I'd buy some rubbers

[rick-l]

I went to the doctor with some painful spots. He said it was shingles and prescribed Valtrex.

I go to Walgreen's and get the 7 day supply filled and they ask for $23. I say wait I minute I want that on my prescription card. She says yeah your plan paid $252 toward that. $274 total.

I think Valtrex is what they advertise for genital herpes. Could you imagine having to take that for ever?

[Kaliv]

Wow...I had the shingles back when I was about 13. Too young to take any of the medication, so I just had to wait it out. Talk about painful for a few weeks.

Then again, even if I could take medication...if my parents knew it cost that much...I'd still be on the wait it out plan...that's outrageous. But then again, I have no idea how to judge medication prices...all I ever buy is ibprofen.

[cstreit]

Sure hope that's not what it is.

Went through them when I was about 30... Probably the most painful thing I have ever experienced. 3 days on the couch only moving to use the bathroom. good luck!

[exitwound]

You get the 500mg or the 1 GRAM tablets? If you didn't get the 1G, double the size of the pills and then be thankful (for both the size and your health insurance).

[rick-l]

Originally Posted by cstreit

Sure hope that's not what it is.

Went through them when I was about 30... Probably the most painful thing I have ever experienced. 3 days on the couch only moving to use the bathroom. good luck!

Is the constant burning and sensitivity to touch the worst I should expect?

[ramonesfreak]

had it a few years ago when i was 35 on my head and across my face under my eye and onto my nose...not pleasant. figured out what it was just in time for the meds to work...it wasnt valtrex though...cant remember what it was but it worked pretty quickly. ive had much worse health issues but shingles was definitely awful...i think anyone thats had chicken pox can get it later in life.

do NOT let it near your eyes!

[Kaliv]

Originally Posted by srandallf

do NOT let it near your eyes!

Interesting. I didn't know you could spread it. Not that I'm an expert...but I thought shingles was a varient of chicken pox that attacks your nerves, thus you normally get shingles in an area where there are a lot of nerve endings. I got shingles across my chest near my arm pits. I don't remember anyone telling me to be careful it could spread like poison ivy or anything...but just to stay away from people who have never had chicken pox before. If you do spread it...it would normally be to someone that has never had chicken pox before, and they would get chicken pox, not shingles.

All I remember of it is pain...so I think what you are experiencing is probably the worst of it.

[ramonesfreak]

i didnt mean to suggest you could spread it like poison ivy..but he didnt say where he had it..if its on his face it needs to be dealt with and watched because it can go into the eye(s). mine almost did. if its on his back, i wouldnt worry bout it

[ramonesfreak]

Originally Posted by rick-l

Is the constant burning and sensitivity to touch the worst I should expect?

and itching when it heals....

also, i have some nerve damage in my face..i will occasionally get an odd pain just out of the blue along the nerve...or if i press on it, ill get a pain there

[ddbach]

There are several members of the herpes family of viruses. Herpes simplex type I and type II; one most commonly causes cold sores, the other genital lesions. Either can affect the eye as well although more commonly the cold sore variant. It can affect the eyelids, the cornea (greatest risk of long term problems) and even internal ocular structures.
Herpes zoster causes chicken pox and shingles is a reactivation of dormant virus within a nerve. This results in a dermatomal distribution so the lesions are localized to the region served by the affected nerve. Immunocompromised or suppressed individuals can develop wide spread disease with reactivation. By the eye there are three branches of the fifth cranial nerve. Division 1 forehead & upper eyelid, 2 lower eyelid and cheek, 3 jaw rough distribution. Greatest risk of serious ocular involvement is with the cheek and lower lid being affected.
Medications: Acyclovir(oldest), valacyclovir, and famvir. Prompt diagnosis can reduce severity and duration of disease which can include prolonged altered sensation and pain (post-herpetic neuralgia).
You can spread the virus to people who have not had chicken pox or the vaccine. The fluid in the blisters and the dried crusts will contain virus particles.
Hope you feel better soon, it can be a miserable thing to have.

[rick-l]

Beer does not seem to help much.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by rick-l

I went to the doctor with some painful spots. He said it was shingles and prescribed Valtrex.

I go to Walgreen's and get the 7 day supply filled and they ask for $23. I say wait I minute I want that on my prescription card. She says yeah your plan paid $252 toward that. $274 total.

I think Valtrex is what they advertise for genital herpes. Could you imagine having to take that for ever?

Can you imagine having HSV2 and not having any medication that works on it? Got it while in College back in the early 1970's. It was not any fun and changed my life forever.

Then came one medication, Zovirax that worked fairly good before Valtrex came along. Both expensive as hell but whats your choice? You guys coming on the scene these days are SOOOOO lucky and do not have an idea what it was like years ago...

[Looking_for_911]

This thread is useless without pic...., er scratch that.
No! Dont! It'll hurt.
Seriously, good luck getting clear of it.

[TechnoViking]

I take Valtrex for coldsores. It's very effective if you take it early in the "outbreak". In fact, it's really a game changing drug. There's a reason you don't see as many people running around with sores on their lips these days.

It's not somehting you take as a maintenance prescrip, at least for coldsores. Just when you need it.

[Mrmerlin]

FWIW I would suggest to get some ACV with the mother put it on your sores and they should be gone in 3 days.

Mix some cranberry juice drink with about 2 tablespoons ACV drink this , 2 times a day for lower blood pressure and overall better health.

Look it up at Earthclinic.com

ACV = apple cider vinegar
with the MOTHER= the unfiltered stuff made by Bragg found at most health food stores about $1.95 a QT.