Shingles...any ever had them? Trained with them?

[Aikman56]

I feel really lucky after hearing some of those stories!

I'm on day 3 of the anti-viral and prednisone...the rash is not a flushed and "angry-looking" this morning and I was actually able to get a little sleep last night.

The bumps are starting to scar over, but the stabbing pain on the right side, under my ribs is still pretty severe, but it does seem to be receding. None of the headaches that have been mentioned, thank goodness for that!

I'm going to try to train this evening. Physically, I feel great otherwise. The doc said we caught it early, so it should resolve relatively quickly. The worst part right now is the pain when my shirt touches the rash...that shit STINGS!!!

 

[Dado5]

had them 2.5 years ago. I was one of those who had intense pain and had to take very strong pain meds.
still from time to time i feel pain and itchy at the spots where shingles were.

 

[Pbfanatic321]

Funny you post this thread, I had them in like August of 2014 in my early 20's lol. I wouldn't train with them, they're very painful at times. My back actually is still sensitive from them man, and it's been about 5-6 months. The valtrex will help them go away pretty quickly. The Tylenol with codeine I had didn't help much for the pain, though.

 

[bigboy05]

I feel really lucky after hearing some of those stories!

I'm on day 3 of the anti-viral and prednisone...the rash is not a flushed and "angry-looking" this morning and I was actually able to get a little sleep last night.

The bumps are starting to scar over, but the stabbing pain on the right side, under my ribs is still pretty severe, but it does seem to be receding. None of the headaches that have been mentioned, thank goodness for that!

I'm going to try to train this evening. Physically, I feel great otherwise. The doc said we caught it early, so it should resolve relatively quickly. The worst part right now is the pain when my shirt touches the rash...that shit STINGS!!!

The headaches... Don't even know how to describe them. :banghead:

 

[CanonMan]

I got them at age 27 and it started just like yours... a weird sensitivity under the skin, then progressively got to where a huge patch on my back that wrapped around my side was all boils. I still trained with it, but sleeping was uncomfortable. I thought everyone's description of the pain was a bit exaggerated because I was expecting something insane. Years later, my skin still doesn't look right and the whole area is numb when I scratch that area of my back.

 

[Aikman56]

Well, after two days of sitting on my ass I had about as much inactivity as I can stand so I went back to the gym last night…

The pain has subsided considerably, when my shirt brushes over the rash is still hurts quite a bit and I still get the deep stabbing pain in my stomach inside from the neuropathic effects.

My intention last night was to go into the gym and just get a good pump and then maybe do a little bit of cardio and call it a night. I got started and could not believe how much better it felt to do something to take my mind off the pain. As my workout went on I went progressively heavier. I decided to do some light deadlifts for speed at the end of my back workout and everything felt so good I ended up going up to a pretty easy triple with 500… Which made me feel pretty great because I haven't pulled off of the ground in about two years (I've been doing a lot of rack work for my back)!

In addition to the antiviral and the prednisones, I've been applying a topical called Aurstat that I used to sell with one of my old dermatology companies. Everything is scabbed over now and the pain has reducedenough that I was able to train chest today with the pain only reaching about a level 5 out of 10.

Based on the conversations that I've had in the research that I have done, I think the big key was catching it early and getting on the antiviral right away. I'm going to ask my physician if getting the vaccine will help prevent future breakouts… I know my insurance does not cover it for my age, but if it will help then I will gladly shell out the $200 to get that shot!

 

[john161]

1 GRAM LYSINE WITH 1 GRAM VIT C, 4X DAY.
Mellisa, aka lemon balm cream, will stop proliferation, and is good for cold sores too. Tagamet, a stomach acid reducer can be used for any virus, it is now over the counter.

Arginine, found in nuts and meats, makes it worse, as does any GH, IGF or GHRP-like product. so a vegitarian diet for a while is indicated. Usually, MD's prescribe lidocaine patches, with also prednisone.

Primrose oil pills have a cortisone-like effect. Take about 3000IUs.

If a person constantly gets "shingles" it is a wheat allergy called dermatitis herpetiform.

 

[SAnderson79]

Had them about 12 weeks out from a show. That first 3 to 4 weeks, all I did was sleep, wake up to eat, and train for maybe 45 min. I honestly slept about 18 hours a day, and the pain from them was pretty formidable. It has been about 4 years now, and I still can't sleep without a t-shirt (had them starting in the centre of my abdomen, and followed a line all the way around to my spine in the back.. just one side).
If I ever think that they are starting up again, I will be getting my ass to the doctor as they say if you catch them early with the meds, that it can lessen the degree of pain. The first time, stupid me , figured whatever it was I could ride it out lol

 

[john161]

For post herpetic neuralgia, capsaicin cream can be used often to "kill" the nerve endings. The more you use it, the less sensitivity.Some people try acupuncture as well.

