Diabetes and Shingles

[penciltip]

My father is a well controlled type 2. He has recently been diagnosed with shingles. I was wondering if there were any views out there about if diabetics get it worse - with all the issues of neuropathy etc. As a new member I am happy to get any views. I have searched out a few sites, in so doing I stumbled across one offering a pretty unique valentines card for diabetics - a bit off the wall but it may chear him up. Anyway opinions on the shingles would be great.

[KickStart101]

My father is a well controlled type 2. He has recently been diagnosed with shingles. I was wondering if there were any views out there about if diabetics get it worse - with all the issues of neuropathy etc. As a new member I am happy to get any views. I have searched out a few sites, in so doing I stumbled across one offering a pretty unique valentines card for diabetics - a bit off the wall but it may chear him up. Anyway opinions on the shingles would be great.

Hi and Welcome. I'm sorry to hear that your Dad has them.
I wouldn't say that Diabetics get them worse, No. I've seen
non-diabetics with severe cases also. As you know they are
caused by the same virus as chicken pox. I actually had them
twice. Once when I was 16 yrs.(mild) and Nov. /05(severe). I
had Diabetes at both times

[labob]

Before I was diagnosed, I was experiencing bouts of shingles every six months or so. (Technically, it might not have been "shingles," though I guess we'll never know because the doctor I was seeing at the time never bothered to do a biopsy or, ahem, a glucose reading.)

After I was diagnosed with diabetes (by a different doctor, not that it was hard to figure out when I presented), I raised the shingles issue. My doctor questioned whether I had in fact been experiencing shingles due to my age (47 at the time of being diagnosed with diabetes) and the fact that it's not super common for shingles to strike twice, much less multiple times. Since I didn't have any symptoms of shingles at the time I was diagnosed with diabetes, there was nothing for her to go on, but she did speculate that those symptoms might not recur once I got my glucose levels under control.

My doctor was right, at least so far -- it's been over a year since my glucose levels have been under control, and I've had no outbreak of shingles-like symptoms since then, which is the longest I've gone in several years.

My sympathies -- even if what I had was not technically "shingles" (but a similar kind of outbreak caused by a virus; we treated it with shingles meds, though, so I'm not sure I exactly understand what the difference is), it's the most painful thing I have ever experienced.

[KickStart101]

Hey Bob, Shingles every 6 mths? Okay, never heard of
that one, not saying it can't happen. Are you sure that
wasn't yeast infection due to your Diabetes? It does
happily survive on the upperbody, mainly in skin creases.
Just a thought.

Well, I went to some of the best Derms when I was 16 and
on Nov. /05. I would hope they know their stuff. It's not
that hard to diagnois. Actually, I already knew what it was
my second time around from the symptoms from the first time
around. Wanna see pics. j/k It was so bad Hubby had to
take pics. Okay he's not that good with digital cameras yet.
(they're blurry but no mistaking the trauma).

Although not super commom to happen twice, it still does happen
twice and I think it's neglegent to say not. Like, who exactly is
keeping track? Not many? Especially if Patients are being misdiagnoised
sometimes. Did you have chicken pox when you were little? My Mom
said I had 6 pox when I was 6 mths. old. Hardly full blown chicken pox.
My Kids had full blown. Hopefully, that'll save them from getting shingles.

"Due to your age"?? I was 16 the first time, 45 the second time. Nancyaw's
Grandson got it around the same time I did, my second round. He was 11 and
had a bad case. He'll probably suffer from it again when he's older. Nancy
hasn't been here for a while but I'm sure her email is still actiive. Ask her.
We are the tossed aside minority, as usual. No wonder the research isn't
straight. There's many more like us. Just like, all Diabetics are Type 2 style.
What about the Type 1's?? Sorry, I was just expressing my opinion. **


aftershingles.com: About shingles

[Fenway]

A vaccine for shingles was licensed in 2006. In clinical trials, the vaccine prevented shingles in about half of people 60 years of age and older. It can also reduce the pain associated with shingles.

A single dose of shingles vaccine is indicated for adults 60 years of age and older.

A person should not get shingles vaccine who:

•has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to gelatin, the antibiotic neomycin, or any other component of shingles vaccine.
Tell your doctor if you have any severe allergies.

•has a weakened immune system because of

- HIV/AIDS or another disease that affects the immune system,

- treatment with drugs that affect the immune system, such as steroids,

- cancer treatment such as radiation or chemotherapy,

- a history of cancer affecting the bone marrow or lymphatic system, such as leukemia or lymphoma.

•has active, untreated tuberculosis.

•is pregnant, or might be pregnant. Women should not become pregnant until at least
three months after getting shingles vaccine.

[pinkytricia]

Penciltip
Sorry to hear about your Daddy... I had shingles in 1998 on my tummy... It started from the left side to the center stopped before my belly button .... They were so painful and itchy... Like little electrical shocks going into my body...Riding in the car was awful... Every single bump..I felt... Plus, My hubby was not allowed to move in BED....lol

[ladytaz]

I don't understand the "age" thing about Shingles! My mom was in her 50's when she got them and my brother in law in his 40's! Neither are diabetic.

Now for Chicken Pox, yes, that is most common in youngsters. I know my mom didn't get them when she was a child, nor did she get them or Shingles when us girls got Chicken Pox as children. We were long moved out when she got the Shingles. My BIL, I've no clue if he had Chicken Pox or not as a child, or ever for that fact.

I do know that my mom has flare ups every once in a while of the nerves in the area she got them, or something like that as does my BIL. I guess this is something they're (the medical community) realizing lately?