The Vent and Rant Thread

[ownedbycats]

No, I'm pretty sure it was my fault...

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

No, I'm pretty sure it was my fault...

Oh, BUMMER.

Hitch

[ownedbycats]

Dreaming about peeing and finding up to find you've wet yourself is a dream come true!

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Dreaming about peeing and finding up to find you've wet yourself is a dream come true!

OMG, thank heavens, I didn't have a mouthful of coffee or anything else onboard when I read that. It would have made a graceless spewing landing on my keyboard! Laughed aloud, I did.

Hitch

[badgoodDeb]

I imagine you’ve tried ice cubes, on the shingles?

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

I imagine you’ve tried ice cubes, on the shingles?

oH, yeah. Ice cubes, ice packs. Warm packs. Capsaicin. You-name-it. Lidoderm patches (Pro Tip: Make sure you either use these BEFORE or well after the scabs have formed and fallen off. Do not be impatient and apply one whilst scabs are still formed ON the blisters, sports fans!)

It's hard to know really what to do with them. They are...numb, and then not. Numb, and the outer skin remains numb, but touch that numb outer skin and in 5-10 seconds, a nuclear heat bloom explodes under the skin where you touched. Or, hey! Numb this five seconds but then not remotely numb the next!

Do nothing, mind your own business and then you get stabbed in the side with a Jedi light saber. Or just...well, breathe. Allow your clothes to touch the skin, or....take your pick.

It's a poser.

I'm hoping that this is the last furlong. That...it just seems worse now due to having to cut back on the Gaba, which provided so much of the nerve pain relief and that because it's now dragging into its fifth week. That's gotta be part of it, amirite?

Hitch

[Hitch]

(sigh)

I had a SHOWER. An entire, all done, everyplace SHOWER. I washed my hair like a normal person. Wowzers. (Between us, we found a blub-blub-blub-heavy-drippishness intensity of the shower needle, and that was okay.

I had some residual ouchiness when I got out of the shower, but NOTHING like it would have been a week or w or 4 ago. My shower-needles are already a bit ouchy, typically...I could not fathom allowing them within feet of the dreaded Crud. This was Heavenly.)
My scalp feels...lovely today.

/end no-rant. I'll try to think of something ranty soon. You know me, I'm easily irritated, I'll find something!

Hitch

[Tarana]

Hitch, I've been catching up with your saga. So sorry you are going through all this. I got the Shingrex shots as soon as it was available because I remember the agony a family friend went through.

For those of you who haven't had it, just be aware that 1 in 5 people have a significant reaction to the first or second or both shots. Make it a 3 day weekend plan just in case. However, it was no worse than reaction to Covid shot (fever, aches). I had a strong reaction to the first but nothing to the second. Interesting thing - my sister never had chickenpox but had the chickenpox vaccine 6 or 7 years ago. Prior to starting chemo, my BIL had to have Shingrex and my sister had to have chicken pox shot again (titer showed no protection). Then she gets first Shingrex shot next week (2 month delay). Apparently chemo patients are at higher risk to develop shingles and he could infect her with varicella. So interesting protocol.

[Tarana]

Originally Posted by mlewis78

Many years ago I stubbed my toe on my lifecycle. I broke the toe bone, but even though I went to the doctor, there was nothing to do but tape it to the next toe. I had an x-ray. It was many years ago.

If you bust your foot, see a foot doctor. He actually fixed my broken toe. The other toe that I broke and saw a regular doctor is going to have to be rebroken to fix as it is now affecting how I walk.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Hitch

(sigh)

I had a SHOWER. An entire, all done, everyplace SHOWER. I washed my hair like a normal person. Wowzers. (Between us, we found a blub-blub-blub-heavy-drippishness intensity of the shower needle, and that was okay.

I had some residual ouchiness when I got out of the shower, but NOTHING like it would have been a week or w or 4 ago. My shower-needles are already a bit ouchy, typically...I could not fathom allowing them within feet of the dreaded Crud. This was Heavenly.)
My scalp feels...lovely today.

