Pain Mgmt Shingles

[jazzy]

just wanted to share a tip on shingles.
ive had it hit me several times over the years and always was able to recognize this symptoms and take what i needed.

last week i had an outbreak of something that was different and far more painful and it did not occur to me it was a shingles attack.

the pain was on the left side under the rib cage and it was so severe at time it took my breath away and would wake me up in the night. the standard 'sunburn' skin feeling was mild but i did notice it. it made me wonder if it was shingles but the pain that came and went on the left side that slowly grew in intensity and spasms was something i never experienced.
so after some castor oil packs and other things i tried, i went to doctor. it takes ALOT to get me to go to the doctor but i did and this is what i found out.

it was definitely a shingles outbreak. shingles live around the rib cage and go towards a nerve junction and stress or illness can make it pop to life.

the best way to determine is there is a nerve meridian down the center of the front of the body. forgive me for not using the right words or being technical but this is what i understood.
if it is shingles it will go from center of front of body to the left around back or from the center to the right around back. yes it can be head, legs, neck, etc, but the waist skin burn thing never goes all the way around the front, it is one side or the other.

she told me i needed a fancy anti viral. i told her ive always used L-lysine and it worked for me, so that is what i did with the same good results.

im just posting this cause i Never knew shingles could create such a severe pain deep inside the body. i thought it was only the skin then the blisters.

this is what i take that works every time--
1000mg L-lysine
first day take 2 in am, then 1 at lunch, 1 at dinner and 2 at bed
add in some Vit C or lipsomal Vit C
but if you cant afford the Vit C the L-lysine Will do the job.
day 2-14 take 2 in am and 1 at lunch, 1 at diner, 1 at bed.

you must take the L-lysine for a full 2 weeks, no cheating. in just 2-3 days the pain will be gone but you still have to take it for the full 2 weeks to finish it off and beat it into submission.

the stuff is cheap, stock up.

 

[summerthyme]

Good information to have and keep handy. I do have a few courses of the "fancy anti-viral" in the preps.. both of us had chicken pox (no vaccine... my observations seem to indicate that "resistance" to developing shingles is at least somewhat related to whether soneone actually had chicken pox, or was only vaccinated.)

But we're getting to the age where its potentially a concern. And not planning on getting the shingles vax. And because even getting an appointment with the quack could take 2-3 weeks, and the antiviral MUST be taken very soon (~48 hours), having the meds on hand in case of obvious symptoms only makes sense.

We've used L-lysine for various herpes virus infections over the years. Probably my greatest triumph was when "mammalitis"... a herpes infection of the skin of the teats and udder... somehow was brought into our herd. We'd had a closed herd (absolutely no animals purchased in) for over 18 years. Several other herds in the area saw it for the first time as well.

Its considered incurable by the vets (that might have changed with some of the newer anti-viral drugs, but cost would be huge. And mortality, either from infection like gangrene or what acted like strep flesheating bugs, generally ran 90%.

The first spring, 80% of our first calf 2 year olds developed it. After wasting money on the vet for the first two (they both died of gangerene) I at least had an official diagnosis. So, i started playing with various herbs, etc. My first concoction looked like a true witches brew... dark purple ftom elderberries, with lemonbalm, Rose Geranium essential oil as well as a few precios drops of blue chamomile oil... and some powdered L-lysine.

I gave it to hubby to use as a dip on the next ill heifer, and by then, i was literally sick that we were going to lise potentially every single 2 year old. I didn't even check on the sick one, and when 48 hours later, he asked me to check Daisy once more, I snarled at him that i was tired of wasting my time, as obviously nothing was going tonwork.

He just smiled, nodded and again asked patiently for mr to check her.

His smile was a lot wider when i jogged back down for a flashlight and an explanation.

Id originally thought he moved the cow... the masses of blue-black scabs and skin sloughing were GONE, and it was only under close inspection that i could see that the pink skin was shiny and fragile looking.

