Shingles

beccabtown
beccabtown Member Posts: 234
in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1

Just curious about whether anyone has developed shingles while in treatment.

I had shingles two years ago. In fact, I think it may have been a triggering factor in developing cancer; or at least the two things happened at around the same time because of some immune system issue.

When I had my hysterectomy I started getting tingling in the same area where I had the shingles blisters. My doc gave my acyclovir while in the hospital. I started taking it again when I started chemo. In the last two months, though, during my break from treatment and my radiation treatments, I've cut the dose of acyclovir by half because I wasn't having any symptoms. Today I have some weird spots under my arm and again some tingling on my back. I've increased the acyclovir back to what it's supposed to be, but I'm worried that once the spots show up it's too late for the acyclovir to do any good.

I will contact my doctor if the symptoms continue, but I'm curious about whether anyone else has had this kind of issue.

Comments

  • Editgrl
    Editgrl Member Posts: 903 Member
    #2
    I did not have herpes,

    I did not have herpes, however my doctor did prescribe acyclovir prophylactically during chemo since I had not had the shingles vaccine.  Hopefully, now that you're back on fulll dosage, you can keep it at bay.

  • beccabtown
    beccabtown Member Posts: 234
    #3
    I don't have herpes, either.

    I don't have herpes, either. They're different but related viruses. (Shingles is related to chickenpox.) It turns out that acylovir can suppress the shingles virus, though.

     

  • Editgrl
    Editgrl Member Posts: 903 Member
    #4
    I'm sorry

    I mis-typed.  I meant to say, I did not have shingles...

  • janaes
    janaes Member Posts: 799 Member
    edited October 2016 #5
    Beccabtown, this might not be

    Beccabtown, this might not be much help because i cant remember much about it, but i got shingles on my neck area sometime after i was done with chemo and radiation 23 years ago.  I remember going to the doctor for it and i cant remember what they gave me ( i am guessing not exsactly the same thing you are taking since it was twenty years ago).  It didnt seem like it was anything i took long term for sure.  Maybe until it was gone.  It never came back either.  Thats my experience.

    Janae

  • MAbound
    MAbound Member Posts: 1,168 Member
    #6
    worried about that, too

    So far, so good for me, but I've  been worried about getting shingles during treatment, too.  I had chicken pox as a kid, but haven't had the shingles vaccine yet. As a little aside, herpes is a group of viruses and chicken pox and shingle are part of the group. A cold sore is another.

    I querried my gyn/onc about whether or not I should get the vaccine prior to my surgery because stress as well as age is often a trigger for shingles. That was nixed because the shingles vaccine is a live vaccine and wouldn't be safe to have when my immune system is being impacted by chemo and radiation therapy. I got the ok to get a flu shot though because that is not a live vaccine.  It would just be the icing on the cake to get shingles during treatment, though! I sure hope you don't have that developing Becca, especially since you had it once already!

     

  • NoTimeForCancer
    NoTimeForCancer Member Posts: 3,488 Member
    #7
    Becca, hope it isn't shingles

    Becca, hope it isn't shingles and just a 'funny tingling'.  Let us know how you are doing.

  • txtrisha55
    txtrisha55 Member Posts: 693 Member
    edited October 2016 #8
    I got shingles about 4 years

    I got shingles about 4 years (2015) after my chemo (2011). It is not a fun thing to get.  But it was after treatment so I do not think it was caused by it.  I did have chicken pox as a kid so the virus is in my body.  I have not had the shingle shot and I do not think I will. Hope that is not what you or having. trish

  • MAbound
    MAbound Member Posts: 1,168 Member
    #9
    Curious

    Has anybody here gotten the shingles vaccine after treatment and had an issue with it? How long after treatment did you have it? 

  • MoeKay
    MoeKay Member Posts: 493 Member
    #10
    Shingles Vaccines

    I never got the Zostavax shingles vaccine, although my primary physican has asked me whether I wanted it several times.  My husband did get Zostavax several years ago, but developed a case of shingles this summer.  When I recently saw my primary, I discussed my husband's situation with him.  My doctor, who is just about 60 himself, advised me that a new shingles vaccine, Shingrix, is on track to be released in 2017.  My doctor said he may wait for the new vaccine himself, because Shingrix is supposed to be much more effective than Zostavax.  Additionally, while Zostavax is a live vaccine, Shingrix is not.  Here's something I found on Shingrix based on some quick research:  http://www.pharmacytimes.com/contributor/charles-ng-pharmd-mba-candidate-2017/2016/09/5-things-happening-in-pharmacy-right-now/P-1.

     

     

  • MAbound
    MAbound Member Posts: 1,168 Member
    edited October 2016 #11
    MoeKay said:

    Shingles Vaccines

    I never got the Zostavax shingles vaccine, although my primary physican has asked me whether I wanted it several times.  My husband did get Zostavax several years ago, but developed a case of shingles this summer.  When I recently saw my primary, I discussed my husband's situation with him.  My doctor, who is just about 60 himself, advised me that a new shingles vaccine, Shingrix, is on track to be released in 2017.  My doctor said he may wait for the new vaccine himself, because Shingrix is supposed to be much more effective than Zostavax.  Additionally, while Zostavax is a live vaccine, Shingrix is not.  Here's something I found on Shingrix based on some quick research:  http://www.pharmacytimes.com/contributor/charles-ng-pharmd-mba-candidate-2017/2016/09/5-things-happening-in-pharmacy-right-now/P-1.

     

     

    Thanks!

    I'm so glad you're here Maureen. You've been such a big help for me lately!

  • namedropper
    namedropper Member Posts: 102 Member
    edited October 2016 #12
    Shingles

    I got shingles near my lady parts first but didn't take anything for the pain. After it cleared up is when I started spoting and went to my GYN and he found the MMMT uterine cancer. I always thought about the shingles and hope I don't get it ever again.  I have a lot of auto immune  issues and I think that had a lot to do with the cancer. I am 4 years NED from Breast cancer and 2 years NED for the MMMT uterine cancer but they did just find some nudules in my lungs. I will know more next month.  

  • beccabtown
    beccabtown Member Posts: 234
    edited October 2016 #13
    Thanks for all the

    Thanks for all the information and good wishes, everyone. I hope my symptoms are abating now that I've upped my meds.

    I have seen references to an association between shingles and cancer (people getting shingles within a certain amount of time of a cancer diagnosis), but it's not clear which way causality is supposed to go, if it's even known (whether cancer triggers shingles or the other way around). There is also an association between undergoing chemo and developing shingles.

  • Soup52
    Soup52 Member Posts: 908 Member
    edited October 2016 #14
    Thanks everyone for the info

    Thanks everyone for the info about shingles vaccines. I've been thinking about asking I'd I should get one. One of my close friends just recently came down with shingles.

  • EZLiving66
    EZLiving66 Member Posts: 1,483 Member
    #15
    I see my GP on November 14th

    I see my GP on November 14th and am getting my flu, pneumonia and shingles shots.  I didn't get any last year because I was in active treatment.  I had chicken pox as a kid and from what I've heard and seen of shingles, I sure don't want to get that either!!

    Love,

    Eldri

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