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Shingles

The doctor said I might have Singles.  She put me on the anti-viral medication, as well as a antibiotic, however the blisters had already appeared. So I'm not sure it was within the required 48 hours.   The blisters are on my forehead head into my scalp.  What I don't under stand is the swelling of the lymph nodes on the right side of my face. I look so funny.  Is that common?  When will the swelling go down?  Does anyone have advice on how to deal with shingles?
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7469840 tn?1409845836
Dlr2007 hasn't posted here since 2008, if you have a current concern, or advice you want to give, please post a new question.
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Avatar universal
Shingles are caused a herpes virus  (chicken pox) that has been living in your nerve roots since your initial infection. (Often MANY years). When these viruses are activated, they migrate to the skin surface and erupt and are referred to as shingles.Treatment is with antivirals. Anything that strengthens the immune system is beneficial as well since a strong immune system is what keeps these viruses dormant. To those who question the inflamed lymph nodes, this is caused by the lymph nodes "flexing their muscle" and mounting an immune response. When lymph nodes are working, they enlarge and become tender.
Hope this helps.
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476246 tn?1418870914
According to what I've read, the 'outbreak' can last from 3-5 weeks. My husband just got a bad case of shingles, and we didn't know what the heck was going on. Never seen or heard about it before. It started with a headache and then swelling and severe pain and burning sensation on the forehead all the way up to his head under the hair and then down to the eye and his nose. Then a few chickenpox like blisters came up and now they are dry. He has had a headache and fever. It stared about 10 days ago and he is still suffering from headaches and pain, although the swelling has gone down. He has no swelling of any lymph nodes, though. He got oral acyclovir and some Zovir cream (for the face) If you google shingles, you will get a lot of information from many different sites on the net.

Good luck, Marcia
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Avatar universal
I have just been diagnosed with Shingles.  The first blisters appeared on the right side of my forehead a few days ago.  I don't find the blisters too painful - more tingly and burning.  I have also had a terrible headache for almost 2 weeks now.  Today, a hard and painful lump appeared behind my right ear, and my the glands in my neck are also sore.  Has anyone else experienced the lump and the swollen glands?
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Avatar universal
from what i remember, once a person has had chicken pox, though the spots and itching go away, it retreats into nerve ganglia, and can reappear some can rarely get pox again, or often in later years or times of physical, mental stress, can reappear in different form "shingles"..

i was worried whether i could get something like this during tx. i was told i never had pox as child, never remembered having any sx or scarring. nothing. asked doc to check for antibodies,  sure enough there seemed to be a sign i had had them.  
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Avatar universal
I was always told that I'd never had chicken pox, too.  My mother never remembered either my sister or myself ever having any outbreak of it.  When I was 28 years old, I had a terrible outbreak of shingles on the right side of my face, up into my head and down to my eyelid.  It swoll my eye shut.  I had a horrendous headache with it.  I told that doctor that I'd never had chickenpox before and he argued with me.  He said that I could have had an extremely mild case of them like 2 bumps on bottom of my feet, or something and that it would be enough for me to get shingles later.  My sister that I was growing up with (14 mon. apart), came down with chicken pox - a full blown case of them, when she was 32 and 5 months pregnant.  I don't really understand how this worked this way being as we grew up in the same house, shared a bedroom and went everywhere together.  It's a mystery to me.

Susan
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Avatar universal
hey there, sorry 2 hear about ur shingles, they really suck! ihad them but that was about 10 yrs. ago. they can be very painful, i was so glad i had them then & not now. i'm not sure how i would handle the shingles & the treatments 4 the hep c. i do recall taking oatmeal baths, and keeping my skin as dry as i could. they lasted me about 3 wks, very painful & miserable. well take care good luck & god bless.
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Avatar universal
Hi- I was wondering, do shingles stem from tx or Hep C? I'm not sure if what I get is shingles or just some bizarre immune system malfunction, but every few months I get these painful, itchy blisters on my right hand only, along w/ pain and swelling all the way up my arm, with extremely painful enlarged lymph nodes under my right arm. Last time there  was also a red line going up my arm from the blistered area of my palm. Scary. Not along my vein so not blood poisoning though. Sorry, didn't mean to hijack this thread but this caught my attention. Is this anything like you two experience? Thanks- Dee
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Avatar universal
You might check the archives. I wrote all about how I got rid of mine for good a few months ago. After you finished the doctors Rx you will still have them and you can get Chinese herbs for viruses. The one I used was VSP by Nature's Sunshine. Worked great. My leisons were on my back. I don't think you can use the same ointment on your face (near your eyes) that I used on my back.  
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