my eye is swollen and i have shingles on face

apple cider vingar seemed to helpfor skin
i need a folk remedy to get swelling down
i dont trust the prednisone
otherwise i guess i feel better than yesterday except for the eye

couldsz,

Sorry to hear about the shingles, that must be quite painful.

I don't know any folk remedies for swelling, but I can offer my opinion and experience with prednisone....

I have been taking low-dose prednisone every day for well over a year. I usually take 5mg a day, but sometimes more (up to 10mg) depending on how I am feeling. The reason I take it is for my connective tissue disease (an autoimmune dysfunction that causes body-wide inflamation). The prednisone helps the inflamation/swelling.

My husband has asthma and a ton of allergies, and a few times a year he has to take high-dose prednisone to improve his breathing. When this happens he takes 80mg for 5 days, then 60mg for 4 days, 40mg for 3 days, 20mg for 3 days, 10mg for 5 days, then stops. It really really helps him, and by taking the prednisone he is able to avoid having to be admitted to the hospital. He also uses an Advair inhaler daily which contains steroids.

He also had experience with another steroid called dexamethasone during his chemotherapy. It was given in his IV before his chemo everyday as a way to reduce nausea. He also had pills at home to take as neded for the nausea, and that helped a lot also.

Anyway, I know you said that you did not trust the prednisone, but I thought I would offer my positive experiences with it. Neither my husband or myself ever had any side effects or negative consequences from any of the steroids we take/took.

I hope that your shingles pain and inflamation subsides soon.

Take care,
Liz

* Steroids - cortisone prescriptions such as Prednisone are the most damaging drugs to the eyes of any prescription drugs. If you must take any of these drugs, be sure to supplement your diet with anti-oxidants such as vitamins E and C, and beta-carotene. Ask your doctor if you can replace Prednisone with a natural cortisone such as hydrocortisone.

http://www.healthherbs.com/conditionitem.php?id=105

Sorry to hear about getting shingles - that is painful.

If it is around your eye I would suggest that you see an ophthalmologist immediately - herpes can cause severe damage to the eye. A lesion on the tip of the nose is a sure sign that the eyeball is involved because of the way the nerves are distributed.

It is more likely they will start you on an antiviral not prednisone but sometimes both are used. Antivirals work best at reducing pain and duration if started within 72 hours. The possibility of less pain is another reason to get medical help quickly. http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000415/2437.html

Here are two sites on home care http://www.mothernature.com/Library/...oks/47/115.cfm
http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/...les/pplan.html

LEF's take on Herpes - I am surprised that B12 is not mentioned: http://www.lef.org/protocols/infecti...hingles_01.htm

One question to consider is what is going on with your immune system that would allow an outbreak of herpes zoster? What can you do to lessen the possibility of another outbreak.

Please have your eye examined immediately - although the offices are closed the eye doctor is on call.
Anne

I was going to mention acyclovir as one way to get them down fast. My 15 yr old had her first shingles attack just beofe christmas. Luckily, her eye wasnt affected...it broke out on her back. It then turned into a staph infection. they treated her with acylovir, and sugested to use again at the first sighn of another outbreak.

awww cloudz i'm so sorry you are going through this. i don't have any advice, since i don't have family with shingles.

just want you to know i care and that i hope it goes away soon. get well hon.

((((((((hugs)))))))))))

Sorry to hear about the shingles. They are very painful. You definitely should see an opthamologist as it can raise havoc with the eye. I had a cousin where this happened. Hope you get better fast.

Kitt

im still screwed with shingles but at last used a prednisone-i couldnt take it anymore

I had shingles on the side of my body (from my underarm down, first one side then the other). I was in my teens- the antivirals weren't out yet.

It was very painful for a long time.

Doesn't the vinager sting? I forgot what helped- I suspect nothing helped...

What about soaking a facecloth or gauze in lots of cold water and then holding it over the shingles. It would at least cool down your skin.

last 4 days were hell i guess