What meds have you taken when diagnosed with Shingles?!
Question: I asked a question about shingles yesterday, and mostly everyone said I should see a doctor. I went to see a doc yesterday. I have no blistering yet, so she really couldn*t tell if I have them or not, but she said the description of my pain was very consistent having shingles. She prescribed 5 days of 50 mg. prednisone to start immediately and also acyclovir 800 mg. for 10 days. She said I should start the acyclovir when the first blisters appear, but I have read that people take it before the blisters appear. I feel like I should start taking it. Also, the pain I*m experiencing is over a 6inch by 3 inch area on my rib cage and left side, but I am also experiencing REALLY bad back pain on that same side, has anyone experienced that pain? I don*t know how to deal with that pain. I can*t even find a comfortable way to sleep because of the pain in my back.
Answers: I asked a question about shingles yesterday, and mostly everyone said I should see a doctor. I went to see a doc yesterday. I have no blistering yet, so she really couldn*t tell if I have them or not, but she said the description of my pain was very consistent having shingles. She prescribed 5 days of 50 mg. prednisone to start immediately and also acyclovir 800 mg. for 10 days. She said I should start the acyclovir when the first blisters appear, but I have read that people take it before the blisters appear. I feel like I should start taking it. Also, the pain I*m experiencing is over a 6inch by 3 inch area on my rib cage and left side, but I am also experiencing REALLY bad back pain on that same side, has anyone experienced that pain? I don*t know how to deal with that pain. I can*t even find a comfortable way to sleep because of the pain in my back.
Excerpted from: http://www.naha.org/articles/varicella_v...
Patient stressors and shingles.
Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus. This is the same virus that causes chickenpox and herpes zoster.
The virus can stay dormant in the dorsal root ganglion for years after an episode of chickenpox. When the body