Shingles.. FML

lovemesomemonster

Just have to vent for a minute! We were on vacation for the last week and on Sunday morning I woke up and felt like I had cracked a rib or something! Yes, we had a very wine filled night and climbed around on a glacier the next day so this totally could have happened! The flight home sucked trying to sit up straight the entire time and then a rash showed up on my belly Tuesday.. I had finally had enough of this so I went to the doc yesterday, she took one look at the rash and said "yep, you have shingles". Then she goes on to explain it all to me and how stress can make it flare up.. Um, I was on VACATION! So I start reading up about shingles and everything is basically "if you are over 50".. so apparently I aged 23 years and was stressed out on vacation..  meds for now, and no hugs because I about punched FI in the face when he did that last night it hurt so bad!

To top off all of this fun stuff.. I went to pick up the prescription last night and apparently had an old insurance card.. the company had been bought out so they couldn't look me up without the new one. $273 for the meds? No thanks, I will suffer through! Thankfully I found the other card this morning and went to get it.. the side effects sound fun so I can't way to start this crap! Welcome back from vacation to me!

wrigleyville

Oh my god. That's horrible. I hear shingles are extremely painful. I hope you feel better soon.

theartistformerlyknownas

Oh no! I'm so sorry. 

If it helps at all, a friend of mine had shingles in her early 20s too. So it's not super common, but definitely does happen.

levioosa

I'm so sorry.  I hope you feel better soon!

[Deleted User]

Ugh.  So sorry!   I know someone who got them at 24 (due to stress) and she was miserable.

I hope this passes quickly for you!

MairePoppy

I'm sorry you have shingles. Is the Rx for pain or is it an antiviral? I hope it helps.

Couggal12

Ouch! That sounds miserable. 

A close friend of mine got shingles when he was either 26 or 27. It was from stress and his immune system isn't that great. I hope you feel better soon. 

climbingsingle

Oh no! I'm sorry! I hope you're better soon. 

loveislouder

I'm so sorry that's happening. My mom had her first bought of shingles at 19 when she was pregnant with my sister.

Here's hoping for a speedy recovery with little to no side effects!

lovemesomemonster

Thanks for the kind words everyone! the medication is an antiviral but nothing for pain.. they told me if it gets worse I can come back in but I'll live for now! Just not a great way to have to get back in the grind! Welcome back to work after a nice vacation, would you like that with a side of shingles? 

littlemushroom

I had shingles on my thigh in my late 20s and it sucked. A lot. My mom had shingles years ago and ended up hospitalized for a week, and we had to wear gowns and face masks to visit her. I took solace in the fact that at least I didn't have to go to the hospital. It was a small comfort, but a comfort nonetheless. I hope you get some relief soon!

lovemesomemonster

littlemushroom said:

I had shingles on my thigh in my late 20s and it sucked. A lot. My mom had shingles years ago and ended up hospitalized for a week, and we had to wear gowns and face masks to visit her. I took solace in the fact that at least I didn't have to go to the hospital. It was a small comfort, but a comfort nonetheless. I hope you get some relief soon!

That sounds terrible! So sorry you and your mom had to go through that! I am thankful that mine does not look that bad at all, still been able to do yoga nightly! 

PrettyGirlLost

lovemesomemonster said:

Thanks for the kind words everyone! the medication is an antiviral but nothing for pain.. they told me if it gets worse I can come back in but I'll live for now! Just not a great way to have to get back in the grind! Welcome back to work after a nice vacation, would you like that with a side of shingles? 

Doctors in my area also prescribe an anti-anxiety med to help with the pain, as anti-anxiety drugs are nerve blockers and the shingles virus is attacking the nerves.

levioosa

lovemesomemonster said:

Thanks for the kind words everyone! the medication is an antiviral but nothing for pain.. they told me if it gets worse I can come back in but I'll live for now! Just not a great way to have to get back in the grind! Welcome back to work after a nice vacation, would you like that with a side of shingles? 

I think there are OTC creams you can get to help with the pain.  Perhaps you could call and ask your doctor for something for the pain too?

themuffinman16

Sending you hugs. Shingles are awful.  

