For the docs out there: From the fact that my jeans feel like they're stiking needles in my right anterior thigh and medial knee, I'm guessing that it's my right L3 dermatome that's affected. Not that it matters.
 

Hey, you've got shingles...and we've got a really, really tall and a large,weird-roofed house that could stand to have a new roof. Could you get over here and put your shingles to good use?
Sorry for that momentary lapse in good judgement. What I really meant to say was "Refuah Shlema" --a speedy and complete recovery. I've heard how painful an ailment it can be...
 

One more "pearlie" for you. You could also name this post:
A Roster of Zoster
 

Torontopearl: two puns in two comments! Thank you. And thanks also for the get-well wishes.

Refua shlema: [Hebrew] literally, complete healing.
 

Have you not yet figured out that I can be very punny if there's a call-out for punny people -- and even if there's not?

I've noticed your trend to translate foreign terms, so I made sure that I also did in my earlier comment, but I guess it doesn't stand out, getting lost amongst my text. Your "way with words" is definitely more on the ball. (-and-chain!) Ooohhh, guess I'd better quit now while I still can.
G'night.
 

Doctor Bean... I'm sorry you're going through this. At least you have the [very] small comfort of having an in-depth understanding of what is going on to cause you so much discomfort.

For those of us who don't have a physician [like you] with the willingness/ability to explain things properly, we tend to leave the Dr.'s office with only a prescription and a vague idea of what the hell our bodies are going through.

Refuah Shelaima my friend.

~treppenwitz~
 

Torontopearl: Your translation was fine, I just try to make it very obvious, so that it's clear that the Coffeehouse is to be enjoyed by English readers of all persuasions.

David: You’re very sweet. Thanks.

Actually, the reason I feel almost fine is that I understand shingles much better than I understand mortality and the number of friends I’ve lost recently is zero. You’re very sweet to wish me refuah. The comforting wishes should go entirely in the opposite direction.
 

Here's a very weird epilogue to the story.

This morning a 70-something year-old patient of mine calls me. Her name is not Edna, so that's what I'll call her.

Edna: Dr. Bean, thanks for calling me back. I think I have a rash from one of my blood pressure pills so I stopped taking them.
Me: [OK. Good luck. I'll see you in the hospital after your stroke.] When did you notice the rash?
Edna: This morning.
Me: Your chart shows that we haven't changed your medicines for over a month, so I don't think it's your pills. Where's the rash?
Edna: Between my breasts.
Me: Why don't you come in this morning and let me try to figure it out? And go ahead and take whatever pills you normally take in the morning.
Edna: OK. Also, I think I pulled a muscle two days ago in my back. Can I take Tylenol with all the other medicines I'm on?
Me: Sure.

She comes in and points out about a 2 cm patch of red blistered skin on the middle of her chest. The rest of the skin on her chest is fine. I peek at her back, there's a bright red blistered horizontal stripe to the right of her spine on her upper back. I kid you not.

Me: Have you looked at your back in the last couple of days?
Edna: No.
Me: When did you say your back started hurting?
Edna: About two days ago.
Me: Can you point to where it hurts?

She points to the red stripe.

She's got shingles, of course. Too weird. I see maybe a case or two a year. What are the odds?

[cue Twilight Zone theme music]
 

refuah shelema. there are a bunch of medications that may help with the pain. email me if you need a list.(no, not narcotics). what are we supposed to say, physician heal thyself?
 

Thanks, dilbert. For now, I'm taking Bextra, and I'm not that miserable. The discomfort is mild; it's just very distracting, and I don't need anything that makes it harder for me to concentrate.

For the post-herpetic neuralgia*, I know that Neurontin and other anti-convulsants are useful and even SSRIs, but I hope none of that becomes an issue.

* post-herpetic neuralgia - permanent pain that sometimes results from shingles, usually in older patients
 

I love shingles. Well, as a doctor. It's the one disease where I can just walk into the room and say, "Hi, did you know you have shingles?"

Seriously, refuah shelaima. Reminds me of the time I went to work with a stiff neck and had to sit through 3 other people complaining about theirs.
 

