Oh, I'm so sorry to hear-- I hope it's a mild case for you. One of my brothers had it-- not pleasant. Take care--

(I was thinking I should get the vaccine, as well as the pneumonia vaccines, along with my yearly flu shot. I could use all the help I can get--)

Ack! I got the vaccine last year as I feared getting this. Hope it is effective. And I hope you get well soon!

Sending good thoughts to you, Pips, and hopes your eye goes on the mend.

Shingles can be NO FUN.... I tried to get the vaccine several years ago, but am too young for insurance to cover it; and, I ended up having shingles a couple of years ago (I didn't realize that's what it was since I was overwhelmed by my Mon's hospitalization at the time.) It was, by the time I figured it out, too late for the antiviral.

I hear great things about the antivirals - good that you're on it so quickly. Best wishes for no itching/burning/pain! I take anti-inflammatory pain pills whenever a shingles outbreak acts up again.

Oh, shingles is just horrid. Go antivirals!

In the UK the vaccine is only available to people in their 70s. I'm not quite there yet ... although I certainly feel it today.

I remember you having shingles, mightshould, and the stress you were under at the time. I'm hoping these tablets - 5 a day for 7 days - will do the trick. This morning the shower on its lightest mist setting was agony to stand under.

But on the plus side, I might miss the corporate awayday next week. Silver lining, etc.

Hope it goes by quickly Jan. My wife and I got the vaccine when we turned 50. Our insurance company feels it is worth the price because so many people end up costing so much for remedial treatments.

It's amazing the progress there's been in not that long a time.
I think my brother had it and it was a misery without much to be done. He was possibly still in his 20s and now I'm wondering if he didn't get chicken pox as a kid.

I keep hearing of more young people getting shingles. I wonder if they will soon offer vaccine to younger crowd?

Hm. I never had chicken pox, though my brother did. Maybe I need this vaccine.

i hope the antivirals work quickly, senyar. a friend's elderly father had a bad case of it earlier this year despite having gotten the vaccine.

you have to have had chickenpox at some point to get shingles. It's the same virus being reactivated at the nerves (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/shingles/basics/causes/con-20019574). if you hadn't had chicken pox, you probably want to look at the chicken pox vaccine instead as i've heard it's pretty horrible to have as an adult.

It can actually be fatal in adults.

I had shingles. Nerve pain, not bruise pain. It goes away with treatment, but not soon enough. Some cases have lingering effects, so do go to the doctor and get this stuff in hand.

Meanwhile, you have my sincere sympathy.