I'm so tired of the MS and now THIS TOO!!

[Sissy]

My neuro took me off Gylenia last week be
Cause I was benign. Yesterday after having flu like symptoms for 3 days, I noticed a lot of pain around my right side and now I have a rash and tiny blisters coming up??? Shingles? Me thinks so!! but I can't see a Dr. before Monday. Is this common in MS ?? Shingles and MS? Does one make the other worse? I'm 66 and a diabetic as well.

[kelm10]

where on right side

Where is the rash on your right side?

Can you go to an urgent care?

And, yes, it is quite common to have MS and shingles. Some neuros recommend the shingles vaccine.

[jreagan70]

Hi Sissy:
It's best to get on an antiviral medication for shingles ASAP, so don't wait until Monday to see a doctor. Urgent care centers and ER's are open at night and on weekends. Does your medical insurance or medical center offer an advice nurse by phone? If so, he or she might be able to tell you the best place to go.

It isn't so much the MS that made you susceptible to shingles. It's more your age group, the diabetes and a decreased immune system due to the Gilenya that allowed the virus to activate.

I hope you get on medication ASAP and are feeling better soon.

[Sissy]

Sorry I so slow to respond! My daughter (nurse also) didn't hear about it until this am and had a fit too!! She took me to my pain clinic first thing this am. They took one look and agreed with it is shingles. jreagan70; They gave me antiviral med and lidoderm patches.
Kelm 10 it started on my rt upper abd over a scar from where I had one of my many surgeries. At first I thought it was an old adheason (?). It really hurt and stung when I moved. But within couple hrs it was going all the way around to my spine. Waist to under rt breast, then waist to shoulder blade in back.
With in 18hrs I already had blisters. I still feel like I have the flu! Oh yea it is also down my rt leg! I had melanoma in that leg 2xs and no lymph nodes. So it will prob have celulitis by Mon.

[Sissy]

Kelm10 stupid question? Does area or side have any bearing on MS or shingles? I'm curious because I never new the two had anything to do with the other. I read that having shingles
Quadruples your chances of developing MS!

Like I explained prior, I had cancer in rt leg and would get celulitis often on that leg. Little or no feeling now, but my Dr said that he thought I had shingles at the same time.?? Now I wonder??