Hi,
I have had a weird, but not unbearable pain in my head for a few days, including one small area at the back of my throat.
Needless to say I was getting anxious (again!) but on Saturday I found a small area of blisters on my stomach and now that side of my torso (opposite BC site) is very tender.
I have now realised it is probably shingles.
Has anyone else had it this far out from Chemo?
Katie
PS my scalp is really tender too in one spot. I thought it might be a side effect from regrowth but maybe its all the same thing.
Your shingles may be nothing to do with chemo. It seems to strike at random. I had shingles last month, no idea why I got it. My mother in law had it six weeks before me, and her friend six weeks before that, but the doctor assured me that was all coincidence, as you cannot catch shingles from someone else. It is something that is triggered by a viral infection, or when you are run down. I finished chemo over a year ago, but am definitely feeling run down from a year of herceptin. Maybe that was it.
If you have shingles on your face, you should see your GP as they can give you tablets for it - as it can cause eye problems if it is near your eyes. For someone young & fit, with nothing on the face, they do not normally treat shingles, but I was given the tablets as I am on herceptin & tamoxifen. You need to go straight away, as you need to start the tablets quite soon after developing the condition (my GP says 72 hours, but at A&E where my MIL ended up, they say 10 days).
I think shingles is associated with not feeling your best. I got it 6 months after a very traumatic birth. A friend of mine got it 6 months after a miscarriage. Several other people I know got if after feelng theynwere “run down”. Maybe there’s a link with a compromised immune system or something.
Hi,
Thank you for your comments. Turns out it was shingles but not too bad a dose. My GP gave me an anti viral medicine to take it once a day for seven days. It appears that my immune system might still be low even though I had my last chemo in April. It figures, because a month ago I had a urinary tract infection that took ages to go, even after an antibiotic and I also now have a sore throat which has been there for over a week. It seems to be easier to pick up things and harder to shake them off!
I cant even say I feel run down, in fact 2 weeks ago I had a lovely week in the sun with some girlfriends.