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Ugh!! Now Have Shingles!


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Cannot believe this. Supposed to have colonoscopy and EGD Monday am. (That's another post) Then this am woke up with a rash on my neck. I've been having pain in the back of my neck and head, but with everything else going on, I just ignored it. Well there is no ignoring it now. I had forgotten just how painful shingles are. On call Dr put me on Famvir and Vicodin, and told me to cancel the procedures. I don't know about the rest of you, but I am so tired of all this!

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It's just not fair! Hang in the there doggie. It's just got to get better. Sorry you are going through this.

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Thank you all. (Thankfully I had not started the prep) I had to stop taking the Vicodin. Not only did it make me feel so weird inside, then I started getting very sick to stomach. The shingles are spreading. Hopefully the med for that will kick in soon. I look like a scary freak. Shingles on rt side of chest, neck, head, and now spreading to face.

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Shona, oh my goodness. I am so sorry. My heart totally goes out to you. I had shingles in 2006 so I know how painful it is. I was prescribed acyclovir and neurontin which is specific for helping nerve pain. I don't tolerate vicodin either. I hope you recover quickly.

Janet

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Just got back from Drs. Now they put me on Gabapentin, prednisone, promethazine along with the Famvir and Vicodin. OMG! Please.... Any comments thoughts about any of these. If I have an allergic reaction, how will I be able to tell which one its from? I'm NOT a med taker, but with shingles, the Dr said there was no choice.

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Wow, that's a lot of medications for shingles. Gabapentin is the same as neurontin. It's specific for alleviating nerve pain and was what got me through the excruciating shingles pain. It does carry with it the potential for significant side effects as do all the other medications so you need to be aware of what to watch for. Famvir is an antiviral and being on some kind of antiviral is necessary. I am wondering if that is what is now prescribed instead of Acyclovir which was the one I took for shingles. Prednisone is a steroid so your doctor must be concerned about reducing inflammation. That may be something new that is being ordered for shingles or your doctor has other concerns. I have been on prednisone a number of times. Make sure you take it with food. If taken for short periods of time it is usually not a problem unless of course you are allergic to it. Promethazine is ordered for a number of different reasons so I'm not sure what your doctors concern was in ordering that drug? Was it ordered on a take as needed basis ? Vicodin is another pain med option but it is not specific for helping nerve pain. Those are a lot of medications to start taking at the same time and you have a valid concern about not being able to discern which one if any could potentially cause you an allergic reaction. For any of the medications that are ordered to take on an as needed basis I would put off taking them until after you have taken the most necessary medications first that way if you experience an allergic reaction to one of the medications prescribed it will at least reduce the number of possible offenders and help you determine which one it was.

Take care,

Janet

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