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Last week, about Tuesday or so my eyes started the "You are allergic to something you have been around". Itching, watery, all the usual. Well by Thursday the right eye had cleared up, but the left hadn't.
Forgetting that it was the 4th coming up I opted to wait one more day to see if it would get better. It didn't. It got worse. Great; a holiday weekend. I do not go to emergency rooms unless I'm dying. I just don't. So it's Monday. Well no, it isn't we have the carpet cleaners coming and after all the work we put into getting the rooms cleared for them (Lord we own a lot of furniture!) I was not about to cancel. So it's Tuesday. Well during the day Monday it started feling better so I thought maybe I was good to go. Monday evening a rash appeared on the left half of my forehead just below the hairline. Mrs. Tek said it looked like a heat rash or a bug bite. It it didn't hurt so I didn't get excited.
So Tuesday morning I went to play poker (Won $47 playing $3/$6 pot limit for 1 1/2 hours!) and then the tournament. My eye and my forehead both started to bother me - a lot. Between the cash game and the tournament I called my eye doctor and got an appointment for Wednesday morning.
The eye doctor looked me over and told me I had Shingles in my eye and it was also causing the rash (now blisters) on my forehead. Whooppee! He prescribed Valtrex and a visit to my regular doctor.
Let me tell you something you may not know: Shingles hurts. Not just some, "Ow that hurts!", hurt, but a "I think the top/back/side/eyeball just blew off my head and my brain is going to start running out" pain. I think I set a record for the number of aspirin taken over a two day period. That upsets nurses and docyors BTW. "Liver damage", they all quote. "Pain from Hell", I reply. They get quiet.
So Thursday we visit the doc and he gave me some gabapentin for the pain. Apparently Shingles attacks the nerves, which is why it is so painful. This stuff acts on the nerves. Stuff works! I'm still taking a ton of aspirin for what the gabapentim won't take care of, but I'm no longer wishing I was dead.
I'm tellin' ya, if you ever get Shingles anywhere on your head go directly to your doctor and get something to stop the pain. If you don't you will be sorry.
So since last Wednesday I have been asleep except for brief periods of Mrs. Tek feeding me, making me shower (I have been sweating profusely non-stop) and hauling me to the doctors.
I am alive again and getting better - as long as I take my meds.
Mrs. Tek is a God-given gift.
Last edited by 2goldens; 07-12-2009 at 05:55 PM..
Reason: Moved from Other Topics to help others in HEALTH & WELLNESS :)
Oh I am so sorry to hear about this!!!!!! My daddy had shingles on his head and my mother had them on her back. There is a shot people over 60 can get that is supposed to keep you from getting them, I plan on getting it when I turn 60.
Take care and I hope you feel better soon!
Oh I am so sorry to hear about this!!!!!! My daddy had shingles on his head and my mother had them on her back. There is a shot people over 60 can get that is supposed to keep you from getting them, I plan on getting it when I turn 60.
Take care and I hope you feel better soon!
Yeah, I found out about the shot after getting this junk. And I'm old enough to get the shot. Grrrrrrrr!
I really am feeling a lot better. The two medicines they gave me have really knocked this thing down. I am impressed with "miracle" drugs!
Last week, about Tuesday or so my eyes started the "You are allergic to something you have been around". Itching, watery, all the usual. Well by Thursday the right eye had cleared up, but the left hadn't.
Forgetting that it was the 4th coming up I opted to wait one more day to see if it would get better. It didn't. It got worse. Great; a holiday weekend. I do not go to emergency rooms unless I'm dying. I just don't. So it's Monday. Well no, it isn't we have the carpet cleaners coming and after all the work we put into getting the rooms cleared for them (Lord we own a lot of furniture!) I was not about to cancel. So it's Tuesday. Well during the day Monday it started feling better so I thought maybe I was good to go. Monday evening a rash appeared on the left half of my forehead just below the hairline. Mrs. Tek said it looked like a heat rash or a bug bite. It it didn't hurt so I didn't get excited.
So Tuesday morning I went to play poker (Won $47 playing $3/$6 pot limit for 1 1/2 hours!) and then the tournament. My eye and my forehead both started to bother me - a lot. Between the cash game and the tournament I called my eye doctor and got an appointment for Wednesday morning.
The eye doctor looked me over and told me I had Shingles in my eye and it was also causing the rash (now blisters) on my forehead. Whooppee! He prescribed Valtrex and a visit to my regular doctor.
Let me tell you something you may not know: Shingles hurts. Not just some, "Ow that hurts!", hurt, but a "I think the top/back/side/eyeball just blew off my head and my brain is going to start running out" pain. I think I set a record for the number of aspirin taken over a two day period. That upsets nurses and docyors BTW. "Liver damage", they all quote. "Pain from Hell", I reply. They get quiet.
So Thursday we visit the doc and he gave me some gabapentin for the pain. Apparently Shingles attacks the nerves, which is why it is so painful. This stuff acts on the nerves. Stuff works! I'm still taking a ton of aspirin for what the gabapentim won't take care of, but I'm no longer wishing I was dead.
I'm tellin' ya, if you ever get Shingles anywhere on your head go directly to your doctor and get something to stop the pain. If you don't you will be sorry.
So since last Wednesday I have been asleep except for brief periods of Mrs. Tek feeding me, making me shower (I have been sweating profusely non-stop) and hauling me to the doctors.
I am alive again and getting better - as long as I take my meds.
Mrs. Tek is a God-given gift.
So sorry that you have gone through so much. And I never knew that shingles could be so bad. Do you know what caused it?
So sorry that you have gone through so much. And I never knew that shingles could be so bad. Do you know what caused it?
Shingles is a legacy of the chicken pox, which most of us over-30 crowd had as youngsters. The virus lives in quiescence in our bodies for decades, and then for some reason gets reactivated with a vengeance. As poor Tek discovered, it follows the nerves, and the surface eruptions will follow the pattern of nerves under the skin.
It's a rough thing to deal with, and can cause blindness if not treated promptly, so those of us who are "of a certain age" should add that shot to the list of questions for our doctors on the next visit.
Thanks, Tek, for starting an informative thread, and best wishes to you for a speedy recovery.
We asked the doctor about what causes Shingles (is it stress?) and he said no, or rather, maybe. His take on it was this: If he could pinpoint what causes Shingles to erupt he would be ridiculously wealthy and travel once in a while to speak for even more money.
The eye doctor did mention the possibility of scarring on my eye.
I can't impress upon you enough that if you have an outbreak of a rash that quickly turns to "blisters" do not hesitate. Get to a doctor immediately.
if you have draining blisters, then your contagious (stay away from people that have not had chicken pox or pregnant people)
if scabbed over, your ok
the pain can last months down the road after everything is cleared up
chicken pox or pregnant people: Our doctor said pregnant women who have not had chicken pox. Both conditions required. I asked specifically about the need for both to be true.
He also mentioned avoiding people with immune problems or on chemo therapy.
the pain can last months down the road after everything is cleared up - Well aren't you The Bird of Good News! No one has mentioned this part. They probably are waiting until I fell better to make me feel worse! Thanks for the info.
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That sounds awful Tek! 
