shingles

[michele u]

Hi everyone. I finished taxol 1 month ago and am currently on herceptin and radiation. I now have shingles on my back! Did anyone else have this while taking tx? I know its because my immune system is shot right now. I hope this doesn't stop my radiation

[Lolly]

Yes, but I got them a week after finishing up radiation, fortunately...don't know if this will affect your treatment schedule or not. I had to reschedule a follow-up appt. with my radiation doc as they didn't want to take any chances of me infecting any patients, but all the doctors say it's not contagious, so it probably just depends on your clinic's comfort level.
Hope you recover soon. I had a pretty mild case, recovered in about 2 weeks, but I know several others who've had painful outbreaks, so take care of yourself!
hugs, Lolly

[jessica]

Hi Michelle-
I had a bout w/shingles ~3 years before I was dx'd.When I started tx, my onc told me to anticipate that I might have another episode, but fortunately never did.I took Famvir to stop the progression & took Tylenol for the flu-like symps.
Hope you are doing okay!
Keep the faith,
Jessica

[paula]

i had shingles right after i had whole head rad. must be some link there, that was 3 yrs. ago,never any since

[Paula]

I had shingles one month after finishing radiation under my breast and around to the middle of my back. At the same time, I had meningitis and went to the ER with severe headaches. Three doctors in the ER told me that I had chiggar bites. When my oncologist came in the next morning, he wanted to see the "chiggar" bites. He said that I had shingles along with the meningitis -- not shingles. The pain was so intense I was hospitalized for 10 days. That was three years ago and I've not been bothered with them since. Take care and I'm sending some hugs your way . . . Paula P.