 

[MR. BMJ]

TrueNutrition used to carry lysine, but I think they d/c it. I get cold sores in my nose and throat areas, and have had to use Valtrex and Lysine to get through the bouts quicker. I always keep a stash on hand. I am have yet to get shingles, and am surprised I haven't with the number of cold sore infections I get throughout the year (stress, lack of sleep, along with lack of recuperation from training, etc).

 

[dragonfire101]

I had them on face. My doctor caught them early gave me Valtrex, Zovira and it calmed them down quickly. Dint get rid them but shorten time and severity. Had them about week.


Wouldn't go out in public soon as blisters appear the first couple days without them covered as pregnant women at some risk or children people with compromised immune system. Other than that not that contagious.

 

[thestingray]

They suck more dick than Justin Beiber in a room full of Chippendale dancers.

My bout was painful as hell and I didn't feel like training. The anti viral gave me dizziness so that def nixed hitting the gym

 

[Aikman56]

Well, tomorrow will be a week.

The Valtrex and Prednisone have really done the trick. Everything has scabbed over and is clearing up. There's still a good amount of surface pain (ibuprofen is helping with this) and the deep stabbing pain is less frequent, but no less intense (ibuprofen can't TOUCH that!).

Training is very difficult, no doubt, but it at least gives me somewhere else to put my mind for a couple of hours so I'm not consumed by the thoughts of the pain quite so completely.

This experience has sucked balls...guys, again, if you've had chickenpox, PLEASE go get the shingles vaccination. Please.

 

[Knight9]

Well, tomorrow will be a week.

The Valtrex and Prednisone have really done the trick. Everything has scabbed over and is clearing up. There's still a good amount of surface pain (ibuprofen is helping with this) and the deep stabbing pain is less frequent, but no less intense (ibuprofen can't TOUCH that!).

Training is very difficult, no doubt, but it at least gives me somewhere else to put my mind for a couple of hours so I'm not consumed by the thoughts of the pain quite so completely.

This experience has sucked balls...guys, again, if you've had chickenpox, PLEASE go get the shingles vaccination. Please.

Is it really $200?!

 

[Aikman56]

Is it really $200?!

Yep...$200-$210 is about the norm. Some places are as high as $250.

BELIEVE ME...$200 is NOTHING if it helps avoid this shit!!!!!!

Knowing what I know now, I'd drop $500 without batting an eyelash...

 

[rhinozine]

Yep...$200-$210 is about the norm. Some places are as high as $250.

BELIEVE ME...$200 is NOTHING if it helps avoid this shit!!!!!!

Knowing what I know now, I'd drop $500 without batting an eyelash...

After reading this I called a CVS outside my office and they offer the shot for $235. I'm going after work. This is terrifying.

 

[G.I.Bro]

After reading this I called a CVS outside my office and they offer the shot for $235. I'm going after work. This is terrifying.

No shit. I had dem pox as a kid, but never shingles. I hear its a pretty good indicator that your immune system has shit the bed and is a weakened condition (or has been stressed) when you get shingles young.

I have a Cadillac BCBS legacy plan (pre Healthcare Reform) so I hope it covers the vaccine.

 

[joyfull]

I had shingles at 26. Apparently the younger you are when you get them, the less painful they are. Mine didn't hurt at all luckily. I just trained as usual.

I was about as stressed as I had ever been in my life, so I guess the virus saw that as a prime opportunity. It was weird how DEEP the diamond patterned blisters went. When they scabbed over it seemed like they took forever to heal. At least 3 weeks.

 

[Lethalius]

For anyone that has had chickenpox but has not had Shingles, the virus is dormant in your body. The shingles can reactivate at a later time. For me, I got Shingles at age 43 after having chickenpox at age 6. It started as a burning sensation for a few days on the back of my neck (left side). Then a rash started developing back there- didn't know what it was. It attacked the nerve branch from my neck through my left shoulder joint into my arm and the rash spread through those areas- big purple rash. The rash was uncomfortable, but when it attacked my shoulder joint- the pain became unbearable and I could not sleep. Got put on meds and percocets and the pain lasted about 4 weeks. Did not train the first 2-3 weeks, then light training week 4. If you start getting the symptoms of shingles- DO NOT WAIT to get to the doctor. If you wait too long, it has a better chance to damage nerve endings which could affect you the rest of your life. If you have had chickenpox, get the vaccination for Shingles- it would be worth every penny. The older you are when you get Shingles, the worse the symptoms can be. It fucks the elderly people up bad and I feel bad for them. My shoulder joint took about 2 years to get better to where I could feel normal strength in the gym

 

[Press]

shit this has me worried. i got weird bumps on my stomach with a persistent headaches ive had for weeks now. i made a dermatologist appointment but they couldnt get me in until the 16th.