Thanks, Psycho. Whining and moaning about it here feels really good. I think suffering silently is overrated.
 

We should start a doctor's whining group. It's like when my patients ask me how I am. I say, "I can't complain. Well I could, but nobody wants to listen." Nobody wants to hear doctors complaining. Except maybe other doctors.

While we're at it, I've been chasing this pain around my body. It started in my back, then went to my thumbs, now it's in my neck...
 

Psycho Toddler: Ouch! Do you want to talk about it?

My wife would probably say something unsympathetic like "It's probably lupus. Or malingering."
 

Wow, shingles really seems to be an attraction to comment on. Go figure...

I've noticed that people hit a certain age, see reality around them, and start to talk medicalese and ailmentese, comparing notes.

And I don't mean a certain age of 50 and 60; we fortysomethings (not me, of course, unless the topic is already out there) and thirtysomethings do it too. I guess the moans and groans catch up with everybody at some point or another.

Re. shingles: too bad it's not like a dermatitis or a heat rash and you can just apply good ol' calamine lotion, blow cool air on the area and...problem be gone!

Hope you continue to feel better with your treatment.
 

Refuah sheleima. Sorry for the late comment - the comment section wasn't working for some reason. Maybe the Blogger has got the shingles, too. Oh well, misery loves company. Anyway, feel better soon!
 

Is it too late to rename this thread "Too Much Information"?
 

Ralphie: (a) “Too much information” doesn’t have that cool rhyming thing I’ve got going on in the title. (b) Really? I wasn’t particularly graphic. I didn’t mention any naughty body bits. No potty humor. Is just mentioning that I have shingles too personal? Sorry.
 

I'M TOTALLY FREE FROM HERPES VIRUS
Herpes is a serious and recurrent condition that cannot be cured by drugs or injections by US doctors, but the best way to fight against herpes is to take natural herbal remedies, I red about DR JAMES, the great herbalist who cures people of herpes  virus with his powerful herbal medicine. I contacted him to find out how he could help me and he told me never to be afraid that he would help me with the natural herbs medicine! After 2 days of contacting him he told me the medicine is ready and he sent it to me via DHL COURIER SERVICE and it got me in 3 days! I used the medication as he prescribed for me (MORNING and EVENING) and was cured! It's really like a dream, but I'm so happy! For people suffering from the following diseases,Shingles,MS,Bullous Pemphigoid,Diabetes, cancer,Pcos, hypothyroidism, Herpes, COPD, HIV, arthritis, Hpv, infections, liver disease, autoimmune diseases, Parkinson's disease, Lupus and more should contact him for his herbal medicine, because I am a living witness and I was cured of herpes virus. and DR James medicine is legitimate. I sent him what he asked for and he sent me his medication which I took for 2 weeks and today I am here with a negative result. When I went for the test, I was so happy after I took his herbal mix medicine.CONTACT DR JAMES FOR A PERMANENT CURE  Email: drjamesherbalmix@gmail.com
 

The greatest Joy in my life today is that i have been cured of Herpes by a Doctor called Dr. Edualekhide, I was infected with HERPES Disease in 2017, i went to many hospitals for cure but there was no solution, so I was thinking how can I get a solution,so that my body can be okay. Until one faithful day as i was browsing on the internet I saw a testimony on how Dr. Edualekhide has helped people in curing Herpes and other diseases, quickly I copied his WhatsApp number so i contacted him for solution for my Herpes disease, So Dr. Edualekhide told me that his going to prepare his herbal medicine for my health which he sent to me, luckily after 2week my Herpes was cured. Dr. Edualekhide is well recognize as one of the best herbalist doctor in Africa, you don't have to be sad anymore or share your tears anymore on this disease when the cure is available. The medicine has NO SIDE EFFECT,there's no special diet when taking the medicine. He also cure ALS, HIV AIDS, CANCER, HPV, DIABETES and lots more.
For enquiries:
E-mail: dredualekhide@gmail.com
WhatsApp: +2347040260704
Website: https://dredualekhide.wixsite.com/website
You can reach me on my E-mail: angelaoscar06@gmail.com