Medical Advice

[NormanDunbar]

This last week or so, I've been laid up with Shingles. I'm 61 these days (but not for much longer) so getting shingles again -- it's my third time -- gets worse the older you get. I have just found out that there's a vaccine, my advice (and I'm not doctor) is get a shingles jab if you've had chicken pox. Trust me when I say, it's bloody nasty and extremely painful indeed.

The symptoms I've had are:

• Skin on left side of body, front and back, became exceedingly sensitive to touch. Clothes were agony.
• A rash developed front and back, on my left side. Very itchy!
• Rash eventually blistered on the front. Nasty and painful.
• Stabbing, red hot sharp pains, at random intervals, all over my left side.
• Can't stand or sit for longish period without getting a stabbing pain in my chest. (no, not a heart attack!)
• Forget about sleeping, you can't! You can't lie on any affected areas without agony.

Honestly, it's agony and very dangerous if you get it on your face, you can go blind. My skin is so sensitive that a cooling spray from the chemist, to take away the sensitivity, is too painful to apply in spray form!

Also, because of the nastiness, I've been advised to avoid:

• Women who are, or may be planning to be, pregnant.
• Children.
• People who have not yet had chicken pox.
• Everyone else!

Basically, avoid being in close contact with people. I'm now wearing a mask when I do go out, so that I'm protecting people from both covid and shingles. I get some strange looks walking the pup with a mask on!

I admit this is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off topic for a QL forum, however, we are not all as young as we used to be, and this is the absolute worst pain I've ever been in, and I would not wish this on my worst enemy, or even a Commodore C64 owner!

Also, I'm not looking for sympathy. My wife has been fussing about so much, I had to send her to London with her girl friends for the weekend to get some peace!

Cheers,
Norm.

[dilwyn]

Erk, sounds nasty. I've known one or two people who've had this and it's not nice. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[mk79]

Oh wow, I wish you a speedy recovery. Classmate of mine half your age had some lasting effects, can be nasty if somebody is unlucky.

[vanpeebles]

Get well soon! Sounds nasty!

[NormanDunbar]

Thanks everyone for your best wishes. You naughty people! I wasn't after sympathy!

Yes it is nasty, very nasty, so if you can avoid it, do your utmost.

Cheers,
Norm.

[Andrew]

Speedy recovery, Norman!
I know how painful it is and how can it influnece your life - both my father and my aunt have this issue.

[Chr$]

I can't remember if I've had chicken pox. I had something pimply when I was about 18/19 and went to the Dr who took blood and afterwards I nearly fainted at the bus stop. I never actually went back to get the results (you know what teenagers are like) and the Dr didn't call. It went away after a few more day but I still have a tiny little scar on my nose.

What does chicken pox look like on a young adult?

*inserts no sympathy here, as requested*

[NormanDunbar]

What does chicken pox look like...

Have a gander here: https://www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/about/photos.html

Cheers,
Norm.

[Chr$]

What does chicken pox look like...

Have a gander here: https://www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/about/photos.html

Cheers,
Norm.

Thanks, mine was a lot like the example in vaccinated people.

[XorA]

Vaccine only available to over 70s though, I have a while to go to reach that status!