Shingles Rash?

[Tigress10]

Can I use Gold Bond Medicated Anti-Itch Cream for shingles rash? Also, will it help to dry the rash up?

[chellybeans]

if it makes you more comfortable it's fine, but it will not make the rash go away. shingles is a herpetic rash. it lies in the nerve endings of the affected area.

are you under the care of a doctor?

[Tigress10]

No, but I have a doctor's appointment on September 4th, I'm going to ask the doctor about the shingles vaccine that they have now. I had chickenpox when I was 28 years old. I'll be 42 on September 15th. I had it really bad. Ever since then I have out breaks on my face near my eye. I was on Valtrex for a while and that helped. A friend of mine told me about the new vaccine for shingles. I will usually have an outbreak when I'm really stressed. Sometimes if I have a cold I will getting the itching but I will not have an outbreak. Also it is very painful.

[chellybeans]

you really need a doctor to help you. i'm not sure about a vaccine, they are usually for prevention, not treatment once you have the condition.

once you have shingles one time you have it for life, like i said it lies dormant in the nerve ending until you flare.

some doctors will give you a patch of topical medicine to help with the pain.

[Tigress10]

They will probably give me Valtrex. You have to take it as soon as you feel the tingling and itching, before the blisters come out. It usually prevents the outbreak and the severity of pain.

[chellybeans]

i know. i spent a few years seeing patients with shingles :) valtrex is not the only treatment though, there are drugs for post herpatic neuralgia, which it sounds like you have.