As most of you know I’m recovering from Shingles.
It takes quite a bit of effort to write anything coherent so I’ll just hit the high spots and fill in the details over the coming days.
Two weekends ago on Monday August 29th I stayed home from work with what I thought was a cold. I felt weak and I had a lot of sneezing and sniffles. That went away but the next week around Wednesday I started getting a bad headache. The headache continued and I took Friday off from work.
By Saturday I was starting to feel like a tooth on my left side was becoming infected. On Monday I called my dentist and asked him for some antibiotics and pain medicine and said I would make an appointment on Tuesday.
By Tuesday I was feeling worse and I had a slight “cold sore” on my lip and was starting to get a rash on my forehead on the left side. When I visited the dentist he said he couldn’t find a bad tooth and that he thought I should see my MD because it seemed viral to him.
I went to urgent care on Tuesday night and they diagnosed it as Shingles. They sent me home with some prescriptions that we got filled for Acyclovir.
The next day it was hurting a lot more and my ear was starting to swell. I called my regular doctor but he was on vacation so I dealt with his backup. He gave me a little stronger med but when I asked about seeing him I was told it wouldn’t be until the 26th.
On Thursday it was becoming very difficult to stand the pain and my ear had swelled to the point where I couldn’t hear because the canal was shut. I called my doctor again and asked both for something stronger and if I could come in as soon as possible. When I hadn’t heard back from them I went back to urgent care.
At urgent care I was seen by a doctor in training and a doctor. They agreed that I needed to go to Emergency which I did.
At emergency the doctor said it was shingles with a secondary infection. He said the secondary infection was Cellulitis. He also said he wanted to admit me so they could treat it aggressively.
I went in that night and they ended up putting me in isolation because of the open vesicles.
I spent the next 3 days getting massive amounts of antibiotics, steriods, and various pain medication including morphine and gabapentin. I got out yesterday but am still taking Acyclovir, Prednisone, and Vicodin.
I understand it will likely take from 2 weeks to 2 months to heal. I hope it’s closer to the former but we shall see.
Thanks to everyone who has wished me good luck and said prayers. I’ll take anything I can get.
Is that a typo that your (on call) doctor wouldn’t see you until the 26th of September? Four weeks! for a case of shingles? Maybe it’s time to find a new doctor.
Glad you finally got some attention, and are on the “mending” side of your ordeal.
Comment by Donna — Monday September 12, 2011 @ 9:21 pm
Nope, not a typo. Wish it was but that’s the reason I’m going back to the Dr. that covered me in the Hospital instead of my regular one.
Yes I’m mending but it will be a while I fear.
Comment by Don — Monday September 12, 2011 @ 10:32 pm
I’m glad that you have insurance. Stay home and rest to get your health back, Betty wrote that you may take off the rest of the month. That sounds very reasonable to me. Be sure to take all your antibiotics. Don’t “forget” them, because now, that’s more important than the computer, or doing any cooking. I know how you like to putz around and make high calorie goodies.
Comment by Mom — Monday September 12, 2011 @ 11:37 pm
I missed out on the start of this because I rarely follow Facebook. I’m glad to read a summary here.
I’m going to get a shingles vaccination as soon as I can find one!
Comment by Daryl — Tuesday September 13, 2011 @ 12:16 pm
Daryl, I got mine at Safeway.
Comment by Donna — Tuesday September 13, 2011 @ 6:27 pm
Gisele and I got shot today, along with a flu shot.
Comment by Daryl — Wednesday September 21, 2011 @ 10:21 pm
Good to hear.
Comment by Don — Wednesday September 21, 2011 @ 10:27 pm
How is your healing coming along? Back at work yet? Off the vicodin?
Comment by Daryl — Thursday September 22, 2011 @ 12:42 pm
It’s not coming along as well as I would hope. My ear seems to be infected again.
I am off the Vicodin for now. Hopefully my ear will stop hurting soon.
My face is also still burning all the time.
It’s not much fun having Shingles.
Comment by Don — Thursday September 22, 2011 @ 1:24 pm
Don’t wait for the weekend; check with the Dr. tomorrow (Friday) about your possible ear infection.
Comment by Mom — Thursday September 22, 2011 @ 8:09 pm
I saw him today and he said it looked infected. He gave me Keflex and some drops.
Comment by Don — Thursday September 22, 2011 @ 8:14 pm
It doesn’t sound like much fun. I’m sorry.
Comment by Donna — Thursday September 22, 2011 @ 9:02 pm
The literature with the vaccination said it is only about 50% effective in preventing shingles. But it should reduce the severity of any attack that does happen. After hearing about your experience, preventing or reducing severity is what I want.
Comment by Daryl — Friday September 23, 2011 @ 8:28 am
You are proving that Shingles can be a serious situation, not something to be passed off as “just another day at the office”. Take care. Every one over 60, who hasn’t done so must get the vaccine, if you had chicken pox as a child, and most kids did in those days, and it wasn’t considered serious; it is, now.
Comment by Mom — Friday September 23, 2011 @ 8:30 am
It has been several days since the last update. Are you still hoping to be able to return to work by Oct. 1? How are you feeling now?
Comment by Mom — Tuesday September 27, 2011 @ 12:31 pm
I’m hoping the pain goes down before then. If it’s at the same level on Friday as it is now I’m not sure I’ll be able to suggest going back.
The skin looks pretty normal now but it still burns a lot.
Comment by Don — Tuesday September 27, 2011 @ 1:15 pm
I saw the doctor today and we agreed I’m not quite ready to return to work. It’s now planned for the 10th.
Comment by Don — Friday September 30, 2011 @ 10:02 pm
My burning face is getting better every day. It still makes it hard to sleep but Ibuprofen takes the edge off for several hours. I’m also still taking Neurontin (Gabapentin) which is a medication for nerve pain. I have been getting a bit more sleep the past few nights.
I also have an ear ache that’s been with me for over a week. It’s quite low grade but there’s something in my ear canal that my doctor wanted me to see a specialist about. I’ll be seeing him tomorrow.
Shingles is not fun.
Comment by Don — Monday October 3, 2011 @ 9:14 am
What did the ear specialist say? You can’t leave us with no answer.
Comment by Mom — Wednesday October 5, 2011 @ 9:56 am
Oh yeah, sorry. He says it’s most likely just leftover pain from the shingles. He said the shingles probably created blisters in my ear and some of them started bleeding which left scabs. As for the pain he thinks it’s normal and can be taken care of with neosporin/polymycin drops.
Comment by Don — Wednesday October 5, 2011 @ 9:59 am
Back to work tomorrow. Face still isn’t back to normal but it’s not really burning anymore. More like a strong tingle.
Comment by Don — Sunday October 9, 2011 @ 6:27 pm
Glad you’re on the mend. Hope you feel better day by day. Don’t work too hard! 🙂
Comment by Donna — Monday October 10, 2011 @ 5:07 pm
I didn’t work too hard. Came home at 9am. Didn’t take my Tramadol with me and I paid for it.
Comment by Don — Monday October 10, 2011 @ 5:08 pm
It’s now past the 20th, another ten days. Time for an update.
Comment by Mom — Sunday October 23, 2011 @ 12:44 am
Except for still taking Lyrica for the nerve pain I am pretty much recovered. I went back to work last week and everything was good.
I’m so glad I’m over it now. Shingles has to be the worst physical problem I’ve ever suffered through and that includes my broken ribs of 8 or 9 years ago.
Comment by Don — Sunday October 23, 2011 @ 9:06 am