Shingles.... Seriously?

[ALW]

I just finished my 10th day of xeloda & radiation. I was laying on the table getting radiation and I had this stabbing pain by my belly button. They called in the radiation onc and he said it was well out of the blast zone. So after my treatment I went and talked to my oncologist. Thanks to a recent full body scan he could rule out tons of stuff... Not gallstones, nor kidney stones, nor appendix, nor diverticulitis. They did a urinalysis to check on my kidneys and they are just fine. The only possible thing he can think of it being is shingles as the pain is now going around in a circle, pretty much at my waistline. Now we are just waiting for blisters to form to confirm the shingles then they will start me on the meds for that.

I'm just going to put this out there- this month sucks like no other.

[cathy123]

Ugh that stinks. Seems like a big coincidence that you got shingles right after starting chemo and radiation, but I guess stranger things have happened.

[ALW]

Ugh that stinks. Seems like a big coincidence that you got shingles right after starting chemo and radiation, but I guess stranger things have happened.

I think it's more than a coincidence. Chemo suppresses the immune system so that gives the varicella virus a chance to take over in the form of shingles. It just sucks. I'm having a "why me" day!

[lpas]

Ugh--I'm so sorry. Please feel free to whine all you want. Keeping fingers crossed that it resolves quickly.

[Nik Colon]

I just finished my 10th day of xeloda & radiation. I was laying on the table getting radiation and I had this stabbing pain by my belly button. They called in the radiation onc and he said it was well out of the blast zone. So after my treatment I went and talked to my oncologist. Thanks to a recent full body scan he could rule out tons of stuff... Not gallstones, nor kidney stones, nor appendix, nor diverticulitis. They did a urinalysis to check on my kidneys and they are just fine. The only possible thing he can think of it being is shingles as the pain is now going around in a circle, pretty much at my waistline. Now we are just waiting for blisters to form to confirm the shingles then they will start me on the meds for that.

I'm just going to put this out there- this month sucks like no other.

Oh no! I had shingles when I was young which is very rare, but I remember the pain! So sorry mine was also in that area, actually that's how my parents found out I had chicken pox as mine were never detected or obviously very minor that they didn't know I ever had, but they said you have to have had chicken pox to get shingles

[Nik Colon]

Ugh that stinks. Seems like a big coincidence that you got shingles right after starting chemo and radiation, but I guess stranger things have happened.

I think it's more than a coincidence. Chemo suppresses the immune system so that gives the varicella virus a chance to take over in the form of shingles. It just sucks. I'm having a "why me" day!

Yeah, not the first time I heard someone on here getting shingles, so I would also think because our immune system is suppressed

[ALW]

Oh no! I had shingles when I was young which is very rare, but I remember the pain! So sorry mine was also in that area, actually that's how my parents found out I had chicken pox as mine were never detected or obviously very minor that they didn't know I ever had, but they said you have to have had chicken pox to get shingles

I had chicken pox as a kid, but it was a very mild case... Like 3 pox was it. I've also heard that having mild chicken pox instead of a full blown breakout also increases your chance of developing shingles. That would make sense in your case as well.

[Nik Colon]

Oh no! I had shingles when I was young which is very rare, but I remember the pain! So sorry mine was also in that area, actually that's how my parents found out I had chicken pox as mine were never detected or obviously very minor that they didn't know I ever had, but they said you have to have had chicken pox to get shingles

I had chicken pox as a kid, but it was a very mild case... Like 3 pox was it. I've also heard that having mild chicken pox instead of a full blown breakout also increases your chance of developing shingles. That would make sense in your case as well.

Interesting, I never heard that

[PainInTheAss]

I got shingles, too, last year. I totally get the "why me" feeling. I got it on my shoulder so I have shingles scars on one side and a port scar on the other. They are little groups of chicken pox like 8 here, 10 there, 6 here. When tney scab over it turns black! At Least mine did. At least they hit all at once so you don't keep getting more clusters once they all appear.

[Nik Colon]

All I remember was it was mostly on my back and they run along a nerve. I remember my mom putting some kind of cream or something on it and it would hurt. I also remember always recalling the pain like (in my words at the time) a hundred bees stinging me all at once. I believe the pain would come and go, my mom remembers it much better obviously as I was maybe somewhere around 5 or so

[CRguy]

Probably does not help much now for you ALW ...
BUTT having had a close relative with severe shingles, wifey and I both got the Zostavax vaccine a few years ago.
I figured CRC was enough fun for me so I would pass on the shingles opportunity

sending healing vibes your way

CRguy

[megan120]

I'm sorry. I had them pop up with my 7th round of folfox. They suck and mine was a pretty mild case, just a few on my side and back. Are you having pain around your whole waistline? Usually shingles follow the nerve and only effect one side. I hope you can figure it out quickly and get some relief soon.

[DarknessEmbraced]

I hope you feel better soon!*hugs*

[JDinNC]

My GP gave me a prescription for the shot. At Walmart it would have cost close to $300.00. Doesn't any insurance company pay for it?

Jan

[SugarBubbie]

I got shingles after my first round of chemo......had onc give me the big blue pills to help. They work, but hard to get down the throat. MD Anderson would not let me get the vaccine while on chemo. Also, cannot get it if you have active outbreak. I've also discovered that I can take the supplement L-Lysine to help clear it up. A lot cheaper than the prescription and for me works just as good. That's after all chemo is finished.

Certain foods can trigger an outbreak in me also, so no peanuts, almonds or watermelon. Excessive heat can also bring it on so I limit my outdoor exposure to our wonderful Texas heat.

Hope this helps
Rhonda