Shingles - How Long?

Psamathe
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Shingles - How Long?

Post by Psamathe »

For those who have had shingles, how long does it take to mostly recover?

I've been diagnosed today with a "bad extensive case" and being away when it started has meant I'm 6 days into it before starting anti-virals (started them today) and I've read the anti-virals are most effective when started earlier.

Horrible and as my rash is across my back and I mostly ride my recumbent it means no riding as leaning back is painful. Local GP practice is saying 2-4 weeks (one reputable web site said up to 6 weeks) without complications but I'm hoping for quicker.

I declined the offered Amitriptyline as I have a psychological block on SSRI/SRNI/anti-depressants (for whatever purpose) but my understanding is that they help with pain relief but don't help speed actual recovery so I'm just using paracetamol to try and make things more comfortable (and I've no idea if they are helping or not).

Ian
rjb
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Re: Shingles - How Long?

Post by rjb »

Can't help with timescales but have you had the shingles vaccine. ?
Had my jab a few months ago so hoping I won't get it. :wink:
In the past I may have had a minor bout when very run down. Used to manifest itself as rash across my body but mainly across my stomach. After resting for a week it generally cleared up.
Get well soon.
Last edited by rjb on 11 Apr 2022, 6:22pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Psamathe
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Re: Shingles - How Long?

Post by Psamathe »

rjb wrote: 11 Apr 2022, 6:19pm Can't help with timescales but have you had the shingles vaccine. ?
Had my jab a few months ago so hoping I won't get it. :wink:
No, not had it. NHS wont give it until you get to age 70 (and I'm a few years short). GP Practice said today that once you've had shingles you are unlikely to get it a 2nd time so for me not worth getting it privately.

Ian
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simonineaston
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Re: Shingles - How Long?

Post by simonineaston »

Sorry to hear that - wishing you a speedy recovery!
S
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gaz
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Re: Shingles - How Long?

Post by gaz »

Had it once, off work less than a week and minimal disruption to life as normal.

IIRC a colleague was off for over a month :shock: .
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fastpedaller
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Re: Shingles - How Long?

Post by fastpedaller »

I'm now 63 and had shingles in Jan 2021. Right leg. I'd felt pain when putting my right foot down for about a week before, if it was 'more than a normal step' eg if stepping over something. Came out in the very painful rash, seen by Doc and given 7 days of anti-virals. The symptoms, especially weakness lasted for 5 weeks. A lot of people who've had covid have then succumbed to shingles (because the covid has knocked their immunity down?) Several in our village have had shingles and we know someone of 23 who had it last year. I hope you make a quick recovery. p.s. don't try to do more than your body if comfortable with and gradually build up.
Phileas
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Re: Shingles - How Long?

Post by Phileas »

I think mine lasted about a week or so.
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Re: Shingles - How Long?

Post by eileithyia »

A cycling friend has been suffering for approx 9 weeks and is only just beginning to get over the sleepless nights, feeling less tired and getting out on the bike for a few short miles.
Take time to rest up and recover.
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Psamathe
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Re: Shingles - How Long?

Post by Psamathe »

Thanks for all the info. It seems very variable.

I was offered two medications by GP Surgery: Anti-virals and Amitriptyline. Taking the anti-virals (7 day course) but declined the Amitriptyline (historic reasons and last year when a consultant asked my GP to check my heart and if OK prescribe Amitriptyline GP didn't). So I'm using Paracetamol when pain bad.

My shingles has apparently gone multi-dermatome (?) which has some special name I can't remember. Does not affect treatment and the "other" areas are small and not too painful. Main area is a band across back and round side to front on one side of body around bottom or ribs area - a bad area as recumbent seat would pressure that area on back. Pain does seem up and down and sleeping is challenging but I am getting sleep.

Ian
Jdsk
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Re: Shingles - How Long?

Post by Jdsk »

Psamathe wrote: 12 Apr 2022, 8:04pmMy shingles has apparently gone multi-dermatome (?) which has some special name I can't remember.
At three or more dermatomes it's described as disseminated.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shingles# ... d_shingles
https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/hcp/clinical-overview.html

Jonathan
Psamathe
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Re: Shingles - How Long?

Post by Psamathe »

Jdsk wrote: 12 Apr 2022, 8:09pm
Psamathe wrote: 12 Apr 2022, 8:04pmMy shingles has apparently gone multi-dermatome (?) which has some special name I can't remember.
At three or more dermatomes it's described as disseminated.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shingles# ... d_shingles
https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/hcp/clinical-overview.html

Jonathan
Thanks.I'm at 3 dermatomes but 2 are small and trivial and none on face (so not near eyes). And from Wikipedia's definition the other two are not significant enough for it to be disseminated. They appear blistery but also last week was hard physical building work, incl. crawling in tight spaces through gravel so who knows. Working 13-14 hour days and hard physical work and eating pizza delivery each evening so might be that lowered capabilities of my immune system for a bit?

Whilst it is painful, I have read 1 in 3 people get it so "that's life", and I will get better though might disrupt my building milage which might limit touring this year but better it happens now in UK that somewhere in EU with 2 weeks left on Schengen visa!

Ian
Jdsk
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Re: Shingles - How Long?

Post by Jdsk »

Psamathe wrote: 12 Apr 2022, 8:22pmWorking 13-14 hour days and hard physical work and eating pizza delivery each evening so might be that lowered capabilities of my immune system for a bit?
This comes up quite often in this forum, often in relation to diet and exercise.

As a very broad generalisation clinical immunologists do not talk about the function of the immune system as being something that is rapidly modulated up and down in this way.

Jonathan
Jdsk
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Re: Shingles - How Long?

Post by Jdsk »

I hope you're better soon, Ian, and out there touring again.

Here's a shameless opportunistic plug for the vaccination programme:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinati ... ccination/

Jonathan
Psamathe
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Re: Shingles - How Long?

Post by Psamathe »

Jdsk wrote: 12 Apr 2022, 8:28pm I hope you're better soon, Ian, and out there touring again.

Here's a shameless opportunistic plug for the vaccination programme:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinati ... ccination/

Jonathan
I'd been told and considered vaccination a couple of years ago by somebody several years younger than me who was vaccinated but NOT in UK. So I checked about it back then but UK seems to wait until you are 70 before offering NHS vaccinations.

I asked GP practice if I should get vaccinated once I've recovered and they said getting it a 2nd time is rare. But some other (reputable) sites suggest you can get it more than once (https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-an ... f-shingles) so I might investigate private vaccination (see how available and costs).

Ian
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Shingles - How Long?

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
I had it about 4-5 years back.

Started with a armpit dull ache that took about three months to go.
Small rash on upper arm.
Sleeping was hard as the ache never disappeared.
When I originally described the symptoms over the phone to GP they suggested Physio.
That got nowhere so I went into GP.
Took some prodding and much looking untill they decided it was shingles..................the new young doctor was stumped and asked the senior partner to look.

Probably codeine and I remember Amitriptyline, the later was to get to sleep as I was not sleeping.
Take one, then two, then three, third time lucky and got some sleep...................for one night only....

Partner got it and was a forehead and scalp lumps and bumps that were painful, but not much else.

Good luck.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
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