Just a quick post - got a diagnosis at last, it's shingles in my eyelid!

[peacebird]

Started antivirals today! Hopefully things will improve dramatically in the next week or so.
Thanks to all for their kind wishes and advice.
:grouphug:

[KathieG]

1. Hope you are feeling better soon!

:pals:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. What a dreadful place for shingles!

Here's to your rapid recovery!

:toast:

[rrneck]

3. OW! nt

[pinboy3niner]

4. Good news! And it must be a HUGH relief!

That's great, peacebird. :thumbsup:

[HysteryDiagnosis]

5. You may want to look at this.

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/healthconditionsdisease/a/shingles.htm

Proteolytic enzymes are enzymes that are produced naturally by the pancreas to help digest protein we eat.

They are also found in certain foods, such as papaya and pineapple. Supplements derived from papaya (called papain), pineapple (called bromelain), and from animal pancreas can be found online, in health food stores, and in some grocery and drug stores.

In a German study, 96 people with shingles took proteolytic enzymes for 14 days and another 96 people with shingles took acyclovir, a standard antiviral medication. Both groups experienced similar pain relief and skin improvement, with the exception of skin redness, which showed greater improvement with the acyclovir treatment. The group taking proteolytic enzymes had significantly fewer side effects.

[dixiegrrrrl]

14. Shit..wish I had seen that when I had shingles.

I would not wish shingles on anyone. Incredible pain.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

32. Aparrently you did not "ask your doctor".... meh. n/t

[Tx4obama]

6. Glad to hear you finally know what it is. Get well soon! n/t

[thecrow]

7. Wow. Didn't know that could happen!!

I hope you are now on your way to recovery!

[madmax]

8. OWEE I worked with a girl who got shingles on her eyelid.

She said, it was very painful but, the meds worked well and fast. :hug: for you.

[drm604]

9. Happy to hear it.

It sounded pretty scary, but now you know what it is and how to treat it. :hug:

[CountAllVotes]

10. please go to an opthalmologist

If you have not done this already that is. Shingles can be very dangerous, I know this much and it can affect vision.

Take good care of yourself and please do follow-up if you haven't done so.

Get Well Soon !!

:hug:

:dem:

[eShirl]

12. +9999999

[peacebird]

27. my doc sent me to an opthamologist who did a complete check on the eye - i go back

to him this thursday. He says the eye is ok, but wants to check again thursday.
Thank you!

[msanthrope]

11. Ow!!! Feel better soon!!! n/t

[Liberal_in_LA]

13. glad you got a diagnosis and medicine

[Useless in FL]

15. Ouch!

I could not think of a worse place for shingles.... cringe just thinking about it since I wear contact lenses. I hope this clears up soon for you!

Chris

[Lisa0825]

16. I also say see an ophthalmologist.

They know best about your eyes. Even if it responds quickly to the antiviral treatment, this is a good time to go for an eye checkup.

[peacebird]

28. thank you! my doc referred me to an opthamologist who is now leading my treatment!

i go see him again thursday. :)

[emilyg]

17. Sorry - good you know.

[Cleita]

18. OMG! I feel so bad for you, but at least you

know what it is and have a treatment. Hang in there and don't get discouraged. Shingles really hangs in there longer than most viruses but it does go away as long as you take your medication.

[gkhouston]

19. Yeowch! Glad it's not MRSA. Hope the antivirals work quickly. n/t

[applegrove]

20. vibes.

[tammywammy]

21. If you're 60+ you can get a vaccine for shingles. n/t

[JCMach1]

22. I am so sorry... my Mom had the syndrome last year where you get shingles

inside your ear and in the throat.

Do take care and get better soon!

[Cleita]

30. That's what I had. It was awful. I also got Bell's Palsy

as a result and lost my balance, which has taken me several years to regain with lots of exercise. I hope your mom is better.

[suffragette]

23. Get bags of frozen peas

Not sure if you are using them yet, but they're a great way to put ice on the area since there aren't any hard edges and they conform to your shape.
I've had shingles (though in a different area) and know how hard it is.
Frozen peas don't help to get rid of it, but they can help a little with some of the symptoms.

[Zax2me]

24. I had it to - right through the eye

A straight line across lips, face, through eye, continued across forehead. It was also inside my mouth.

The doc sent me to ophthalmologist - even made the appt for me, said you HAVE to go. Potentially very dangerous.
The first cheapo antibiotics did nothing, ended up getting some that cost about 15 bucks per pill. Never thought I would say this, but they were worth every penny!
Hope you get better soon.

[csziggy]

25. Oh good - the anitviral should help clear it pretty quickly

Ask about keeping a prescription for it around. If it recurs, you want to take the antiviral as soon as the area begins to be painful. With my herpes infection, I can feel it before it is really inflamed. Since the herpes lives in the nerves, they start signaling before the area gets affected.

[RamboLiberal]

26. Ouch - Good Luck - Hope your eye is all better soon!

[Ratty]

29. Geez, I feel lucky now

Had it on my scalp. It was a bit painful and lasted only two weeks. A relative had them on her whole body and said it was the worst pain (for a mother of three!) she had ever felt in her life. You mostly only ever get them once and I consider myself very lucky now. Especially after reading about people who have them in their eyelid or in their throat! How awful. There is definitely no god.

[SOS]

31. Hang in there

I had shingles on my back and chest in 2007.
Didn't take the anti-virals and it cleared up on it's own fairly quickly.

Here's the good news:

98% who get shingles develop immunity to the varicella zoster virus and will not get it again.

One more thing to cross off the list of life's bummers.