I hope someone can help. I've had horrible recurring pain in my right eye for over a year. Went to Optho. multiple times and was told it was an infected oil gland. I was put on low dose antibiotics for over 6 months and told to apply warm compresses and scrub eye with a baby shampoo/water solution.
I developed a rash on my buttocks months into this that my GP diagnosed as shingles and prescribed Famvir.
I have had what have diagnosed as reccurant outbreaks of shingles for a couple of years. the initial outbreak was painful and tookseveral weeks to clear up even after taking a course of Famvir. Even though I had a lingering discomfort in the affected area I was otherwise symptom free for about 8 months. After that I got outbreaks about 5-6 times a year that were treated with Famvir. I then received the Shingles vaccine which was followed within a month by an outbreak that was light.
Antiviral prescription medications such as FAMVIR® (famciclovir) can help reduce your symptoms and help shingles blisters heal faster. However, the medication should be started within 72 hours (3 days) after the rash of shingles appears, so it is important to see your doctor right away.
Without treatment, the symptoms of shingles (eg, rash, blisters, and pain) usually go away in about 3 to 5 weeks.
I had shingles, and it is extremely painful. I do not think burning at the penis is typical for shingles. I had shingles across my torso, and it was the most painful feeling I have ever endured. (I had the pain in my side several days before the lesions appeared) I went to the doctor immediately after seeing lesions (only 2 or three popped up) He gave me famvir which haulted them in their tracks, and they went away a week or so later never to return Thank GOD!
Famvir is now 1 day dosing for episodic therapy. It's 1gm 2x/day for 1 day ( or 2 500mg tablets at a time ).
It's hard to tell why the ob came back so quickly - that happens sometimes. If you get a 3rd within the next month I"d follow up with your provider to make sure it's only herpes going on and not something else like a bacterial skin infection or even a whopper of a case of jock itch or something.
In the following years (2007-2009) i have only had 3-4 outbreaks. when i get an outbreak i use famvir, 2 tablets at first then 1 every 12 hours for 3 doses. these always worked quickly and the outbreaks were never severe and didn't last longer than a week or so start to finish.
In the last 2 weeks (jan 2010) i had a small outbreak that i immediately took my usual dose of famvir for and it cleared up, almost totally within 5-7 days.
I'm on famvir for suppression, I had a cultural swab done a year ago at a clinic, I pretty well knew I had contracted the virus because the initial outbreak was crucial. The babies father knows of me having it, and got tested his hsv1 and 2 have came back negative.
I am 59yo and was diagnosed today (Tuesday) with shingles. I have had Crohn's for the last 5yrs and am on 5mg of Prednisone/day as well just being switched to Lialda 2.4gms/day (from Pentasa 4gms/day) one month ago. I was started on Famvir today-500mg tid. I am leaving for Hawaii on Wednesday and am scheduled to swim with the dolphins on Thursday. I have completed my first full day's dose of medicine and will continue until the prescription is completed.
I was worried it would eventually spiral into something worse, however, so I went back to the ENT. She prescribed Famvir this time for me to have on-hand, but said to wait a day or so before taking it, and only take it if the symptoms got worse. Well, I went to bed and all day today I've been totally fine. MAYBE a slight bit of residual tingling, but even milder and more fleeting than yesterday. And no rash, at least so far.
Does this sound possible?
Well valtrex is generic now everywhere so it shouldn't be a money issue for most folks if they have decent prescription coverage with their insurance. Acyclovir is still way cheaper but if you have insurance coverage that makes generics low cost, valtrex is, as of this month, going to be WAY cheaper for you now :)
the technicality to the answer to your question is this - only valtrex has been studied for reduction in transmission to a partner.
The pain in your ear with accompanying lymph node tenderness may point out to an infection even if there is no evident puss. The Famvir is for viral infection, however, the most common infection in the ear is due to bacteria and I suggest you discuss this with your doctor if antibiotics for bacteria is warranted. The MRI can give as a good picture of the neck area but I still think a specialist ear consult should be sought.
I was diagnosed of Shingles. The virus was around my right eye, on my eyelids, forehead and scalps.
2/17/10: Knowing the seriousness of this virus and being concerned about my vision, I immediately went to see an Ophthamologist. According to him fortunately, there was no infection in my eye yet. My vision was 20/20, eye pressure was normal and the cornea looked good as well.
2/24/10: I visited the doctor again, and everything was fine too.
Started approx. 3 yrs. ago with quarter sized itchy rash with blisters at bottom of spine. It reocurrs approx. once a month--with pain going to hip and down the leg, with numbness and tingling in foot. One dr. took blood test & advised it was zoster; a dermatologist took a skin sample (after rash had dried up) and said it was simplex. I'm now having a endoscopy to test for celiac disease. The celiac panelI had for that showed elevation, but not conclusive.
I'm not sure why you are either, and you're on the highest dose possible of Valtrex. It an be rough at first, but if you've already tested positive on a blood test, that means your body has made antibodies already, and that should help calm things down (obviously, that isn't happening).
There is another antiviral, Famvir. It's more expensive, and it's usually used more for shingles than hsv, but it's worth a try. Maybe you'll respond better to that.
It does sound like shingles, though you are correct, not a common site for shingles but not unheard of by any means. The way the distinction would be made is through a swab test (preferrably PCR) that would look for varicella Zoster and herpes simplex virus. Only that test is going to be able to distinguish between the two for you. My guess is zoster, but if you are concerned, this swab test can be performed.
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