Have you known anyone who had shingles?

[Anonymous]

My best friend and brother in law had it when they were in their late 20s. I've never had chicken pox, but was exposed when my siblings had it. I have the antibodies and could get shingles.

[Anonymous]

My dad had it in his late 40a and it was terrible. He was in a lot of pain from it. It took him a long time to fully recover from it.

[Anonymous]

I had shingles at age 31. I luckily had a mild case and wasn't in too much discomfort because I was started on medicine within the first 24 hours. The only reason I knew it was probably shingles was because my dad had recently had it. The electric-shock-pain on one side of the body only is actually pretty unmistakable to anyone who's had it.

[Anonymous]

Yes. 65 year old father.

[Anonymous]

I had chicken pox as a child and a shingles out break in my 40s. It was on the side of my face near my left eye. I had no idea what it was but it was not as painful looking or as oozing as the commercial. Mine was more like tiny clear blisters, they broke then went away. Since then, I do get a phantom pain eveytime I'm stressed in the same area.

[Anonymous]

Ex had shingles in his late twenties, during a time of great stress. I caught full-blown chicken pox from being exposed to his shingles blisters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had shingles at age 31. I luckily had a mild case and wasn't in too much discomfort because I was started on medicine within the first 24 hours. The only reason I knew it was probably shingles was because my dad had recently had it. The electric-shock-pain on one side of the body only is actually pretty unmistakable to anyone who's had it.

Yep. The pain is like if you had an electric shock administered to a bad burn.

[Anonymous]

My grandmother.

[Anonymous]

My husband and my mother.

[Anonymous]

three people

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Had it at 21. I know a number if teens thst got it in the last three years.I also know several elderly people that got it..
and I'm their eyes. That was a bad deal. So here's my question. If I've already had shingles what will the shingles vaccine have any impact on me for furore prevention or is it now established and will happen again?

I have the same question. My doctor told me to get the vaccine, but I've already had shingles, so I said no.

I had shingles when I was 31, unemployed, and extremely stressed out. I had it on my back and upper thigh. Two ER docs said, "No, that's not shingles, it's a rash," but my 60+ year old family practice doctor took one look and said, "You're an old lady! You have shingles." He put me on antivirals, which helped with the pain, which was excruciating. I was on crutches for 4 or 5 days because it was so painful I couldn't put weight on my leg.

A friend had shingles when she was 24, in an extremely stressful job. She had it on her neck, and her doctor told her she would have lost her eyesight if it had been closer to her eye. Her pain was excruciating too.

Her 80 year old mom had it last year. It left her bedridden for months recovering from the pain. She had the vaccine, but still got shingles. She also has cancer, so that may have played a role, I'm not sure.

Shingles is awful, and I never want to get it again, but if you've had it once, shouldn't you be immune?

BTW, DH has never had chicken pox or shingles. He's been vaxed (as an adult) for chicken pox, but he's still not immune. Weird. His doc told him to get the shingles vax, but he said no too. Why bother?

Yes, you can get it more than once!! I posted upthread that my husband has it now, and this is the second time.

[Anonymous]

Yes, when I was 4. I was being treated for leukemia at the time and ended up getting chicken pox too. I still remember the pain of the shingles over 30 years later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a tv commercial that says 1 in 3 people will have shingles in their lifetime. To my knowledge I have never met a person who has had shingles. When I ask other people if they've ever met a person with shingles, they say no. Only one has said yes. So where are all of these people who have had shingles? One in 3 is a high percentage.

I had a mild case when my mom died, my coworker has had it, my mother had it, one of my best friends has had it....

[Anonymous]

I had it at 6. I've also had several coworkers that got it as adults.

[Anonymous]

I'm 50 - had chickenpox as a child. Never had it but Step-dad did. He was a doctor and Korean War veteran - he said it was the worst pain he ever felt.
I will be getting the vaccine.