/**/
6/12/2012

Shingles


You may or may not have noticed the number of commercials, on TV, describing Shingles - and how if, as a child you had Chickenpox, you already have the Shingles virus in you.

Having the virus doesn't mean that the disease will express itself.  There needs to be a co-incidence of a rise in virus levels and diminished resistance in the body.

The thing is there is now, apparently, a vaccination one can get against Shingles.  Get it.

I have a friend who is dealing with the effects of Shingles right now.  It has settled into her right thigh.  It is sensitive to touch - to the point of being VERY painful.  Her leg is weakened.  She fell the other day as she stood up from sitting in a chair.

This has been going on for two weeks and her Doctor says it's impossible to say how much longer it will go on.

There's no need to suffer with Shingles - and, of course, there are so many different ways that Shingles can affect a person - some FAR more serious than that which my friend has experienced.

If you're anywhere in your 40's or 50's or (like me) 60's, or UP - get the shot.  Protect yourself.

Ndinombethe.

5 comments:

Julie said...

My 80 something Mom got shingles last year. She started itching and it took almost a year, with multiple visits to several doctors, creams, lotions, pills, all kinds of stuff, for the itching to subside.

I am getting the shingles vac next time I go to the doctor.

Tara R. said...

My dad and MIL both have had shingles... it's horrible. Where chicken pox itch, shingles is intensely painful. Get the vaccine.

Big Mark 243 said...

Great info! I am going to ask my doctor next visit for a shot!!

barbara said...

I got my shot last year - doc made me wait until I was 61. Yeah, I don't know why the odd age, but . . . OUCH!!! My arm swelled up (almost typed SWOLL up -heh) and it was a burning, PAINFUL itch for several days. I canNOT imagine having that elsewhere/all over my body. My grandmother and a sister-in-law both had shingles and they were miserable.

Indeed - GET THE SHOT!!! (and hope your insurance pays for it)

Anonymous said...

It doesn't make sense that a vaccination for shingles would protect you _after_ you have the chicken pox...