Quote:
Originally Posted by ras1256
Pat,
I've had shingles too, which showed with a positive titre for the varicella zoster, but the HSV-1 titres were way beyond positive, i.e. it only takes .9 to be negative, 1.1 to be positive - only .2 spread - and I was at 5.0. That much higher should indicate more than just having had the virus at some point. On the shingles I was right at the titre for positive, so that just shows that I have had shingles at some time, not necessarily active now.
Shingles being a virus, I don't know why they gave you the antibiotic unless 1) they didn't have the antiviral meds yet, 2) you had scratched them and they were infected or they were worried about infection, 3) you didn't get it diagnosed early enough for the antivirals to do much good (I believe it's 48 hrs or so from when you first get symptoms).
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I don't know when they started using antiviral meds, but I had the shingles about 18 years ago. I did see the doctor the same day I started having symptoms, which was a very painful hive type rash which started just under my right breast and went around to my back stopping at the spine. It continued to get worse by the hour. I don't remember him telling me why he prescribed antibiotics. I probably thought that was the normal course of treatment. Thank you so much Becky for all the info.
Take care,
Pat