Shingles Vaccination

If you had chickenpox as a child, you should get to your doctor and get a shingles vaccination.

To be honest, I had never thought that much about shingles. About 10 days back I woke up with five or six small red bumps on my chest. I figured I had encountered some insect that had left its mark. The next day there were a few more spots and by the fourth day, there was a streak extending from my chest to my back. I did an internet search and was fairly sure that the bumps were shingles. A trip to the doctor confirmed it. The doctor half way joking said, "I've got good news and bad news. It is shingles which is generally not to serious but to treat it, you should have come in earlier. To be effective, the treatment should be started within 48 hours of the first outbreak." The doctor said I would be very uncomfortable for a couple of weeks and could be given something for pain if necessary.

I have a rather high tolerance for pain so I declined any pain pills.

I now know more about shingles than I ever thought I would. If you had chickenpox as a child, the virus stays in your body. It can break out at any time but most often happens after the age of 60. For most people it is extremely uncomfortable, but not serious. There is very little good treatment.

It generally does not make you feel bad enough to be confined to bed but you sure don't feel in top form. I tend to be very active so I noticed I did not have the energy or desire to engage in lots of my normal activities.

So all this is for two things. First, if you have not gotten a shingles vaccination, get one right away. The old adage is true - "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." If you suspect you are having a shingles attack, get to your doctor or urgent care facility that day. Get on treatment immediately. You will save yourself a lot of discomfort.