Shingles Virus plus Ramsay Hunt Syndrome/Bells Palsy
Oh how I wish I had gotten the Shingles Vaccine! I had even asked about it at Walgreen's, but they told me that Walgreen's only can give it to people age 60 and up. otherwise you would need to go to another doctor. Well, I am no where near 60, so I let it pass. I woke up 2+ weeks ago with a stiff neck, as though I had slept on it wrong. Sore for 2-3 days, and then I noticed 2 red spots, like a bug bite. I did not think much about it, until the next morning, when there were 7-8 more. Off to the doctors, and sure enough, I have Shingles, on my neck, ear, back of my head, and collar bone. A week passes. I go to drink something, and my mouth can't seem to function drinking with a straw. WTH? Husband looks at my mouth, and we think I am having a stroke as one side of my mouth is not working. Off to the hospital, where we learn that the Shingles has now caused paralysis of the left side of my face...like Bell's Palsy, but since it was caused by the Shingle's, it is called Ramsay Hunt Syndrome instead. So now in addition to the pain, insane itching, and burning of Shingles, the Ramsay Hunt Syndrome has added its own problems of having only one side of my face function, hearing and sight are also affected. Getting immediate medical treatment within hours is critical as they say there are windows of time when medication works, versus it being ineffective! So for those of you on the fence on whether to get the Shingles vaccine, and its cost versus risk, etc. I will suggest that if I had a "do-over" I would absolutely get the vaccine! If you read up on Shingles, it is miserable, and so many have months/or years of pain long after the rash has disappeared.
eandhl
trianglejohn
bnicebkindOriginal Author
bnicebkindOriginal Author
d0ug
bnicebkindOriginal Author