Herpes Vaccine pre op

Maria · #1 (**permalink**) 04-11-2011, 05:36 PM

Maybe this won't apply to anyone here but I thought I'd offer it up since I never expected to get this entity post eye surgery~ shingles. Yep. It's a mild case though near my left eye on left side, nasolabial area, and inside my nose. Problems it can cause potentially is blindness involving retina/cornea and also brain encephalopathy though I've been told this is rare (although I've had a h/a every day since outbreak and neck discomfort too).

Supposedly Shingles occurs if one has already had chickenpox and usually ages 50 and older however it can happen to anyone that's had chickenpox and is undergoing physiological/emotional stress. I am in my late 50's and wished my doctor had mentioned it to me although I don't think that's routinely done much (I should have thought of it myself).

It's a pain in the arse (in my case the face) and if it were to occur in an area of where I'd had back surgery I'd not be please either although at least I wouldn't be worried about the things I am now.

So just thinking maybe it's another pre surgical thing one might want to consider asking your doctor about. I hear the vaccine is around $200 and I would have gladly paid this if I had even considered it as a possibility.

I just wasn't thinking as I have been thru quite a bit of emotional stress since my father passed away in Dec. and I had to physically take care of doing everything w/his home as well as legally.

dshobbies · #2 (**permalink**) 04-11-2011, 06:15 PM

Maria,

I am so sorry. I understand this disease is extremely painful and I suppose you can consider yourself lucky, a relative term, that you have a mild case. I've known others who have suffered from this disease and it sounds quite dreadful and dangerous. Makes me wonder why I haven't had the vaccine, especially since it's offered at the local drugstore???? Stupid me!

I hope this clears up soon - suffering at any level is such a waste of time, precious time.

Dale

mmglobal · #3 (**permalink**) 04-12-2011, 04:22 AM

Hey Maria... I'm so sorry that you are going through this.

Once everything is settled down and you feel like some margarata therapy, let me know. Talk to you soon,

Mark

mmglobal · #4 (**permalink**) 04-12-2011, 04:24 AM

On the clinical side of this question... I've never heard of having this vaccine pre-surgery? I wonder about the risk of the vaccine vs. the benefit? Only for higher risk groups?

Maria · #5 (**permalink**) 04-12-2011, 06:06 AM

The vaccine has been recommended for people aged 60 plus in the past because the studies have been done on this age group however Shingles is known to most commonly occur in ages 50 and above. I've known people that had it before this age.

The NP that saw me in the ER said she would have had the vaccine prior to surgery (she asked why I hadn't ).

I definately think the benefit outweighs the risk in the age group of 50 plus as long as there are no indications why one shouldn't have the vaccine.

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FDA approves Zostavax vaccine to prevent shingles in individuals 50 to 59 years of age

**Margarita therapy definately authorizied for future use! And thanks Dale and Mark for kind words.

jbcool35 · #6 (**permalink**) 04-19-2011, 02:12 AM

I got that on my left eye about 7 years ago. I had it on my left upper eyelid and it was so painful!!! My eye burned and watered for 4 weeks. Also the left side of my head hurt for 4 weeks. Only happened once and I was in my early thirties. they gave me an anti-viral to take. Hope it stops flaring up on you.

Maria · #7 (**permalink**) 04-19-2011, 02:53 AM

Are starting to go away. I just finished 10 days of antivirals and I hope that was enough. What a completely unexpected entity to have and because of where it occured I (near eye and also in nostrils) it could have created some very serious problems. It was very painful and the itching nearly drove me mad .. felt there were little things crawling on the affected part of my face and I was miserable between the pain and the itching. Also had a terrible headache on that side of my head and behind my eye. Thankfully the antiviral medicine made a significant difference right away. My left eye (lesions were on the left side under eye, near nose, inside nostrils and on tip of nose) still waters but much less. It was like a water faucet left on at first!

jsewell · #8 (**permalink**) 04-19-2011, 06:31 AM

Maria i didn't know you were going thru this. I know it is very painful my dad came down with it when he was visiting once. Well on the day he was flying home. He was quite miserable with it.
Glad the antivirals have helped and hope it clears out of your system very quickly. so many things out there to surprise us.
judy

Maria · #9 (**permalink**) 04-19-2011, 09:25 AM

Judy,
At first I was rather embarrassed to mention it and then I thoght why?.. it's shingles and just a reactivation of the virus in my own body. Then I was embarrassed as it was on my face and then after being told I had to be concerned about vision damage/blindness and/or brain encephalopathy I put things in perspective and just "dealt w/it." Yes it was quite painful although fortunately I had a very small/mild outbreak that was atypical in presentation as it just looked more like 3 reddened spots on my face (and all around my eye) and some bruising on my involved cheek. I can't imagine what a much more involved breakout feels like as the pain was pretty significant. Actually with all I've gone thru w/my spine and other stuff I'm surprised I never got it before and on my torso.

Live and learn. That's why I decided to post my experience and recommend the vaccine if one doesn't have any contraindications for getting it.

Just like many things.. never thought of it happening to me! Sorry your Dad had it and right before a flight ... big ouch! Hope he never has it again or Cool or myself or anyone (or the post herpetic stuff that can linger re pain/itching).