What Else Besides Medication Can Be Done For 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...

Ask the Experts

Should I be taking any medication for shingles?

Hi, Thank you for any help you may provide. I was recently diagnosed as being HIV+. My T-cell count is around 680. I have recently been feeling some itching which led to scabbing on my buttocks. My inner thighs had the same blisters which now...

Response from Benjamin Young, M.D., Ph.D.

Rocky Mountain CARES

Thanks for your post.It can be pretty difficult to diagnose the cause of rash from the internet. If the rash is on both sides of your body (or scrotum), it's usually not shingles.Before one talks about medications, the real issue would be to... Read more »

Shingles and New Medication

Hey, I'm a male, 25 years old, lead a healthy lifestyle, etc. I was diagnosed today with Shingles and given medication to fix that. My doctor told me that there is a possibility that this is an opportunistic infection as a result of a low CD4...

Response from Gerald Pierone, M.D.

AIDS Research and Treatment Center of the Treasure Coast

Shingles is a reactivation of a chronic Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV) infection. This virus becomes dormant after an initial presentation as Chicken Pox. This virus is more likely to flare up as shingles when there is a decline in cell-mediated... Read more »

Shingles=HIV ? (SHINGLES, 2009)

Hi,i'm 24 and was diagnosed w/ shingles after I developed a small circular rash on my shoulder. I got tested for HIV the same day but I feel like these are longest 2 weeks of my life. I haven't been sick nor have I had any abnormal female...

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

Hello,Does a routine case of shingles mean HIV??? No. A routine case of shingles means a routine case of shingles and nothing more. See below.Dr. Bobplease dr bob.. 3rd time askin.. am i still freakin or hiv? (SHINGLES)Feb 20, 2008 dr bob.. i have... Read more »

Hiv and Shingles (SHINGLES)

Hi Dr Bob,This site has to be the most humerous HIV site in the world - very refreshing. Anyway, here's my story. 6 months ago I made the biggest, drunken mistake of my life and had protected (condom), vaginal sex with a sex worker in a...

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

Hi Very Worried Young Man, (SHINGLES)This type of shingles question comes up so frequently it's become a QTND (Question That Never Dies) and now has an ATNC (Answer That Never Changes). See below. Your worries are unwarranted. However, your... Read more »

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shingles

Posted by tboy, 3 Replies

last week I was diagnosed with shingles. I didn't get nearly the attention of the doctors or information I needed. Oh sure I recieved a prescription but not much information. I'm taking acyclovir (sp?) It is painful to sleep and my leg looks... Read more »

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 »

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, 3 Replies

Someone told me that shingles is one of the first indications of being HIV positive. I had shingles in 2002, and has felt fine since then. Although I do occassionally get dandruff. I had a dermatologist take a scalp sample and he said it was... Read more »

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