If you've had it, you know where this is going. If you haven't, here's some news.
1 out of 3 people get it. Mostly seniors who have had chicken pox early in life.
Best prevention: Get both Shingrix shots. I got my 2nd one last Feb.
Fast forward to last Monday, 2 AM we drive to the ER because the pain in my chest felt like my heart was being carved out with a knife. That's putting it mildly.
The quickest attention you will ever get at an ER by the way is to walk in with chest pains. The triage staff went into red alert. It could also have been that I was the only one in the ER that night...slow night, how did that happen? Before I knew it, I was connected to a monitoring machine, an IV prep, vials of blood were pulled and the x-ray tech wheeled in his machine and cleared everybody out, but me.
The staff seemed a little disappointed when they came back with results that my heart was in great shape. Earlier, they asked me on a scale of 1 to 10 what my pain level was. I said 8, which reminds me of the link below. I told them prior to coming in it was about an 11+, and the stabbing pain was taking my breath away.
"Did something happen or did you do anything that may have caused your pain?" I couldn't think of anything unusual, and I hadn't put a knife in my chest. I mentioned I did some digging and planting the day before. "You must have strained a muscle or something."
Something? Could you be a little more specific? Is a rib sticking out of my back?
I got home and relapsed into pain. My primary doctor called me the next day and confirmed I must have strained some muscles. The following day, while showering, I felt a burning sensation under my arm and later discovered some red blotches. Black widow bite(s) from working outside maybe? I had no clue. That evening my wife looked at the spots and said it may be shingles. Can't be, I had Both my Shingrix shots. <<<!!
Lesson: The pox can appear After the pain. There was nothing for the ER doc to notice.
Next day I went to Urgent Care and they confirmed...shingles. The pox haven't got worse so maybe the vaccine helped. Today, a week later, I can function during the day taking Tylenol, but starting early evening through the next morning, the torture resumes.
If you are one of the 1 in 3 that have had it, any practical suggestions?
I remembered comedian Brian Regan's account about visiting the ER. Watching it again has brought some comradery type comfort.
http://youtu.be/d2Vg3iSd5ms
Get your shots.
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