Being Fifty Plus and Shingles

Hello! I'd like to introduce you to a challenge I just dealt with, and it's something a lot of us face as we get older. 

Y'all, I just went through shingles. I'm going to spare you my personal details, but it's a nightmare. I'm here to tell you that it's not great, it's a possibility as you get older, and there are things you can do to help prevent it.

Very first thing I have to say is if you are a young person, in some countries there is a vaccine for chicken pox. Just an FYI. 

Shingles is a reactivation of the herpes zoster virus aka "chicken pox". If you had chicken pox, the virus is still inside you, lying dormant in your nervous system. You work those nerves enough, boom, shingles. You can do this with illness, weak immune system issues, and stress. In my case, it was just stress. Which can happen to all of us, not just us 50+. Yes, that's right. Stress can reactivate your chicken pox. It does not show up in the same way it may have the first time. It will instead show up in patches of painful blisters. It will also come with nerve pain and typical virus symptoms like fever, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite. Most people find they get it on their face, neck, scalp, or their back. 

So what can we do to prevent ourselves from getting shingles?

• Talk to your doctor about the vaccine. In the US, people over 50 are FDA approved for the vaccine. I honestly wish I would have been able to get it, but I'm 49 and got denied (silly, right?). Two doses of the Shingrix vaccine gives you 90% protection from shingles. I mean, that's prevention, not "you just won't get it as bad" like a flu shot. 
• If you are immunocompromised, talk to your doctor about how you can best prevent getting it. It can really complicate some serious illnesses, especially if your illness is already affecting your nerves, and some treatments like cancer treatments can reactivate it.  
• If you have never had chicken pox, and have not had the vaccine for it, anyone with shingles can give you chicken pox. Stay away from anyone with active shingles blisters. Once they heal over, they are no longer contagious. Chicken pox is sometimes severe when you're older, and can be fatal. Adults can get the chicken pox vaccine. If you're worried about contracting chicken pox, talk to your doctor. 
• Maintain a healthy immune system. This means exercising, eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of sleep and managing your stress. This is the one I have to emphasize. Stress was what brought it out in me, and unfortunately it was a situation I could not control. I used all of the coping skills in my toolbox, and the shingles still got me. Don't let it get you too! 

Shingles is a common occurrence at our age. I thought I'd use my recent experience to remind everyone it happens, and to let you know how you can prevent it. As for me, I'm scheduled for a vaccine this week. 🥳