Well, I've had a pretty tough week. Did not feel too good early in the week. I just thought I was tired, and needed some extra sleep. This all started last Sunday.

Monday or Tuesday, I noticed two small red spots near my beltline on right side. Thought I got stung by a bug or bit by a spider while working in the yard over the weekend. It did not hurt or itch. Wednesday I noticed another larger red spot nearby. Again, I dismissed it as an allergic reaction to a bug bite. Still no pain or anything. Come Thursday, more red spots, bigger, and the pain hit.

Thursday afternoon I went to the Doctor. Within 2 seconds, he said I have Shingles. My worst fear confirmed. Last year I wanted to get a Shingles vaccine, but never got it done.

Doctor prescribed me Valtrex for 7 days. I also have a Rx for pain medicine, but I passed on that, and am taking Motrin and Tylenol.

Friday, I decided I needed a distraction from the pain. I drove down the street to my storage facility, and slowly uncovered the Boxster and adjusted the tire pressures. She's been in winter hibernation since late October. This is the longest we've been separated in the 5 years we have been together.

I would have taken the Turbo, but the GT3 seats hit my Shingles in the most painful spots, plus the weather finally improved enough in the Chicago area to "drop the top"!

I drove out near Starved Rock, and got a few gallons of fresh fuel, 93 octane and NO ETHANOL. The sun, Porsche Sport Exhaust, and the Bose sound system helped me forget about the awful pain......for a few hours.

Felling a little better each day. I get to drive the Turbo Monday morning for a trip to the indy for its new light weight flywheel and clutch. I'll need to go real slow over bumps in the PSS9 suspension.

So, Porsches are a great cure for Shingles.

Advice, get a Shingles vaccine. FYI, I'm 47 years old.

Happy Mother's Day to the all the moms in our life!

 

I had shingles in my 20s. Irritated me a little, doctor was surprised and said that most of his patients wind up in the hospital.

Heal up and just spend more time driving Porsches!

 

Sorry to hear about your shingles.The good news- in general,the younger you are when you get it, the less severe the pain and shorter the duration of the symptoms. Wouldn't beat yourself up about not getting the shingles vaccine. It only works in 50% of people anyway.Hope this passes soon.

 

No HTwo O, I understand your pain and concern about shingles. I came down with it last year when I was 55. I was on valtrex for 2 weeks, and that did the trick. I stayed home from work the first week and just rested. Some get it worse than others. Mine was not too, too bad. Some get a nasty case. Best if you catch it early; sounds like you did. They it happens when your immune system is weakened. That was news to me. Driving the Porsche on open roads is a great psychological remedy. I got in several early hours to SE WI this morning in my 993 NB before Mother's Day kicked off. Good luck.

 

FYI

The vaccine is recommended for patients > 60 yrs of age and does NOT treat existing shingles.

 

Get well soon H20! Had a friend get shingles when I was in college, they told him it was stress related. A road trip in a boxster sounds like a great way to relieve some stress!

 

Apparently this is going around, my mother(83) has only recently been convalescing from a partial
masectomy (very successful surgery)and noticed small lesions around her waist and back and before
she could get them looked at they broke out into blisters..
You guessed it shingles ..they also said from stress ,prescribed valtrex and an ointment but she said its
a beejeezus of pain ,even went so far as to say child birth didn't hold a candle to this stuff..
Any way today mothers day she's feeling somewhat better so a good mothers day to all your mom's.
we certainly have them to thanks so we could be on this earth and enjoy all these PORSCHE'S! Bert

 

shingles is caused by the same virus which causes chicken pox. If you had chicken pox as a kid, you have the virus in your body. As said, a stress to the immune system can allow the virus to become active again and cause shingles.

best wishes for a quick recovery. I think I will drive the Porsche to relieve any stress and prevent a case. Should be prescribed on a daily basis for prophylaxis!

 

That sucks mate, but as you say, you're on the mend. Glad the drive took your mind of it, even for a while.
I have never had it (touch wood) but I know people that have. Looks nasty.
All the best.