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In reply to the discussion: Public DU Service announcement to older DUers - get your damn Shingles vaccinations!!! [View all]catchnrelease
(1,945 posts)I got shingles when I was in my late 50's. I never get sick, like someone above said--I also gave birth without drugs, and have a high pain tolerance. But this shingles thing was a killer!!!
When I came down with it I had been totally healthy and it hit me out of the blue. I had it on the upper left quarter of my face and hairline. Weirdly enough a few days before it really came on I had a mild ache in the 'back' of my eye if that makes sense. Nothing bad so I didn't pay it any mind. I have since found out that shingles sometimes gives kind of a mild pain in the area that it will attack. But how could you know it's shingles vs any other little thing?
My case came on on a Thursday evening and it was like a wave of fire or electricity that ran from above my left eyebrow, across the top of the eyelid and down along my nose. It kept me awake all night trying advil, tylenol, cold compresses, running cold water on my face...it was crazy! I didn't know anything about shingles symptoms so I was trying to figure out what the heck was going on.
Next day I couldn't get into my regular PA's office so they said go to the urgent care associated with the practice. The dumb guy there gave me an eye test! And said he thought it was irisitis. Even though I could see normally and had no redness in the eye. He gave me some drops and said if the pain continued to come back tomorrow. Stupid me, I did that but by Sat I had to go back. The drs on that day immediately said 'shingles'! Said it was so close to the eye I should see an opthamologist as soon as I could as it is possible to get it in the eye and lose sight there (!) and gave me vicodin for the pain.
The vicodin did nothing but make me barf. I made it to Monday and saw my regular PA who said that vicodin was the wrong drug for the nerve pain and gave me gabapentin. Happily that worked like a charm. (I was able to return to work a week later) Saw the eye dr and I was ok there. I was lucky that I had no scarring on my face but I still have some numb spots around the eyebrow and sometimes it feels like something is crawling there, and it's been about 7 yrs since I had it.
Re the vaccine, 5yrs later, my PA said that the vaccine was now being recommended for those that had shingles in the past and yes it's only 50-60% effective but is supposed to make the outbreak less severe if you do get it. She said I could still get it but not in the same place. So I did get the vax. My insurance did pay for it but only if I got it from my dr's office, not an outside pharmacy. It didn't hurt and I had no after effects.
Sorry to be so long winded here, but this is one thing I always rant on when the subject of shingles comes up.....I consider myself a tough old girl but I would not want to go through that again! GET THE SHOT!!!!! Thanks LynneSin for your PSA!