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have shingles and I'm miserable
the rash is on my neck, face and scalp all on one side of my head. Went to urgent care than sent to Emergency due to infection in swollen ear and they don't know why so prescribed gabapentin for my comfort and insured me it would get well faster with other pills. Refused the vaccine shot but should have been talked into it although it sometimes doesn't help much. has anyone else had shingles in their nineties? Vyolet
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@dederickve Occasionally, I still have pain, under my left arm, where the singles were so bad. I had them on over my back, that side, also. I guess the pain can keep coming bac, once in a while,for a day or two.
I had shingles very badly when I was fifty. The first horrible outbreak with oozing blisters was on one side of my spine. Lasted over six months! After that it was periodic and in the same places. When I turned 63 I had the shingles vaccine and haven't had any outbreaks, although the nerve damage and itching are back occasionally, not as before. It can be worth it to get the vaccine later on, just to alleviate some of the symptoms!
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4 Reactions@vyolet I’m so sorry you have shingles - they are dreadful (saw my friend go through them). My father is 91 and on his doctor’s recommendation we helped him get vaccinated with the newer Shingrix vaccine last year. He has been safe so far. I’m so sorry you didn’t have it and hope others won’t avoid it just because of age 😢
Martha, You first posted on May 20th. I am wondering how you are doing with the shingles today. Have they subsided? The vaccine is not without risk, so you did not make a necessarily bad decision. But I am hoping you feel a lot better now that it’s mid June.
@lacy2 When my father had shingles around his torso, mom would apply calamine lotion. But I don’t recall if it was after the papules had released the fluid first. I think so. He then wore only his white undershirt for a while. This helped dry the rash.
@marietter Spray in benedryl helps the back itch.