General Chat

I remember when my Dad had it, that extremes of temperature, either hot or cold, made it feel worse and this continued to a lesser degree, for a while after the shingles had gone. While the rash is there it can get 'weepy' and natural fibre clothes will be most comfortable. Tell her that I hope she is soon better.

I suffer from Cold Sores about three times a year. I swear by Zivorax too. The tube is very tiny, but well worth the £5 cost. I know this might sound silly but it is true. I always use Sanex Anti-bacterial handwash at the kitchen and bathroom sinks. One day i got the tell-tale sign of a Cold Sore starting but had no Zivorax. I popped a little Sanex onto the area that was tingling and let it dry. Did this a couple of times over the next couple of days. Never did get any Zivorax. The Cold Sore never materialised. Have proved this to work twice now. Ok perhaps it was a coincidence, but i always wash my face in Sanex now. Jennyx

And now for the good news!! I had shingles when nursing and was sent home from work. I felt a fraud as apart from a circle of spots the size of a 50p, I had no other signs and felt perfectly OK. My daughter had it a while ago at 13 and she was exactly the same. So don't panic!! It is not always a painful, longlasting problem. I hope your wife recovers quickly and with as little discomfort as I had. Jacky xx

Had them myself. To my understanding it is Herpes Zoaster. I had some success with L-lysine which is an almino acid. Greg B

A lot of rest and strong pain killers from the doctor is what my husband had when he got shingles on his chest. It's related to chickenpox I think and it attacks the nerve ends, hence the pain. Hope she gets better soon. Aileen

Brian, My 15 yr. old daughter got it when she was run down. (no, not by a car!) She was prescribed Famvir. which was good but she took about 3 weeks to fully get her strenght back. She didnt sleep well and had no energy. On the packet of Famvir. it said "yuo have been given these tablets because your have a sexually transmitted disease:genital herpes"! well you should have seen her face!Lol. Its the same virus apparently. Take care of her and yourself also. Nothing too strenous! Joan

Brian, I'm surprised the doctor hasn't prescribed your wife any Aciclovir (same as Zovirax), we have to have a supply of them in our house at all times as 12 yr old gets 'cold sores' on his eye lids and hands, but they work so quickly. Hope she is well soon Kim x

Thanks for all the advice and links. She has been signed off work for a week but the chemist won't have the tablets in until this afternoon. Have told her to rest, but she's a bundle of energy despite only having one and a half lungs. Looking back, I think she must have had the depression symptoms over the weekend but I didn't realise.

Hope the Dr. prescribes Zovirax(spelling?) the ingredient in the very expensive cold sore cream. Its used to treat herpes simplex and herpes zoster (cold sores and chicken pox/shingles) It reduces the inflamation and so helps to dry up the sore/rash/blisters. V.

This is a horror story.....many years ago my husband was complaining about a pain in his back. He did nothing about it but complain until one night - when I was sick of hearing about this pain - I suggested rubbing his back with embrocation. At one o'clock in the morning we were in the bathroom trying to bathe off this ointment but couldn't use hot water - can I say I had to bring him down from the ceiling first!!!!! Next day he went to the doctors and yes, he had shingles. Can you imagine rubbing shingles with Ralgex !!!!! We are still married but I don't suggest pain remedies any more - I have learnt my lesson - and he doesn't trust me as a nurse..............

Brian for the last 6 years I have had an attack of chickenpox, last year it was shingles in my head. The shooting pain into the nerve is absolutely dreadful - get your wife good strong painkillers. Anne xx

Calamine lotion and pain killers. I had it quite bad but it was only down one arm, apparently it travels along a track (I was fortunate enough to have just one track )effected from the back of my neck down to my wrist. Sheila

Have a look here for up to date info http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/shingles/shingles.htm#Is_there_any_treatment and here: http://www.medinfo.*co.uk/conditions/shingles.html

'er indoors (mid/late fifties) has just been diagnosed with shingles. Any good tips for relieving it/getting over it quicker?