[Deleted User]

lovemesomemonster

levioosa said:

lovemesomemonster said:

Thanks for the kind words everyone! the medication is an antiviral but nothing for pain.. they told me if it gets worse I can come back in but I'll live for now! Just not a great way to have to get back in the grind! Welcome back to work after a nice vacation, would you like that with a side of shingles? 

I think there are OTC creams you can get to help with the pain.  Perhaps you could call and ask your doctor for something for the pain too?

Most of the pain is deep from the nerves right around my ribs and back, the rash isn't actually that bad unless I accidentally scratch it at night then if feels like it's on fire.. other than that I don't really notice it! She said she was surprised that I wasn't in more pain and said to start with ibuprofen for now and call if it gets worse.. I should totally be thankful that it's not worse, it's just irritating! 

lovemesomemonster

pinkrevenge said:

Dude, I'm sorry.

My mom had shingles at 24, so sometimes it just happens young. She also didn't know it was shingles until she was holding me as I was getting my first infant shots and said "Hey doc, could you please tell me what this rash is?"

Love it! A rash seems to be such a casual thing.. I was telling her about my ribs, saying maybe my back was out a bit (I was a gymnast, something is always out) and she went to lift my shirt and I said "Oh yeah, and there's this rash"..

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User]

I'm sorry. FI just had it before our trip to Disney last fall. He was 23. He was a giant stressball leading up to his shingles though.

KatWAG

Make sure to stay away from pregnant woman until the shingles have cleared up.

lovemesomemonster

KatWAG said:

Make sure to stay away from pregnant woman until the shingles have cleared up.

Don't know any pregnant woman so that won't be a problem.. And I work from home so with the exception of needing to go to Costco last night (I have a HUGE problem with strangers touching me so I keep my distance anyways) I will not be around people I don't know!

theartistformerlyknownas

lovemesomemonster said:

KatWAG said:

Make sure to stay away from pregnant woman until the shingles have cleared up.

Don't know any pregnant woman so that won't be a problem.. And I work from home so with the exception of needing to go to Costco last night (I have a HUGE problem with strangers touching me so I keep my distance anyways) I will not be around people I don't know!

Well just remember your friends might be pregnant and not have told you yet. So I would just be very cautious.

lovemesomemonster

lolo883 said:

lovemesomemonster said:

KatWAG said:

Make sure to stay away from pregnant woman until the shingles have cleared up.

Don't know any pregnant woman so that won't be a problem.. And I work from home so with the exception of needing to go to Costco last night (I have a HUGE problem with strangers touching me so I keep my distance anyways) I will not be around people I don't know!

Well just remember your friends might be pregnant and not have told you yet. So I would just be very cautious.

Recently moved, work from home, the one person I know here is a man.. if he's pregnant I will be SHOCKED!

flyingfoxes

Ouch!  I hope you feel better soon.

SmileDamnit

Ugh - I'm sorry. That totally sucks and I hope you find relief soon!

My BFF got shingles when she was 9 months pregnant with her twins. Poor thing couldn't catch a break. FWIW, she was fine and babies were fine.

jenna8984

I got it at 26!! I guess buying my house was more stressful that I thought? I actually don't understand why everyone says it's so brutal though. Mine was a bad rash but once I got the meds it was gone in less than a week and no residual pain. You'll be better in no time! 

Maggie0829

I am so sorry!  Getting shingles is a huge fear of mine.  Those commercials they have on tv about them just scare the shit out of me.

WinstonsGirl

Maggie0829 said:

I am so sorry!  Getting shingles is a huge fear of mine.  Those commercials they have on tv about them just scare the shit out of me.

Me too, especially when they talk about huge pain for up to 6 months.  

dcbride86

I'm SO sorry!!  I'm TERRIFIED I'm going to get shingles because I hear it's so painful.  I've been bugging my parents to get the shingles vaccine.  I need to bug them more about it this weekend.

jenna8984

WinstonsGirl said:

Maggie0829 said:

I am so sorry!  Getting shingles is a huge fear of mine.  Those commercials they have on tv about them just scare the shit out of me.

Me too, especially when they talk about huge pain for up to 6 months.  

Seriously though, don't be scared. I don't even understand those commercials because I had it and it felt like an itchy rash for 4 days, then I got meds, then it was gone. That's it.