What Can You Do To Make A Person More Comfortable Who Has Shingles

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Get the Facts

Herpes Zoster (Shingles)

What Is Shingles? Shingles is a very painful disease caused by the same herpes virus that causes chicken pox (varicella zoster virus). Like other herpes viruses, the varicella-zoster virus has an initial infectious stage, (chicken pox) followed by a dormant stage. Then, with no warning, the virus becomes active again. About 20% of people who have had chicken pox will eventually develop shingles. This reactivation of the virus is most likely to...

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Shingles Starting Treatment & Queen Issues (SHINGLES AND HIV, 2009) (WHEN TO START ANTIRETROVIRAL TREATMENT, 2009)

Hi Dr Bob, Three weeks ago I came down with Shingles. A small patch on the back of my neck and a little across my chest all on the left side. I went to my local GP and he gave me Valtrex ( the 7 day shingle pack)Since then the pain has...

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

G'day Aussie Drew,Relax mate! Approximately 95% of healthy adults are seropositive for varicella zoster virus (VZV), the virus that causes shingles. Of this 95%, about 5% of healthy adults develop zoster (shingles). The risk for those of us... Read more »

Shingles, magnetic couple, concerned for boyfriend

Dr. Bob, Thank you for your help and for your advise. Your answers have been very helpful and comforting for me since I was diagnosed a year ago.My question relates to shingles. I am 45, 480 CD4, 36,000 v.l., not on medications yet. I think I have...

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

Bonjour!Je visiterai Montreal la semaine prochaine! J'adore cette ville pittoresque et amusante.Your description of a one-sided painful rash is indeed consistent with shingles. Yes, it could be contagious to someone who is not already immune to... Read more »

shingles

What causes shingles to flare up? Is it contagious? What treatments are recommended? ...

Response from Judith Feinberg, M.D.

University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine

Clearly, people with impaired immunity (from underlying disease or aging) are at greater risk, but shingles does happen to healthy young adults and it isn't clear why. It is nothing more than reactivated chicken pox, because that virus never... Read more »

Shingles at 31 years old?

Is it common for someone is their 30s to get shingles without having HIV?...

Response from Ryan M. Kull, C.S.W

Columbia University's Health & Related Services

It is unusual for a person in their 30's who is otherwise healthy to have an outbreak of shingles. For this reason, doctor's who encounter a person like you usually assess the person for HIV risk and possibly recommend HIV testing if there... Read more »

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Can I get Shingles from another Poz guy if I had ?

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

Can I get shingles from another poz person even if I already had them myself in the past??? Read more »

SHINGLES -- PLEASE RESPOND

Posted by scaredtodeath, 2 Replies

I hope someone will respond and let me know if I really have something to be worried about. I recently have had sex with two people in the past six weeks. With both guys I performed oral sex on them (without ejaculation) and had protected... Read more »

My sister is HIV+ and has shingles

Posted by Anonymous, 3 Replies

I was just wondering if anyone had experience with HIV and shingles. She's been fighting the shingles now for about 5 months and they'll just start to go away and then come back again. She was very thin for a while, but looked really good and had... Read more »

shingles?

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

i had a sexual encounter yesterday with a guy who appeared to have shingles. when i asked him he said it was eczema, which i did not argue, but while changing him in sexual positions i did noticed that the shingles were in his ankles, and other body... Read more »

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