/end no-rant. I'll try to think of something ranty soon. You know me, I'm easily irritated, I'll find something!

Hitch

You are more than forgiven your anti-rant, and I know we're all sincerely happy to hear that you're finally recovering! This has been a horrible experience for you, and hopefully a learning moment for everyone else here. But a very, very long 5 weeks for you!

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Tarana

Hitch, I've been catching up with your saga. So sorry you are going through all this. I got the Shingrex shots as soon as it was available because I remember the agony a family friend went through.

For those of you who haven't had it, just be aware that 1 in 5 people have a significant reaction to the first or second or both shots. Make it a 3 day weekend plan just in case. However, it was no worse than reaction to Covid shot (fever, aches). I had a strong reaction to the first but nothing to the second. Interesting thing - my sister never had chickenpox but had the chickenpox vaccine 6 or 7 years ago. Prior to starting chemo, my BIL had to have Shingrex and my sister had to have chicken pox shot again (titer showed no protection). Then she gets first Shingrex shot next week (2 month delay). Apparently chemo patients are at higher risk to develop shingles and he could infect her with varicella. So interesting protocol.

Hey, Tarana:

As I said in my first PSA post about this, normally, while I'll come in here and bitch about this customer or that, or what-have-you, I don't really like to discuss my personal life. Or health, anything...I mean, it's one thing to joke about how we're all blind after 40 and all that, but...individual stuff, I mean.

However, after what I went through, BEFORE the rash arrived I thought "holy sh*******t! I need to tell people to get vaccinated!") and I figured the only way to do that was to spill the entire beans.

Thanks for the reminder about the vax--yes, my hubby felt lousy for 1.5 days, and then he recovered. But I think watching me convinced him that 1.5 days was a worthwhile tradeoff!



Hitch

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by Hitch

(sigh)

I had a SHOWER. An entire, all done, everyplace SHOWER. I washed my hair like a normal person. Wowzers. (Between us, we found a blub-blub-blub-heavy-drippishness intensity of the shower needle, and that was okay.

I had some residual ouchiness when I got out of the shower, but NOTHING like it would have been a week or w or 4 ago. My shower-needles are already a bit ouchy, typically...I could not fathom allowing them within feet of the dreaded Crud. This was Heavenly.)
My scalp feels...lovely today.

/end no-rant. I'll try to think of something ranty soon. You know me, I'm easily irritated, I'll find something!

Hitch

Hot water? The theory I've heard, albeit for bug bites, is that the heat temporarily overloads the nerve so that the other itchiness (or, in your case, ouchiness) can't get to your brain.

I've also heard a second theory about the heat denaturing/breaking down histamine, but I'm not sure of the veracity of that. Also I don't think histamine is involved in shingles.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Thanks for the reminder about the vax--yes, my hubby felt lousy for 1.5 days, and then he recovered. But I think watching me convinced him that 1.5 days was a worthwhile tradeoff!
Hitch

Yeah, feeling punk for a day or two isn't great, but >4 weeks of excruciating pain is in a whole different universe! I felt fine after the first shot (bit of a sore arm, but nothing more), and yeah, I felt pretty punk for a day or so after the second. Small price!

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Hot water? The theory I've heard, albeit for bug bites, is that the heat temporarily overloads the nerve so that the other itchiness (or, in your case, ouchiness) can't get to your brain.

I've also heard a second theory about the heat denaturing/breaking down histamine, but I'm not sure of the veracity of that. Also I don't think histamine is involved in shingles.

No idea, but thank god I made it through the shower. I was in a state of trepidation, lemme tell ya.

I was thinking of pitching a tent out in the yard. When the cat starts passing you over for greener pastures, you know those ho-baths ain't workin'!



Hitch

[badgoodDeb]

Oh, I’m SOOO glad to hear you are having some relief!! I’m excited for you! I hope it continues to improve!