need info on shingles!

[kikilu]

Hi,

I am 23 years old and just found out I have shingles. I am very concerned as I am young and I know it is known to occur in older people. I consider myself to be extremely healthy and take good care of my body. I have recently gone through a very stressful time and the doctor said that may have lowered my immune system and triggered the rash. I am easily paranoid about health problems and I know the best thing for my body right now is to relax and be stress free but all I am doing is the opposite and wondering what is wrong with me?

Please let me know if anyone has had experience with this or just any support/words of wisdom will be welcomed and appreciated.

Thanks!

[Colorawdo girl]

My mom had these a while back. Seems it is a virus similar to the herpes simplex(cold sore stuff). So I would continue to detox with raw foods and virus goes away.

I used to have a flu type virus act up every other month(before raw) and I am rarely sick now(just had a strange allergy/cold/detox?).

Trust raw to clean house and no worries. Oh and lots of coconut oil, outisde and eaten!!!

[Everchanging]

They seem to come on at times of stress with most people. Just treat yourself well and be patient, the symptoms can take a couple months to go away. Find a naturopath, homeopath, or acupuncturist to help heal faster. Hang in there, I know it's hard!

[DebB]

I've always heard it's related to chicken pox. My husband had these around his waist when he was in his 20s. He came down with them after being exposed to our friend's child that came down with chicken pox a few days after we had them over - and then my husband came down with shingles.

He wore his bathrobe, naked underneat, because he couldn't have anything around his waist. He took some soothing baths. And I believe we put Caladryl lotion on to help with the itching.

But - this was a long time ago (we're in our 50s now) and hopefully you can find relief from them! *Ü*

[katchmoleen]

Shingles occurs when the chicken pox virus (herpes zoster) goes dormant in the body after one has chicken pox. It hides out in the nerve tracks and then in a time of stress it can become active. It can occur at any age. I knew of a three year old that had shingles only a year after she had chicken pox. You will have inflammation along a nerve track on one side of the body. It can happen in the face, on the chest, the waistline. It is generally very very painful. Pain can occur before a break-out, but usually one eventually gets raised blisters filled with straw colored fluid, very similar to chicken pox blisters. One cannot "catch" shingles from anyone, but a child who has not had chicken pox can catch it from person with active shingles. The medical treatment for shingles has improved greatly, with the advent of improved antivirals. If one does not have time to ride it out and detox naturally, that is an option. Once one has shingles, one is prone to repeat breakouts, but I would think strengthening the immune system by eating raw would improve recovery time and reduce the risk of a repeat breakout. Please don't be hard on yourself. Medical science has not figured out why some people get chicken pox and some don't. It was not anything you did! Take care and rest up.

[kikilu]

thank you all for your responses! Things seem to be getting better. I am aiming to improve my immune system through eating raw and some supplements. I am also going to get some blood work done just to check things out. Thank you again for your support!