Another pox head episode

[Strike me lucky]

Always saying im feeling crappy lately but about 1 week ago felt extra crappy with headaches fog etc and went off sick from work.

Yesterday head feeling itchy but not too bad but constant headaches for the last week, woke up this morning like i had a hangover. today had my haircut/shave and dried up scabby red rash on head where previous shingles have been, again.

When headaches etc started i also started getting sinus infection/headaches and started abx for this, probably another sign my immune system is crap.

I was already on famvir 500mg twice a day, previous episodes without famvir were worse so i guess the famvir may have reduced the severity of it??

I had only been back at work a week and a bit and have been off sick since. I go back tuesday in a less stressful role.

I wish i could get vzv viral titres to have some clinical proof its reactivating. Although treatment i think will not change, maybe increase famvir dose for awhile?

 

[San Diego]

Well, crap! This is not good news. I’m so glad the less stressful role is available and you are wise enough to take it.

You’d think a reactivating herpetic rash would be proof enough for doctors. Maybe if you could get the rash to break out on a piece of paper it’d mean more?

Makes perfect sense to up the Famvir, as the current dose is allowing breakthrough. Well, either that or Neurofen. (sarcasm)

 

[Strike me lucky]

Well, crap! This is not good news. I’m so glad the less stressful role is available and you are wise enough to take it.

You’d think a reactivating herpetic rash would be proof enough for doctors. Maybe if you could get the rash to break out on a piece of paper it’d mean more?

Makes perfect sense to up the Famvir, as the current dose is allowing breakthrough. Well, either that or Neurofen. (sarcasm)

Nurofen suppositories haha ew.
Something not right with my immune system as i got the sinusitis at the same time.

I want to get cycloferon as i know it increases my nk function but cash is tight at moment. Otherwise im out of option for things to improve immune system. Already using inosine and a few immune herbs.

The rash doesnt come out for almost a week but its strange as im glad when the rash occurrs as its prove to me why i feel so shit. But before the rash occurs all sorts of things go through my mind like is this just depression, is it lyme or cmv?? Or just cfs worsening. Once the rash occurs i start to feel abit better. The rash isnt an issue for me but more the systemic viral infection.

 

[Who Me?]

@Strike me lucky maybe next time you start to to feel this level of crap just slam more Famvir?

Upping my dose helped me when I had 2 reactivations.

Rectal anything always works better!

 

[Tammy7]

@Strike me lucky .........I am curious when you get your head shingles do you ever get jaw pain, gum pain, or sharp pains in your ear?

 

[IrisRV]

Geez, @Strike me lucky, you can't catch a break, can you?

@Strike me lucky maybe next time you start to to feel this level of crap just slam more Famvir?

I'm thinking the same thing. You know what the prodromal symptoms are now -- feeling extra crappy, headaches, fog, etc. Maybe as soon as you feel those symptoms you slam on the Famvir rather than waiting for the rash. Try to weaken it before it gets to the shingles part. You might still get shingles, but maybe not so bad...? Worth a try perhaps.

I'm puzzled why your PCP/GP is not worried about these repeated attacks of shingles. It's rare to get shingles at all at your age, and a bad sign at any age to get shingles as often as you do. That should be sending up all kinds of red flags. Surely some immune testing is in order at the very least...?

 

[Who Me?]

@IrisRV I believe @Strike me lucky saw an immuno. Guy was an idiot. At least he didn't want to give him a psych eval like mine did. Lol.

 

[Remy]

A little stubborn, your pox, aren't they??

I agree with the others. Can you take 3-4g/day for at least a little while?

I hope the lower stress job is helpful too.

Begone pox!

 

[ShyestofFlies]

Any chance lidocaine helps with this? Don't know a whole lot about shingles, but I do know that lidocaine/prilocaine mixes penetrate deep into the skin and can help for hours if they'd work for you. Feel better soon!

 

[Strike me lucky]

@Strike me lucky maybe next time you start to to feel this level of crap just slam more Famvir?

Upping my dose helped me when I had 2 reactivations.

Rectal anything always works better!

Yeah i know. But thought it was more sinusitis causing the headaches but had both going on at the same time : (

 

[Who Me?]

Yeah i know. But thought it was more sinusitis causing the headaches but had both going on at the same time : (

Yeah. Everything hit at once. Next time give it shot?

 

[Strike me lucky]

@Strike me lucky .........I am curious when you get your head shingles do you ever get jaw pain, gum pain, or sharp pains in your ear?

Its on the side of my head above my ear about an inch. Usually dull ache on that side but generalized headaches, fatigue and depression. Had some ringing in my ears but not alot and only since shingles.

