Acyclovir, the anti-viral drug generally prescribed. I had a rather alarming reaction to it. My face puffed up and my eyes swelled shut. (I looked like Miss Piggy.) It was alarming.

Of course, I went off the Acyclovir, having been on it for two days. Then, I went to bed for four days and rested, getting up every few hours to drink a swig of Elderberry Extract (which I had on hand in the fridge). I finished the bottle I had and then and went out and bought another one and finished it off. I knew that Elderberry is reputed to be an anti-viral and had read about the studies done on it by a woman doctor/researcher in Israel.

At the end of the week, the shingles were clearing and by Monday, just over a week after onset, I felt fine and ready to return to work. The rash had nearly disappeared. I had experienced no pain but I had had a stinging sensation for several days. That, too, had gone.

I was told by the doc that my recovery was unusually quick. Others I know who have had shingles were amazed that the condition had resolved so quickly with so little pain.

I jokingly tell people that I "cured" my shingles with Elderberry extract. Whether that's true or not, I don't know. I do know that taking it was certainly safer than taking Acyclovir which, according to the doctor, could have caused me more severe problems (like an inability to breathe).

As someone who's had other drug reactions--Penicillin, etc.--I am leery of prescription drugs and have in recent years refused them unless I have been convinced they are absolutely necessary. (Happily, I refused HRT some years ago when I was pressured to take it as a preventative of heart problems.)

I continue to take Elderberry on a daily basis during flu season (instead of flu shots) with good results so far. You can google it and read about the research on it.

I recently read that Capsacain cream can be helpful for the pain associated with shingles. I have found it helpful for other kinds of pain. Just be careful not to get it in your eyes, etc. It can burn you.

[Suebee]

A fast way to help your immune system is take Vitamin D! This more than anything affects immunity and if you are low, watch out! Sitting duck for more colds and flu. I would not eat corn, as it is low in lysine. However, not sure if I should recommend fish which is high in lysine. Beans are too. Don't eat nuts as others have said--high in arginine and so is chocolate. I feel sorry for you. This is nasty. My husband has had it twice, once on his head. The Vermont Country store has a cream that is supposed to help with the pain of shingles. I'm sure you can find it online. I would personally hit the antiviral herbs, but that is me. Others don't care to do so. There are many Chinese herbal mixtures that do this; Esberitox is a blend popular in Germany (has wild indigo and Echinacea among others); and I also like Andrographis (which Nature's Way manufactures). Good luck! And I take Lysine tablets too, found in any supermarket. And of course, zinc!

[Rjay]

Hi All,

Yes shingles is recuring chickenpox. Interestingly, I just returned from Safeway where the Pharmacy was anouncing over the PA system that injections were now available in the store!

I don't know what the feelings on this forum are toward this medication. I'm just passing it on...

Here is a link discussing the CDC recommendations about the medication...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 03537.html

I too have had a very mild shingles eruption but if it really was bad I think I would check this out.