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Shingles

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Health & Wellbeing
I just went to the doctor about a rash I have on my arm and it turns out it's shingles.

But I have no idea what shingles IS, so if anyone could enlighten me, that would be most kind :D.

Also turns out I have to have a cervical smear because of something else, NOT a happy bunny :grump:.

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    dont quote me on this but my housemate had shingles and this it was she said. its a form of adult chicken pox you get from stress.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    http://www.medinfo.co.uk/conditions/shingles.html
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Franki wrote: »
    Also turns out I have to have a cervical smear because of something else, NOT a happy bunny :grump:.

    They're not so bad. I had my last one a few days ago, and they used the new style brush things, which was loads less uncomfortable than the lolly stick affair they used to use. :thumb:

    Probably also helps that my practice nurse is lovely. The one at my student practice put the fear of god into me. Never what you want prior to someone shoving metal implements up your fanny :(


    Anyway, yes. Shingles, like chicken pox, is a variant of the herpes virus. I was reading about it recently cause the tablets I've had to control my epic run of cold sores are the same as used to treat shingles. Coincidink!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You've got all the clickies, but be warned it can be really contagious, so be careful not to spread it around and DON'T scratch!

    Hugs, and hope you feel better soon.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Scary Monster wrote: »
    You've got all the clickies, but be warned it can be really contagious, so be careful not to spread it around and DON'T scratch!.

    Balls. I always scratch :(. I might try and find something to put over it then...hm.

    Thank you everyone :).
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    benadryl is good for itchy skin. Sudocreme is too - bit messy but it helps.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The doctor told me not to put cream on it :chin:.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I was going to say that pink stuff that comes in a bottle and you shake it up and its really cold (used that when i had chicken pox) but i suppose that counts as cream? I don't remember what it's called. The only thing i can think of is to bandage it up.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If it itches lots tonight, I will put something over it tomorrow :yes:.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ballerina wrote: »
    I was going to say that pink stuff that comes in a bottle and you shake it up and its really cold (used that when i had chicken pox) but i suppose that counts as cream? I don't remember what it's called. The only thing i can think of is to bandage it up.

    Calamile lotion (or however it's spelt)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My sister had shingles. When she was 12/13/14ish (I have a bad memory) she had quite a big operation on one of her kidneys and shortly after, my mum was up north visiting family (we lived down south at the time) and my dad was attempting to look after my sister and I. Anyway he saw this shingly things on hannah freaked out rang a number and checked for menenjitus and it turned out to the shingles. It is an adult form of chicken pots, very contagious and suppose you are more suspectable to it when your immune system is low e.g. elderly (babies who get chicken poxs) and then after operation etc which explains my sisters cause.

    Anyway life story over! and get well soon!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Calomine lotion ;)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Bathe in Oilatum if you can get your hands on it. I use it for my execema when it flares up and it does the trick. You'd have to use it everyday until its clears up though.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    freeallangels19 wrote: »
    Bathe in Oilatum if you can get your hands on it. I use it for my execema when it flares up and it does the trick. You'd have to use it everyday until its clears up though.

    That stuff is lovely.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sofie wrote: »
    That stuff is lovely.

    My mum used to use it loads when I was little and know I'm older and my skin keeps flaring up again its worked wonders. That and a Claratin on a bad day.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    my mum had shingles once (i think she's prone to it or something) at christmas time and i was singing 'shingle bells, shingle bells..'. sorry not any use to you AT ALL. hope it gets sorted soon!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Another thing to aid with the itching is to wear gloves, won't stop you scratching but will limit the damage you do if you do scratch.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    From memory if you've already had chickenpox then it's kind of the chickenpox coming up again and saying "Hiya baby, remember me?"

    I had it about two years ago, most people get the rash on their arm or their back or something, but me being me I got it on my forehead (a couple of centimetres down and I'd have been blinded apparently :()

    Try not to pick the rash cause it'll leave a little scar (I've got one on my forehead but it's faded a good bit now) and take the tablets the doctor gives you cause they help.

    Feel lucky, cause I got swelling around my eye and it looked like I'd been 10 rounds with Mike Tyson :(
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If I remember rightly, when my Dad got shingles (he caught it from his lovely children who had chicken pox at the time) he was hospitalized for a short while because it got that bad. Be grateful its just a rash because it can be really really bad (although I think the older you get, the worse it gets). Whenever my Dad talks about having it, he makes out like he was dying or something.

    Also, wouldn't it have made sense to ask your doctor what shingles was when he told you that you had it? :p
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    *Snow White Queen* wrote: »
    Also, wouldn't it have made sense to ask your doctor what shingles was when he told you that you had it? :p

    No, because I (well, he, really) was pushed for time, and I had to talk to him about the other reason I went which I have been putting off for far too long and is the reason I have to have the smear.

    Bri - he didn't give me any tablets :o.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    my dad is currently suffering from the shingles, 9-weeks and counting..... its really strange too. Its only on one half of his body due to the nerve paths on him, the other half is totally fine (he has them on his back/chest and one leg)

    He uses an Aloe Vera cream on em to help wit the itching, its cools it all down. called CYCLAX
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