Hi Judy, I'm sorry to read you've got shingles because I know they can be nasty. The reason you don't feel well is because the disease is caused by a virus, and all of those have the potential to make us feel ghastly.

My husband and I have both had shingles so I have a good idea of how you must be feeling. DH had them on one side of his waist, and mine were on my face.

My husband was lucky in that I got him to the doctor when his first blister appeared because he'd been complaining of a painful tingling in that area for a few days, and I was already on alert. He was put on antivirals straight away, and ended up with an extremely mild case of shingles.

I wasn't so lucky as I was already in a major flare of another chronic medical condition, and my doctor was limited in the treatment he could offer at the time.

Because you don't have any of the antiviral medications you will have to treat the shingles yourself, conservatively.

Here are a few suggestions :

*Keep the area clean with mild soap and water.

*Don't scratch the skin where-ever the rash is located. Scratching will only increase the risk of secondary bacterial infection and scarring.

*Ask your pharmacist about one of the over-the-counter antihistamines like Benadryl or Phenergan, or a topical cream such as Lidocaine cream or similar, to help relieve the itching.

*Another option is taking a bath with Pinetarsal added. Pinetarsal is good as an itch reliever, although it smells rather horrid.

*Try using a compress of cool tap-water to any weeping blisters, say for 20 minutes several times a day. That should soothe and help dry the blisters. This also aids in removing the scabs and decreases the potential for bacterial infection.

*Application of petroleum jelly can aid in healing.

*Wear loose clothing to avoid extra pain from clothing rubbing against the rash.

*Avoid close skin-to-skin contact with others who have not had chickenpox, are ill or who have a weakened immune system. Remember that weeping blisters contain the virus and are contagious until they've scabbed over so avoid individuals who are susceptible to the chickenpox virus.

If you want any more information, this site is rather informative: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/shing...m.htm#Shingles Overview