 

[Strike me lucky]

I'm puzzled why your PCP/GP is not worried about these repeated attacks of shingles. It's rare to get shingles at all at your age, and a bad sign at any age to get shingles as often as you do. That should be sending up all kinds of red flags. Surely some immune testing is in order at the very least...?

I was sent to an immunologist last year. He tested immunoglobulins etc were normal. My normal high t cells were normal as i had been on prednisolone the week before the test.

I asked him about titres but he said it wasnt important and said igm is new infection igg is nothing to worry about as old infection.

He didnt have a clue on nk function testing when i showed him my results previously, he just replied they are ok now buy was pointing at the nk numbers. I triedto explain the difference but it was like talking to a brick wall.

He said i should keep doing what im doing and he can no longer help me or said i dont need to see him again.

So im really on my own. Im mot sure what else they can do anyway? ??

 

[Strike me lucky]

A little stubborn, your pox, aren't they??

I agree with the others. Can you take 3-4g/day for at least a little while?

I hope the lower stress job is helpful too.

Begone pox!

3 to 4 grams a day i couldn't afford to do it very long. I see my cfs dr in a couple of weeks. Im going to ask for valtrex to add to famvir and get some probenecid which increases blood levels and half life of avs. Plus i want to add cycloferon but not cashed up enough yet.

 

[Strike me lucky]

Any chance lidocaine helps with this? Don't know a whole lot about shingles, but I do know that lidocaine/prilocaine mixes penetrate deep into the skin and can help for hours if they'd work for you. Feel better soon!

I hadinjections into the area with lignocaine and cortisone which helped. But its more the systemic effects of the virus than the local effects of the rash. Its like getting mono with a rash on my head . Generalized severe headaches.

I will say after the local injections into my head it felt good. Half my head was numb for almost 5hrs. I will consider it again but at the moment i cant localize the pain in my head. Lucky i have a good assortment of pain meds at the moment.

 

[Who Me?]

@Strike me lucky i don't know if yours would respond the same but when I slammed with Famvir I had pretty big results within 2 days. I think I was taking 500 mgs at the time and just went up to a thousand.

Maybe back down and see how you do at 500 so you have some place to go or just go up for a few days?

You have to experiment maybe. Hope doc gives you valtrex. And you win the lottery.

 

[Remy]

probenecid

Good thought there.

 

[Hope]

A pox on your pox, StrikeML!

A facebook friend has had recurrent shingles too. The nerve pain for her was unbearable and was significantly reduced with the use of skullcap herb. She tried both types (baical and lateriflora) and they were both helpful though I've read that the baical spp is the stronger nervine.

If you do try it, make sure you buy from a reputable source as mass marketed ones sometimes don't contain much of the herb they claim to be selling.

 

[IrisRV]

I was sent to an immunologist last year. He tested immunoglobulins etc were normal. My normal high t cells were normal as i had been on prednisolone the week before the test.

I asked him about titres but he said it wasnt important and said igm is new infection igg is nothing to worry about as old infection.

He didnt have a clue on nk function testing when i showed him my results previously, he just replied they are ok now buy was pointing at the nk numbers. I triedto explain the difference but it was like talking to a brick wall.

He said i should keep doing what im doing and he can no longer help me or said i dont need to see him again.

So im really on my own. Im mot sure what else they can do anyway? ??

So if there's nothing wrong with your immune system then why do you keep getting shingles, especially at your age? Where is his logical thinking? Something is clearly wrong. You're not making up shingles rashes. They need explaining. If he didn't find the reason with the testing he did, then he needs to dig deeper. Sounds like a lazy, self-centered jerk unwilling to work very hard.

Can you keep after your GP? Make him put these repeated shingles outbreaks in your record, make him acknowledge the frequent outbreaks. After a few in your record, demand an explanation for repeated shingles episodes. That's not unreasonable. Frequent shingles outbreaks is definitely not normal. He has to do something if he's anything resembling a decent doctor, even if it's only referring you to a different immunologist or an infectious disease doc. To see clear signs of illness and refuse to treat or refer approaches some kind of malpractice.

One thing they can do is document the frequent shingles episodes. This could be helpful in the future. I quit going to the doctor for frequently occuring URIs because the docs weren't doing anything. Later, when I was trying to get IVIG they claimed I didn't have frequent URIs, so obviously my immune system was functioning adequately. They weren't going to take my word for it. If the URIs had been in my medical record, it would have been easier to get immune treatments later.

Besides that, you might get a better GP/immunologist later, one with brain cells. You want all the shingles info in your medical record so they can draw some reasonable conclusions.

 

[Who Me?]

@Hope i have bulk baicalin from www.liftmode.com. I don't have nerve pain so I can't comment on that but it does help me sleep. I dump it under my tongue.

It works on gaba. I forget of a or b