Well.
I appear to be elderly.
I thought I had at least a few more years before this happened. I am, after all, only 35.
But today I was diagnosed with shingles. Fun. I thought the irritation in my armpit was from the elastic around the sleeves of the cute top I wore last Thursday. Then when it appeared on my arm I assumed it was from the same thing.
I thought the aches and pains were completely unrelated. I told my husband that I kept expecting to come down with a fever because of the aching. But the fever never came.
But then the rash on my arm seemed to spread a bit. And today it was on my chest. So I called the doctor. By some miracle I was sitting face to face with him within the hour.
The doctor took one look at it and said it looked like shingles. But that I was a little young to get shingles. But after more discussion of my symptoms he declared that yes, indeed, it must be shingles.
Nice.
Shingles occur when a person who has had the chicken pox before becomes stressed or immune depressed, and the virus, which has been lying dormant in the nerves ever since the pox, gets activated. Usually shingles occur in people over 50.
And although I can't give someone else shingles, I can give someone who hasn't had the chicken pox or the vaccine the pox.
Someone like my daughter. Or my husband.
Or the 80 or so kids I work with at the preschool.
Actually, the doctor said that it's unlikely to spread because I don't have the cough and such that's associated with chicken pox, plus the rash is (at least so far) easily covered with clothes.
Between the shingles and my hurt foot? Let's just get me a walker and get it over with, shall we?
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15 comments:
oh that sucks! my sister first had shingles at age 16--the youngest the doctors had ever heard of. she has no immune issues, so it remains a mystery. but she had it a few times and i know it was very uncomfortable. Hang in there! :-(
you poor thing. Shingles are so painful. My youngest daughter was not quite 2 when she got the chicken pox. I've never seen a more terrible case. She had them in her eyes and throat and the bottom of her feet. I thought she would be safe--now she periodically breaks out with shingles and she's only 18. I hope you get feeling better soon. I have some cortizone if you need it.
Yuck. I had shingles when Mir was about six months old, and still nursing, and we were about to close on a house. Clearly stress related. Anti-virals helped, but had to be approved by my pediatrician (who turned out to be wrong - he could have approved the new antiviral that the dermatologist wanted to prescribe, but insisted on an older one that he knew about, but that's another story).
Feel better.
Oh, no! I hope you're better soon! It sounds really uncomfortable. I remember when my mom had that. But just think - you are in the same company as the likes of Dooce!
Ugh! Hang in there.
And your hubby hasn't had them? He must be the only other person our age who hasn't besides me.
You poor thing! I hope you're able to get some rest.
that sucks!
You poor thing. I'd like to make a joke about Geritol or something but since I don't even know what that is, I'll just feel sorry for you and hope that you feel better soon.
Oh, no! I've heard that shingles can be very painful. I hope your case is mild.
Blech. I'm sorry for your news. I know what you mean about feeling old with these chronic things - it is slightly depressing. I hope your case clears up quickly & you're not too uncomfortable & you can ward them off in the future.
Ask about the innoculation.
Ugh. I'm sorry. That sounds awful. I hope you get better soon.
oh my, that sound horrible. I hear it can be painful. I hope it clears up quickly. Take Care.
You poor YOUNG girl! I hope it doesn't last long. I've never had chicken pox, so I hope I never get it. But I got an itchy virus once that lasted more than TWO MONTHS. I can't remember what it was called, but there was nothing that could be done for it. I thought I would lose my mind. Yuk!
So Sorry! My husband had it when he was a wee lad of 33. Hope you feel better soon!
Oh no! I hope you feel better soon!
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