I Have Shingles! ** UPDATE** Now My Daughter Has Chicken Pox! (Pg 10)

[snowydiamonds]

Do any of you that have or have had shingles know what YARROW is?

It grows wild and has many healing qualities, if you pick a handful and boil it as a tea, apply that cooled tea to your shingles and NO more pain, promise!

Yarrow also (taken as a tea drink) lowers high blood pressure OR raises low blood pressure, to mention just a few wonderful things YARROW does.

One more thing its very useful for is when you get a bug bite, take a yarrow leaf and rub it onto the bite- numbs, decreases swelling, and no itchiness.

YARROW, pick it, freeze it whole, cut it in tiny tiny pieces and dry it on a cookie sheet and then store it in baggies or an air tight mason jar for when you need it.

Most people only see or think of YARROW as an unwanted weed and if you need it, it tries to grow in your yard...

 

[Opa]

There is now a preventative vaccine for shingles. Expensive but anything that prevents shingles is worth the cost. Elderly people are particularly prone to outbreak of shingles. Since I became an "Old Rooster" I have been trying to stay on top of all of the old people stuff. You might want to ask your doctor about it.

 

[coffeemama]

Aw Laurie-poor mama! I had shingles last year and it sucked! I am usually not one to get nasty medications, but I did get the anti-viral, and was better fairly quickly. After that though, I found out my chiro has some wonderful things to treat that are not nasty. Oh well

My dd ended up getting chicken pox shortly after I had shingles-not sure if it was from me or not, but I was glad she got it over with, and she had a mild case.
I hope you heal fast

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
That I didnt know!!!! It seems to me whenever I am outside for the day, the next day, just pain, pain, pain! I thought it was I was allergic to the sun......

 

[ChanceRider]

I'm SO sorry you've got shingles! I know from personal experience a couple of months ago when it broke out on my scalp and then down my forehead to my left eye. I was so bummed out... always thought shingles was an OLD persons disease.... well, dang, maybe I am old?

When the rash was just on my scalp I seriously thought I had a brain tumor as I'd get incredibly sharp stabbing pains on my head. I was relieved to find out it was "just" shingles. My doctor saw me on a Friday, prescribed meds, and saw me again on Monday to follow-up. There was so much improvement she took me off of the Prednisone... about a week later all trace of it was gone. I guess the whole ordeal only lasted a couple of weeks.

Here's hoping your case subsides as quickly as mine did. I have no scarring or residual pain what-so-ever. Best wishes coming your way!

 

[lilshadow]

I had shingles several years back, it is heck. Also, you should stay away from people who have never had chicken pox because you can give them chicken pox from shingles. So if your children have never had cp they may get them now. Stay away until the rash goes away. Oh yeah you should stay away from pregnant women also. You usually just get shingles once in a life time. It is very rare to get them again after having them. Sorry to hear that you have them though I know how ya feel. Hope you feel better soon.
Veronica

 

[Chicabee19]

Laurie,

I haven't read this entire thread because I am not feeling well from my own shingles.

I have chronic active shingles and usually can keep them at bay with a careful daily regimen.

You need L-Lysine.

You can buy the pills at Grocery Outlet. They don't work near as well as Pharmaceutical Grade L-Lysine Powder, but they do in a pinch. Take 4 four or five times a day. Lysine is an amino acid so it won't hurt you and has no side-effects. You can get the powder on the 'net here:

http://www.nutritiongeeks.com/detai..._source=shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=1932

I make a spray of Lysine in bottled water and spray it anywhere I have the Shingles or the Prodrome (intense pain). It is amazing to feel the pain begin to wane immediately.

Be careful you don't spread them by scratching/touching the area.

Good luck, I feel for you.

A few more things: Aspirin will help, but Tylenol will actually make the pain worse. You can find a list of foods high in Arginine on the 'net (a catalyst for the virus - you want to stay away from Arginine. For example, peanuts). Foods high in Lysine really help fight the virus. Let me know if you want me to email you my foods list.

 

[BearSwampChick]

<<smacks self in forehead>>I don't know why I didn't think of L-lysine! That's what I take to prevent herpes simplex II, or common cold sores. They're the same (almost) virus. Also try applying an ice pack to the affected area a few times a day. That works great for cold sores, so why not for shingles outbreaks? BTW, I take 1,000 mg of l-lysine daily. I used to get them every couple of months and now only rarely.

 

[Chicabee19]

So glad someone else can back this up!

I take 2 tablespoons several times a day - more if I eat certain things or begin to feel sick.

Laurie -- I am ordering some today as a matter of fact -- call me if you want me to add some to my order. It's $10.99 for a 1 pound bottle of powder + shipping.

The ice-pack thing doesn't work well for me ... too painful.

 

[BearSwampChick]

Quote:
I was just guessing on the ice pack. Probably painful because of a larger area? It does work well on cold sores though.