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Penny
USA
364 Posts |
 Posted - 02/17/2009 : 11:45:43
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Hi Everyone, Been quite a while since I posted here, but it's great to pop in and see how folks are doing. I hope everyone is continuing to fight the good fight and break through their pain/TMS. Things with me have been great. I have been painfree for quite some time now, thanks to many people here, and of course the Good Doc's books  I am happy (and blessed) to say I am over halfway through a pregnancy that is going really well. A couple years ago I lost twins, and that was a huge thing for me to overcome, and a major contributor to TMS and psycho-issues, so being pregnant again has offered me a few gremlins (namely episodes of high blood pressure before doc visits and scans), but things are going wonderful now.
Well, I have a question for ya'll. My mother has shingles, and has been fighting it for over 3 weeks. She is in massive amounts of pain for which she is taking mega pain killers. She has a strong TMS/repressive/perfectionist personality, so I can't help but wonder if her shingles could be exacerbated by TMS. Shingles is caused by the chicken pox virus, but pain can occur where there are no lesions, in the nerves. The pain she describes to me reminds me of some of the neurological pain I had a few years ago, that for me, was TMS based.
Does anyone here have experience with shingles, or has anyone ever tried TMS tactics to get well? I'd really appreciate any input you guys could share.
Thanks to everyone!
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mk6283
USA
272 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2009 : 12:51:36
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Shingles is not TMS. However, psychological influences are often involved. I had a couple of perfectly healthy fellow medical students who dealt with zoster eruptions during exams, etc. I had a taxi driver just the other day who was telling me about his recent bout with shingles that erupted when he got lost driving one night and was extremely stressed out because he was very late for an important appointment that he had. So stress is clearly a factor, but to call it TMS or even a TMS equivalent is not appropriate, in my opinion. Shingles is a reactivation of the the varicella zoster virus. I would say its most comparable to "getting sick" (colds, etc.) when you are physically/emotionally run down at a stressful/overworked time in your life. The strength of the immune system is clearly a function of our mental state, among many other factors. Anyway, there are medications, vaccines, etc. to help out and she needs to make sure she is taking the proper precautions to prevent susceptible people from being exposed. Therefore, make sure she sees her doctor. Good luck!
Best,
MK |
Edited by - mk6283 on 02/17/2009 12:57:01 |
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Penny
USA
364 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2009 : 13:40:00
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Thanks for the input, MK. She saw a doctor and began taking an antiviral, but it was after 72 hours of onset, so the meds didn't seem to help her. Do you know of any other meds that could help, other than pain killers? Her doc didn't seem terribly helpful/concerned. The strange thing was that before she got shingles, she was on Cipro antibiotic for a nasty UTI. I wonder if somehow the antibio impacted her immune system?!
What susceptible folks are you referring to? Other than not being around pregnant people, or people who've never had chicken pox, is shingles contagious? Can people catch shingles from her? Also, what do you think of the shingles vaccine? Should my Dad get it? (He already had pox, but never shingles.)
Thanks!
Penn |
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drziggles
USA
292 Posts |
Posted - 02/18/2009 : 08:27:56
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Postherpetic neuralgia (chronic pain after shingles), like most chronic pain syndromes, may have some TMS component, in my opinion. I've seen several patients in which I felt that was the case. That being said, it may be purely related to damage of the nerve as well. One of the most difficult things we treat, often not responsive to medications, and severely painful.
Good luck! Naturally, check with your doctor before making any medical decisions. |
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Penny
USA
364 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2009 : 09:56:58
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Thanks Dr. Z. What do you think of the shingles vaccine? Do you think it reduces likelihood of shingles, and would it possibly benefit someone who had shingles?
Penn
quote:
Originally posted by drziggles
Postherpetic neuralgia (chronic pain after shingles), like most chronic pain syndromes, may have some TMS component, in my opinion. I've seen several patients in which I felt that was the case. That being said, it may be purely related to damage of the nerve as well. One of the most difficult things we treat, often not responsive to medications, and severely painful.
Good luck! Naturally, check with your doctor before making any medical decisions.
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drziggles
USA
292 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2009 : 07:58:40
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| The vaccine is meant for people who have not had shingles, but did have chicken pox. it lowers the risk of developing shingles, and of developing PHN if you do get shingles. I wouldn't recommend it for someone who has already had shingles. |
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