Help! Shingles.......

[Synn]

My 15 year old neighbors has what we think appear to be shingles..

 

What can we do for her that doesn't require going to the doctor to get expensive meds?

[moonstar]

Could see if Dr. Colbert has a book out that covers this.

I don't know if he does nor not. Has written about many

subjects. Worth a try.

[moonstar]

This has been helpful to some people:

If shingles below neck, throw a handful of cornstarch into

bathwater and soak.

 

 

 

 

[gardnmom]

 

 

This explains what Shingles are and what causes them:

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2001/301_pox.html

More here

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/shingles.html

 

What is shingles?

Shingles, or herpes zoster, is caused by the chickenpoxvirus that remains in the nerve roots of all persons who had chickenpox and can come out in your body again years later to cause illness.

Shingles is more common after the age of 50 and the risk increases with advancing age. Shingles causes numbness, itching or severe pain followed by clusters of blister-like lesions in a strip-like pattern on one side of your body. The pain can persist for weeks, months or years after the rash heals and is then known as post-herpetic neuralgia.

Is shingles contagious?

Yes, people with shingles are contagious to persons who have not had chickenpox. Therefore, people who have not had chickenpox can catch chickenpox if they have close contact with a person who has shingles. However, you can not catch shingles itself from someone else. Shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus which has been dormant (staying quiet) in your body ever since you had chickenpox. So, you get shingles from your own chickenpox virus, not from someone else.

What should I do if I get shingles?

Contact your health care provider as soon as possible to discuss treatment with antiviral medications. These medications are most effective if given as soon as possible after rash onset.

Can someone who has been vaccinated for chickenpox develop shingles?

Yes. However, a study conducted among children with leukemia determined that after receiving the vaccine these children were much less likely to develop shingles than children who had prior natural chickenpox. Available information from healthy children and adults suggest that shingles is less common in vaccinated healthy persons compared with persons who have had natural chickenpox.

Is there a vaccine available to prevent or modify shingles?

No; however, a study is currently underway with a new formulation of the chickenpox vaccine to determine whether vaccination of persons older than 55 years of age will reduce the frequency and/or severity of shingles in adults. Results from this study will be available in about 5 years.

 

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nip/diseases/varicella/...#3-Whatshoulddo

Vit. B6 might help.

The baking soda paste applied may help dry up the blisters.

[Freetobeme]

I had them on my face and scalp. The doc didn't do anything except tell me to take Tylenol and give me B-12 injections. It's apparently one of those painful things that just has to run it's course. I guess some of the new antivirals might help, but if you can't afford them, the old 'treat the symptoms and make the patient comfortable' is about it. Since it's the same virus that causes chicken pox, the symptom relief is the same. Something to soothe the blistered areas, and fever relief. I found that with it being around my eye, I couldn't stand light. Lots of fluids, a light diet, and lots of rest, too. It does seem to cause nerve damage since I have no feeling left in the area where the blisters were.

[Homesteader]

For many people shingles is a serious and painful condition. DH had more pain from shingles than he did from a triple bypass surgery. Fortunately, he got to the Dr. before it was too bad. The prescription was expensive but he would have paid any price for relief.

[Guest Guest]

get yourself a huge bottle of L-Lysine pills, the highest mgs you can get and take one or two three times a day during out breaks. L-lysine is an amino acid found in some foods and is used to greatly lessen symptoms of all herpes simplex problems. works fantastic for cold sores as well.

Granma swore by this one, and everyone I know of it helps.

AM.

[Guest Guest]

http://www.youngagain.com/llyshyd10100.html

scroll down and read about lysine and shingles...says dose is 1000mg 3 times a day... have a friend that takes it says it helps her shingles tremendously. am.

[Guest Guest]

Yeah, the L-lysine really helps my daughter when she starts to get a cold sore...it shortens the period of time she suffers from it and minimizes the intensity of the outbreak. I think it's interesting how it really works.

[Guest Guest]

I wish I'd known that 25 years ago!