35 with Shingles!? That is the reaction I mostly got. Even the doctor who diagnosed me couldn’t believe that I had shingles. If you know me well, I’m mostly pretty healthy. I don’t like sweets or heavy food. I typically walk 1-2 miles a day and I meditate. How the hell did I get shingles? and as a mom of a newborn and 2-year-old how will I get through this and protect my kids?

When I discovered I had shingles at 35, I scoured the internet to figure out why and how to get rid of them. Before my shingle discovery, I didn’t know much about them. I didn’t know of anyone that had had them. So if you’re curious about shingles or are a young ish person with them.. you aren’t alone.

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What are shingles?

Shingles are a virus that lies dormant in your body IF you have previously had chicken pox. When an outbreak or “flair-up” occurs it causes inflammation of the nerves which then causes a rash with little painful blisters that eventually pop then dry up.

What causes shingles to flair up?

The biggest cause of a shingle flair-up is a weakened immune system. However, stress, bodily injuries and sleep deprivation can all lead to a weakened immune system which then can cause shingles to appear.

Other symptoms

Obviously, the rash is very itchy, but it can be quite painful too. In my case, my ribs felt bruised and covered with fiber glass. Many people also have flu-like symptoms, become very tired, and acquire fever and headaches, as well.

Are they contagious?

Yes they are contagious. IF you HAVE NOT previously had chicken pox and touched or breathed in particles from the open blisters you would potentially get the chicken pox. You can not get shingles from someone with shingles.

My experience

I remember spending time with my parents and I kept feeling a tingling, stinging feeling under the thick band of my sports bra. I kept reaching inside expecting to find a bug of some sort or something caught inside, like a feather or a piece of plastic from a tag. I never did.

A day or two later, I noticed itchy red spots on the right side of my torso. I assumed it was mosquito bites.

As each day passes, the area is becoming more sore and irritable. I remember telling Logan each evening that my mosquito bites were intense. Eventually, he takes a look and tells me that they aren’t mosquito bites and he thinks they are shingles.

As I researched, it became clear to me that he was correct. All the symptoms I was reading were aligned with what I was experiencing like tingling, itching, burning, pain, sore throat, headaches and body aches.

The pain ramped up the following day so I saw a doctor. He was shocked because most cases of shingles do not happen until after 50. After asking if anything could be causing me stress I replied, ” Well, I’m taking antibiotics for strep throat, which I’ve never had before. I am recovering from a c-section. I have a 3-month-old and a two-year-old and I’m packing my home to sell, then move, but in the meantime, I’ll be taking my kids to stay with my parents”.

“That’ll do it!”, he said.

How I recovered from being 35 with shingles

He prescribed me Valacyclovir – an antiviral. I took 3 times a day for a week.

I also found that L-lysine pills (these are mixed with propolis, garlic and vitamin C to help boost immunity) and cream help, along with propolis and curcumin.

I used calamine lotion to tolerate the itchiness. Because I was breastfeeding and my rash was where she would lay, I kept the rash covered with bandaids and an undershirt.

Today they are mostly gone. Mine did get pimply but I wouldn’t say they blistered and they never opened up. I think the anti-virals and catching it early helped. My rash more or less just faded. My ribs are still sore when pressed, but I no longer have pain.

Luckily my bought of shingles at 35 was mild and I now have the tools to stave it off in the future.

Have you or anyone you know dealt with shingles? Let me know any tips for future flair-ups below!