My first trip to the VA hospital

[Capt Steve]

I recently qualified, hooray, for full medical coverage from the VA. I never dreamed I'd need it so soon. Came home from the the golf course and found two small bite/fang marks on the inside of my right ankle. No snakes around this time of year so conjecture was an Arizona Brown spider bite...not good. Soon had severe pain and a rash started working its way up my right leg. After a couple of days I was getting worse so since (Monday was Presidents Day, also not good), off to the emergency room we went. Arrived at 0835. Sat in the crowded ER in extreme pain, for seven hours before being called in for an exam. Only two other patients were called during the 7 hours. Lack of of available Doctors and beds allegedly the problem.

Stumped the Doctor completely. He finally consults with a Toxicologist and concludes maybe a spider bite, maybe Shingles, probably both. Antibiotics for the Shingles, Vicodin for the pain and Ambien to help me get some sleep and come back tomorrow to see the podiatrist. The Vicondin was a joke, no appreciable pain relief and it made me barf. No problems with the follow up appointment, seen on time and the care was first class. The Podiatrist confirms severe shingles outbreak....on the bottom of my foot along with my leg. Switched me to Oxycontin for the pain, much better than the vicodin.

I'll be flat on my back for a week or two, maybe longer, pain is off the chart but the Oxycontin helps. Strange dreams with the Ambien, warned to expect sleep walking. I unloaded the go to gun in the bedroom as I would be way to stoned to have a loaded piece in reach until I am off the meds at night. Don't know what I did to deserve this but it truly sucks!

I am lucky and glad to have the VA medical coverage though the hospital is 40 miles away. Going to ER on a holiday weekend is to be avoided wherever possible, duh! Anybody have any experience/advice for severe Shingles? I guess the bottom of your foot is one of the worst places to get it...lucky me. )o;

 

[Bob R]

Ouch......

I wouldn't wish shingles on anybody. Well, probably the ex-wife but that is a different story.

A lot of times the pain meds will not take the pain away, just make it a little more bearable. If the pain meds by themselves don't take care of your pain you may want to ask about some prednisone to help. Cold, wet compress will become your friend also. You can also try an oatmeal soak to help relieve the itching.

Shingles is something that just has to resolve on its own. They track of blisters will usually follow a dermatome.

If it seems to get much bigger than the area that follows the dermatome you may have a secondary infection that will need to be looked at.

The actual blisters, redness and possibly the pain should resolve in 2-3 weeks. Avoid pepole who have never had chickepox if you know any. Dispose/wash in hot water any soiled items.

As far as the VA wait times. They are the same in every ER in the country. VA or not. You would not believe the grief we in the ER in the VA get here if the wait time is more than a couple of hours. Sorry, but a lot of stuff we see there shouldn't be there. But they can't get in to see their primary care provider so we become the defacto primary. If you show up with something that doesn't need immediate attention, you probably won't get it. That is unless you want to make a trek to the VA ER in the middle of the night. We can usually get you in and out fairly quick @ 0300.

bob

 

[Springfield Bob]

Shingles

The V.A. offers shingles shots. I got mine and would suggest you ask the V.A. for yours.

Bob

 

[mg357]

the only advice that i can give is this lots of prayer and lots of rest

 

[BarbC]

I'm sorry to hear about the shingles. It sounds truly terrible. I hope you're feeling better soon.

 

[Capt Steve]

Thanks one and all. The only good news that I have heard is supposedly once you have had shingles you can't/don't get them again. The shots are effective but they only give to folks over 60...I'm close. Stir crazy is a close second to the pain in terms of the misery index. I don't do well flat on my back. On a positive note, I got my taxes done on Turbo Tax today and the refund is "in the (electronic), mail." The new i Mac is working well and helps to pass the the time. Looks like another week or two before I am up and around. Keep the interesting/funny stuff coming as this site is at the top of my entertainment list. (o;

 

[straightshooter1]

I got the shingles in 2004-left side of the head and into the eye. Very scary, but I had a great eye doc and, after two weeks off work and really terrible pain, they went away. Still some pain for a couple of weeks or so after the little thingees disappeared.

Vicodin worked for me-but there was always some pain.

I get great treatment at the VA. I came back from an out of state shoot last August (the Grand American in Sparta, IL) and got a very bad back ache.

I had to stop by the VA just to see the Pharmacist, and mentioned my back and that I had a temperature, too.

Immediately, they "attacked" me, checked me for a silent heart attack, did an Xray and discovered I had Pneumonia.

I had no idea I had such a thing. Antibiotics, etc. and a few weeks later, I was fine.

Bob

 

[Indiana George]

Hey there Cap'n Steve!

I have no advice to offer, but plenty of positive thoughts headed your way...............

I do however, have a question for you;

What is this income tax "refund" of which you speak? Man . . . I haven't seen one of those in way too many years! <smile>

Heal quickly, amigo.

 

[Bob R]

The only good news that I have heard is supposedly once you have had shingles you can't/don't get them again.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but, they can reoccour. I have a good friend who just turned 40 and she has had several episodes of shingles. They just move spots, so far she hasn't had a case reappear in the same area twice.

Shingles is one of those things that while as a disease they have common attributes, each individual can have different symptoms and outcomes. What may happen to one person may not happen to the next.

The next time you see your primary care provider ask if you can fudge a little on the vaccine. They may surprise you and give it to you. While you are at it you may as well get a pneumonia vaccine at the same time.

bob

 

[Capt Steve]

Hey there Cap'n Steve!

I have no advice to offer, but plenty of positive thoughts headed your way...............

I do however, have a question for you;

What is this income tax "refund" of which you speak? Man . . . I haven't seen one of those in way too many years! <smile>

Heal quickly, amigo.

They are easy to get, anyone can do it. Just overpay every quarter and it helps if you don't make much money to begin with. (o; If it makes you feel any better I owe the state of Arizona $37. BTW: I think turboTax is a good way to go if you have a simple (as in short form), return.

 

[Iggy]

Get the shingles shot. I understand the VA covers the cost.

Medicare will pay part of it if you aren't under VA.

Shot is expensive. I have had several friends and relatives get the shingles and I gawraanteee that every one of them would have paid double for the shot if they had known about it.

I just found out about them a week ago and I was waitin' at the door when they opened to get mine. My Dr. showed me the shingles scars on his legs from before he immigrated to the US and learned of the shot.

He is a firm believer in the shot now.

They say the shot may be only 50% effective in preventing shingles and will not cure or relieve symptoms if you already have it. They also that even if you still get shingles, the shot will greatly reduce the symptoms and the pain.

Get the shot....

 

[BarbC]

That sounds like a horrible experience, Steve, but I'm glad the second day was better. I had a mild case of it once on my back hip and it took a good month to finally clear up. I had had chicken pox as a child and supposedly that's a precursor virus to shingles.

 

[MP22]

Tuff break....but good to know you are getting help. May you have a speedy recovery.

 

[V-35]

Thanks to a thread here in the forum about a year or so back, my wife & I both got the shots. I remember how badly my father suffered from shingles back in the '80's but wasn't aware that there was a vaccine available for it.

Thanks to this forum, I have learned many things I may never have been aware of.

S&W FORUM.......Informative, Entertaining, Intresting & Always Civil. Whats not to like about it.

Thanks Lee & the Mod's. As the old song goes "Nobody Does It Better"


Art