Shingles: Preparing for Your Appointment

 

Here is a video to refresh your memory about shingles, as well as its diagnosis, treatment, and prevention!

     The information throughout this blog is meant to be a supplemental source of information regarding shingles, not a substitution for medical care. When you suspect a shingles outbreak has begun it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible. According to a 2014 posting by WebMD, antiviral treatment for shingles three days after symptoms appear is ineffective. By seeking care immediately, you can lessen the chances of complications from shingles and aide the recovery process. This final blog post offers helpful information to prepare you for your doctor’s appointment! 

Describe Your Symptoms

Record your symptoms

  Writing down your symptoms in detail, while they are occurring, will help you provide an accurate description to the doctor. Doing so will provide the doctor precise information that you may forget to mention otherwise.  

Talk about your medical history

Be open with your doctor

     Letting the doctor know about any health issues you have had in the past or present will assist them in determining what treatment approach to take. Informing the doctor about the medical problems of your immediate family, such as your parents and siblings, can be useful as well. It may be difficult to recall your entire medical history on the spot, as well as your family medical history, so you may want to save a document of the information for future use. 

 

List your medications and dietary supplements

Keep a list of your current medications for future use

     Informing your doctor about any medications or dietary supplements you take is very important for setting up a treatment plan. Some medications or supplements may interact with medications used to treat shingles. You can avoid negative drug interactions and health complications by giving your doctor a list of your medications or supplements before they prescribe treatment.

 

Ask questions

Do not be afraid to ask questions!



     The Mayo Clinic (2014) offers a comprehensive list of questions that you can organize before your appointment. Click Here here to see that list.  Try to list your questions by priority level, starting from high to low, in case time is limited. 

     Actively engaging in a conversation with your doctor will make you well informed of your health status and treatment process. If you have any questions for the doctor, or do not understand something, do not be afraid to speak up!

 What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor will ask questions and do an exam

     Aside from examining any symptoms your present, the doctor may send a sample of tissue or a culture of the blisters for further examination to the laboratory. The doctor will also ask a few questions. Mayo Clinic (2014) notes a few common questions:

• When did your symptoms begin?
• Does anything make them better or worse?
• Do you know if you've ever had chickenpox? 
  

Concluding Remarks

Watch this video to learn about the shingles vaccine

     The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014) notes that almost half of all shingles cases occur in those age 60 years and older. The Mayo Clinic (2014) notes that the virus is most common in people older than 50 years old. If you have never had chickenpox, you can get the chickenpox vaccine to reduce your chances of developing chickenpox.

   The Mayo Clinic (2014) notes that if you are over the age of 50, you can get the shingles vaccine to prevent shingles as well. Although the vaccine is not guaranteed to prevent shingles, it can help reduce the severity of the disease if it does arise. The vaccine can even be administered after you have had shingles. Feel free to talk to your doctor or healthcare provider to learn more about shingles, including the vaccine!

I hope that this blog has been a useful source of information for anyone currently experiencing shingles. I also hope that it has been useful for those interested in learning about shingles, and anyone that is helping to provide care for somebody experiencing shingles. 

References

Shingles pain: postherpetic neuralgia risks and treatments. (2014, January 1). Retrieved

            November 21, 2014, from http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-

            treatments/shingles/features/at-risk-for-shingles-and

postherpetic_neuralgia?page=3 

Shingles. (2014, January 1). Retrieved November 21, 2014, from

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/shingles/basics/definition/con-

20019574 

Overview. (2014, September 17). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 

September 23, 2014, from http://www.cdc.gov/shingles/about/overview.html