Like it or not, I’ve gotten up close and personal with shingles lately.
No not me – I’ve never had it. (In fact I don’t even remember having chicken pox – but as I’ve nursed both kids and the hubster through it back in 2002, and I didn’t get it, I think we can pretty confidently assume that I have indeed already had it.)
The hubster is currently suffering from his second bout of shingles this year. It seems to be a lot like man flu to me 😉 .
The first time, he had it on his arm, which is quite unusual. At first we thought it was just eczema or some sort of insect bites! It more commonly appears on the torso – hubster has blisters on the right side of his chest at the moment. Before the rash came out we were wondering if he’d maybe broken a rib, he was in so much pain.
So here’s what I’ve learned about shingles as a result – they were things I didn’t know before, so I figured you might not know either.
5 Things You Might Not Know About Shingles
1 – First of all, I always thought shingles was like chicken pox in that you could only get it once. Clearly the hubster has proven this wrong …
2 – I used to think that shingles was something that plagued the elderly. However the hubster is just a spring chicken (yes, I’m a cradle snatcher)!
3 – Most of us would be aware that if you’ve ever had chicken pox, you are at risk of developing shingles at some stage. However, what I didn’t know is that there is a vaccine to prevent shingles – and you can bet your bottom dollar that the hubster will be getting it as soon as he is fully recovered, if I have anything to do with it!
4 – If you can get to a doctor within 72 hours of the rash appearing, there is an antiviral medication which will shorten both the duration and the severity of the illness (heaven only knows what the hubster would be like if he wasn’t taking it, he’s bad enough even with the medication!).
5 – I always thought that shingles wasn’t contagious; but it seems it can indeed be passed on, so it’s important to keep the blisters covered (which according to the hubster, is agony. It is painful enough without wanting anything like a bandage touching it!). Could it be a coincidence that two other people on hubster’s floor at work, also currently have it?
It looks and sounds pretty nasty – so tell me, have you ever had shingles?
Ouch that looks nasty
This pic was taken on the first day the blisters came out … it looks worse now!
I was concerned for myself only a couple of months ago. Turned out it was a really nasty eczema infection so I was lucky in one respect. Never had eczema before either. At the time I had just started volunteering at an Aged Care facility and one of the residents had shingles. She was in a lot of pain.
The first time hubster had it earlier this year, we had no clue – until somebody at his work realised …
I know its miserable, my husband and friend had it and were in a lot of pain, hope your
husband feels better soon.
Thanks Lana, the sores have healed up and he’s back at work today.
Apparently if you get it once you are much more likely to get it again. I had my needle after my first bout this year. Most painful thing I’ve endured aside from childbirth. Unfortunately the needle is expensive if you’re under 60 but WORTH IT.
I felt so bad when we realised what was wrong with hubster, I thought he was just being annoying the week before and whinging for nothing. Whoops …
I’ve had it about 5-6 times. Recovering as we speak. It’s horrible, and extremely painful. What may look like a tiny rash on the surface can be as big as a basketball or bigger on the inside. It affects the nerves, hence the pain.
Have you thought about getting the vaccination Donna? Sounds like it would be worth it. Hubster found the week before the sores came up, and the first few days, the worst.