Shingles question for anyone who could help.

[Beauty]

As some of you may have read, my 87 year old grandmother has been suffering for almost 3 weeks now with shingles around the bottom of one of her legs (The ankle area). Well she has gone to the doctor and has medicine but today she ran out of her Valtrex (Which was the viral med. for the Shingles) I called her doctor to see if she needs more and wouldn't you know it, the dr. is out of town (figures...lol) I have a call in to his stand-in but haven't heard anything. I just wonder if they will give her more or not. I know there are certain meds you can't take on and on.

She is in excellent health for her age but she is really babying this leg more than ever! Has anyone had shingles in this area? If so did you force yourself to put some weight on it. Any experiences?

 

[mamajoan]

Hi, my experience with shingles is having treated pts with the same.

Her leg may be quite painful and very itchy.. however she should be able to walk as she did before... she may feel she needs a cane or walker now. Shingles does not decrease strength.. but if she has been "babying" the leg for a few weeks it may have gotten a little weaker. She can try to do the following before she walks...1. Tap toes 10x 2. bend and straighten knees 10x
3. March in place 10 x.... . These simple exercises will "warm up" the legs before she walks.
If she shows a noticiable weakness that was not there before have the doc check her strength.

Hope that helps a little bit.
Joan

 

[Beauty]

Thank you so so much!!! I have told her this and she is trying. It is mostly the soreness that keeps her from walking, but she has been babying it too. She is in such excellent health and I hate to see something like this bring her down. She has been using a walker for the past 2 weeks which has helped a lot but not its to the point where she has to try it on her own. Thanks again so so much Mamajoan!

 

[Beast]

Hi Beauty,

I had shingles 10 years ago THIS WEEK! It was caused because I was going through chemo and when my resistance dropped, the shingles ATTACKED!

But unfortunatly I can only echo what has already been said. Tell her to try and stay as active as she has in the past. This might sound unsympathetic but she will be very uncomfortable one way or the other. So "babying" herself (or even just the leg) isn't going to help at all.

Sorry this isn't much help.

 

[annemariec]

I had shingles in my early 20s! It developed around one side of my waist. It was painful.

The doc I saw about it said it was stress induced (I was in a very stressful job.). He said shingles comes from the chicken pox virus. If you've ever had it (chix pox), it can become dormant in your spine. Once you've had a trigger event it can become active. The reason it hurts is because it erupts around nerves.

Is your grandmother using socks? It could irritate it. Maybe she could switch to the footies type sock.

Annemarie

 

[Beauty]

Thanks you all!! I have tried so hard to stress to her how important it is for her to put weight on it and try to walk on it but shes my grandmother (my elder).

She hasn't worn any socks or anything since she has gotten them. She is just babying it so badly right now. She is also going through a lot of stress which is probably what brought this on.

Any ideas how to demand something of your grandmother cause she just doesn't listen to me, after all I'm still a baby in her eyes.

 

[annemariec]

Beauty,

What does the site look like? Does it look like it's getting better? I think it should be looking better by now...

Does she take anything for the pain? It might help if she took an extra strength tylenol or motrin before trying to walk about. It may take the edge off and she may be more agreeable to put weight on it.

Annemarie

 

[Beauty]

It looks much much better. It was swollen at first and then the blisters came, but it is no longer swollen and the blisters are gone as well.

She just took her last Valtrex today which was the viral meds. They also gave her some antibiotics and some pretty strong pain pills. Shes fine as long as shes laying on the couch but then when she gets up she says its sore....but I can tell shes walking so so much better....I don't know if shes scared or if shes depressed (her sister was just diagnosed with cancer, however, its very treatable)

I don't know.