General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Public DU Service announcement to older DUers - get your damn Shingles vaccinations!!! [View all]KoKo
(84,711 posts)Last edited Fri May 2, 2014, 10:25 AM - Edit history (1)
I'm a healthy person...but had it two years ago. Luckily they gave me a removable "Lydocaine" (I think)anesthetic patch to put on my back to help the pain. It can only be used for three days and you have to remove it for a certain time period at intervals during the three days. The worst of the excruciating pain was at night. I finally used two ice bags that I propped up on my back to try to sleep. That helped with the pain when I could no longer use the patch. It went on for over a week and went across my back and around my sides. (It can hit you anywhere on your body and some get it in their neck, face and elsewhere.)
They did give me vaccine shot when I first went to the doctor with symptoms because they've found if they give you the vaccine within the first 48 hours or so after your symptoms are noticeable that it can shorten the length of time of discomfort and some evidence that it stops recurrence of the symptoms that can reappear later. It seemed to work for me because after it cleared up I haven't had any problems.
I'm a pretty pain tolerant person (can have minor dental work done without any pain killer) but I would never want to go through the pain I went through with shingles ever again.
I'd get the vaccine!