Hi Hope you are all travelling well.... Since my last post..... I had to have a PICC line put in, as my veins weren't happy any more with chemo and blood tests. Collapsing left, right and centre. But, two days after having the picc line inserted, went to see my oncologist before chemo. Showed her my blotches on my head, near what was once my hair line and right eye..... and told I have SHINGLES.... man what more stupid side effects can chemo give a girl????? I was soooo devastated and wasn't allowed to have chemo that day. Told to go home, take tablets and see next Friday if I can have chemo. Just wondering if anyone else has had shingles from chemo..... If not... just be aware... Not a pretty sight.... feel and look like Elephant Man.... have headaches around my right eye where one of the shingles is. But taking strong head ache tablets to combat. Anyway, hope you are all great and chemo or radiation is going well.... For me.... just another little hic cup.... Love to you all as usual - Julie XX

hi sorry to hear about the shingles you know its stress related but who is stressed HA HA, great thing for them is solugel just get it from the chemist its one of the best things to put on them especially when they get scabby, they especially give quite a bit of pain of as the scabs follow the nerve lines, Ive seen heaps in my workplace (AGED CARE) my niggle at the moment is the nonstop burning under my arm from the node removal only warm baths ease it and I cant live in the bath all day or holding my arm in the air and you can only do that for so long. Poor daughter came home with a migrane today and had a good cry thats probably good its just me and her for tea tonight and we are going to watch a dvd simple is sometimes good xx adean

My dad had really bad shingles many years ago and he finally found relief from acupuncture. If you have never tried it I recommend it highly. I have had one session to help digestion and general emotional well being, it's very relaxing. I'm sorry you have so much vein trouble, mine are behaving so well both with chemo and bloods. So far anyway. Ihave been a blood donor most of mylife so maybe they are well trained !! best wishes and love to you magicmum

Hi adean Yes, I think we all are STRESSED at some point - actually many points. My oncologist also said that you can get shingles not just from stress but because your immune system is down. And I am having Taxol at the moment and one of the side effects that can come with it is pins and needles in your feet and hands. To which I also have and also started when the shingles started. So both maybe related..... I will get solugel tomorrow, as they are starting to scab now. I have had the headaches with this, not nice, but manageable with strong headache tablets. Just another hurdle to get over.... I don't have the burning under my arm. But I do feel at times that my under arm is swollen and sore. I just try and rub it gently and do a few exercises. Simple is good..... and sorry to hear that your daughter had a migrane...... they aren't nice at all... Hope all is well and you both enjoyed your DVD. love Julie XX

Hi magicmum I also was an avid blood donor. So needles never bothered me , nor my veins.... until CHEMO !!! I used to give blood and also plasma. So my veins were quite used to large needles. But since chemo, they have totally gone nuts. So the picc line was inserted, and still haven't used it yet. Shingles, is getting better. Drugs have helped heaps. So I am hoping to be able to have chemo on Friday. Love to you as well , Julie XX

Hi Michelle Good to hear that you finish on Thursday. But keep us posted on your surgery/radiotherapy. What would the surgery be for this time? Shingles are getting better now, with the tablets I had to take. I feel like I am a rattling cage at the moment. Pills, pills and more pills.... when will this ever end? Picc line is driving me nuts at the moment - can't sleep. And I think I have fluid build up again on my surgery arm, as this at the moment feels huge. So I will be ringing my oncologist tomorrow morning to see what she thinks. Both my arms feels like the Incredible Hulk at the moment. Glad that you are finally finishing your chemo, that would be a big relief. Keep us posted, and always keeping my fingers crossed for you. Love as always , Julie XX

Shingles.. would you believe it | BCNA Online Network

13 Replies

chipmunk
Member
14 years ago
Hi adean

Yes, I think we all are STRESSED at some point - actually many points. My oncologist also said that you can get shingles not just from stress but because your immune system is down. And I am having Taxol at the moment and one of the side effects that can come with it is pins and needles in your feet and hands. To which I also have and also started when the shingles started. So both maybe related.....

I will get solugel tomorrow, as they are starting to scab now. I have had the headaches with this, not nice, but manageable with strong headache tablets. Just another hurdle to get over....

I don't have the burning under my arm. But I do feel at times that my under arm is swollen and sore. I just try and rub it gently and do a few exercises.

Simple is good..... and sorry to hear that your daughter had a migrane...... they aren't nice at all...

Hope all is well and you both enjoyed your DVD.

love Julie XX
magicmum
Member
14 years ago
My dad had really bad shingles many years ago and he finally found relief from acupuncture. If you have never tried it I recommend it highly. I have had one session to help digestion and general emotional well being, it's very relaxing.

I'm sorry you have so much vein trouble, mine are behaving so well both with chemo and bloods. So far anyway. Ihave been a blood donor most of mylife so maybe they are well trained !!

best wishes and love to you

magicmum
adean
Member
14 years ago
hi sorry to hear about the shingles you know its stress related but who is stressed HA HA, great thing for them is solugel just get it from the chemist its one of the best things to put on them especially when they get scabby, they especially give quite a bit of pain of as the scabs follow the nerve lines, Ive seen heaps in my workplace (AGED CARE) my niggle at the moment is the nonstop burning under my arm from the node removal only warm baths ease it and I cant live in the bath all day or holding my arm in the air and you can only do that for so long. Poor daughter came home with a migrane today and had a good cry thats probably good its just me and her for tea tonight and we are going to watch a dvd simple is sometimes good xx adean

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Shingles.. would you believe it

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