So... we only lost one more good 2 year old in the 15 more years we farmed. Naturally she was the last daughter of an 18 year old cow who had pruduced over 100 tons of milk in her lifetime... sigh. It's always the goid ones.

Anyway... i hope it works gor you again. My concoction would have had to be modified if it were to be taken orally... mostly the essential oils. But otherwise, i would think that using elderberry along with the L-lysine can only be beneficial.

I hope you're feeling better soon!

Summerthyme

 

[kyrsyan]

Please be aware that, while rare, shingles does not only hit the older. My son had a rather severe case at age 18.

 

[Pebbles]

My first and only time, knock on wood, was the most excruciating deep pain I have ever felt. I had a few blisters but not many and not that painful. My pain was in my left shoulder and up my neck, lasted 6 weeks. Nothing helped. My chiropractor recommended L-Lysine which I took for a few days but the pills were huge so I stopped. I have always worried that I would have a re-occurrence. Thank you for this info Jazzy I now know what to do if I have a re-occurrence.

 

[Troke]

Got it on one side of my face, luckily not into my eyes. Could not stand the presence of a light bulb anywhere near that side for some weeks. Luckily, few blisters.

I am not happy to hear that it can come back, more than once. I had chicken pox, measles & mumps in my youth and have taken the latest shots which may have only about 50% effectiveness.

 

[Raggedyman]

ACUPUNCTURE DOES WONDERS FOR SHINGLES

the word MIRACULOUS would not be an exaggeration​

 

[jazzy]

thanks all.
i am MUCH better and back to normal.
i started my L-lysine course on aug 1.
2 pills in am, 1 at lunch, 1 at dinner and 1 before bed. i just made sure i took 5 a day
i added lyposomal vit C, 2T in am

by day 3 the pain was almost gone. the inside pain was about 90% gone with just a few occasional twinges. the skin burning pain had eased a good bit, maybe 50%. every day it got better as the pain disappeared. id say by day 7-8 all symptoms and pain were gone.

this is day 14 and it is completely gone.

i had chicken pox as a kid and i think my first case of shingles showed up when i was around 40 or so and it came back several times in the last 20+ yrs. this was just the worst case i ever had. the L-lysine is the only Safe thing that works that i know of. and it is cheap.


cool story summerthyme. the elderberry is a good add on to help boost. using it alone for the shingles did not help me, but the LK-lysine does the trick. but i did not try combining for perhaps a shorter recovery time?

raggedyman i had no idea accupuncture could help shingles. ive tried accupuncture for some other things, never thogut of it for shingles. that is great info.

troke and everyone here is what ive learned dealing with this several times---if i take the L-lysine at first hint of the stinging, burning feeling BEFORE it gets worse or you get bumps that turn into blisters, the L-lysine will stop it from getting worse and end it in just a few days. but you Still have to take the L-;lysine for the 2 full weeks. but it will not progress.

i hope yall get some bottles of L-lysine and tuck them away, it can save your sanity.

 

[moldy]

Lemon balm! It is a great anti-viral and is specifically indicated for herpes infections. I use tincture on cold sores and zap - GONE!! You could use it as a poultice and drink it as tea. It's delicious. Good to see you're doing better, jazzy.

 

[West]

Good stuff to know and have used L-lysine before, and will stock up on more, first bout of shingles I've had was in my late 40s over 50 now.

Posted to complain about the huge chalky L- lysine pills.

 

[summerthyme]

West... you can buy pure l-lysine powder. Not sure how it tastes, but you could probably mix it in something that woukd adequately hide abd funky taste or texture.

Summerthyme

 

[Seeker22]

Someone on the Keto thread recommended L-Lysine (1,000mg capsule) broken apart and powder under the tongue for sugar cravings. Since I have had Chicken Pox- was my 9th birthday gift to myself- I will go back and get several more bottles of this. Definitely a prep item for me now.