Shingles

[buckeyefan1985 29]

Anyone develop shingles post op? I was having what I thought was the start of an ear infection. Went to the local clinic. Just my luck...no ear infection. Diagnosed with the start of shingles on my head. The pain in my ear is just a by product of the shingle pain. Surgery and stress can bring it on. Started taking the anti-viral medicine and some prednisone today. Hopefully since I only started with this terrible pain in my head within the last 1 1/2 days the medicine will help to lessen the severity. I can already tell the medicine is working. The stabbing pain has subsided and my eye is not tearing up from the pain. I'm posting this because I haven't seen any other posts on this topic. I had chicken pox as a kid. Not what I expected post op. Didn't expect slow weight loss and certainly didn't expect shingles. Double whammy. Darn!

[Beach Lover 1,084]

I have had shingles 3 different times in 3 different places. I didn't get them post op thankfully!! Stress will definitely bring it out. You will find once you are healed when you are stressing out you might get a few stabbing pains in the site where you broke out. I call that my stress meter and when it happens I know I need to take a step back and chill out. I didn't even think about this possibly happening. I count myself lucky! It's good you went to the doctor right away because the medicine if taken early enough is a great help! Best wishes and I hope it clears up quickly!!

[stacechase 251]

Yikes! Good thing you got it checked out! I've had shingles and it is SO uncomfortable and painful. Last thing you need during this time, and I'm sorry! Hang in there! The meds should help quite a bit!

Damn you, chickenpox! *shakes fist at the sky*

[Beach Lover 1,084]

Shingles can also make you feel exhausted. So the combination of the surgery and the shingles might knock you for a loop. Take it easy!!

[2btrim 129]

I have seen the shingles vaccine offered at the pharmacy, but you have to be a certain age(elderly) to get it. I don't understand why that is, I've known several people that got shingles, and they were not senior citizens. Hmmmm I need to google this one.

[Sydney Susan 333]

My hubby got shingles when I was in hospital having major surgery for cancer (years ago now). He was acting all "you'll be right" and hiding his stress, while I was selecting the songs for my funeral. It was hard to tell who was in a worse shape for a while there - terribly painful. Once he got on the right treatment it cleared up quickly and (so far) no relapses.

Our son was 7 at the time and the doctor said he could "catch" chickenpox/shingles from my hubby and gave him the chickenpox immunisation - at least I think that's what it was, I was out of it on morphine and hubby wasn't a completely reliable reporter of detail.

Good luck with it all.

[marfar7 1,533]

You can develop shingles anytime. Probly just a coincidence it happened right after surgery. I had shingles about 5 yrs ago. Couldn't even walk upright, thought I had a kidney stone. As soon as the dr saw the rash on my back (I couldn't see it) he diangosed me. Took a good month before I was ready to roll again.

Good lcuk. Hope u feel better

[buckeyefan1985 29]

Thanks to all who replied. Never gave it a thought that the pain I had was shingles. I do feel better today versus yesterday. I'm certain that the surgery and the stress (although I don't feel stressed) brought on the shingles. Everyone that has had chicken pox has the virus. It just lays dormant until there is a trigger. My surgery was about 2 1/2 weeks ago. According to the doctor, the surgery was the trigger.

[Heyher 581]

I got shingles on my face when I was preop. Had to delay my surgery by three weeks because of it. :-(

But the stress from my insurance and pending surgery caused mine. What surprised me is it caused shingles, not an MS flair.