I have an apple watch but I charge it while I'm sleeping. I use it as my bedside clock at night. I tried sleeping with it on, but I often put my hands under my face and the watch would be most annoying, so I stopped. Last thing I need is something annoying me while I'm trying to sleep.

As far as the phone, I like answering the phone on my watch and then asking the person to hang on while I switched to my phone. My phone is usually buried in my purse and not readily accessible to answer.

I have the emergency fall call on and it must work as one time I hit a really big pothole and it thought I fell. Another time, I was splitting wood and it thought I fell. But then I'm quick trying to stop it from making an emergency call as I'm fine.

A suggestion for those who have shingles but haven't got the antivirals in time:

Before antivirals were available, my late stepdad got shingles and was in pain for months. Eventually he tried acupuncture, and that helped him a lot.

No Apple watch for me either although I have an iphone. The watch is too big looking for me. I dont wear a watch at all. At home, my phone is always out.

Hope your shingles are short lived! My husband and I got our vaccines last year.

I love my Apple Watch and never take it off except to charge overnight. I was just talking to my daughter, and I said I think my battery is going, and she said her husband just bought a new one at Costco for $299. If that's true, I'm going to get a new one next week. I would never sleep with it on because of too many interruptions. It did not react when I fell and hurt my back last year, but only my back made contact; my arms were in the air. It did react twice, once when I swatted a mosquito and another time. My daughter slammed her arm down last year when I was over and didn't react to the phone and 30 seconds later, she got a call asking if she was okay. With me hiking alone in the woods on the AT, it could be very useful because it even gives coordinates. It saved the life of a thru-hiker who hung his hammock between two trees, and there was wind, and one of the trees fell on him, pinning him to the ground. His watch pinged, and he got help by reading the coordinates, because he didn't know exactly where he was, and it saved his life. I like that it monitors my heart rate, and the newer ones do even more. I also like it when I'm in the woods, and it gives a weather alert that lightning is near or rain will start in ten minutes.

I tried one for a day, but returned it because it felt too heavy on my somewhat sensitive left wrist- I’ve broken that wrist twice. I wonder if I could get used to wearing one on my right..?

Owww!!

That looks unpleasant. How are you holding up?

That looks awful. Does it hurt or itch?

Yep exactly what I get on my lower back. I am so sorry you are experiencing this. Stress isn’t always the harbinger of a break out. I had huge amounts of stress off and on for decades before it came back. Now if I get upset it rears its itchy self and the Cortisporin always does the trick. Use as often as you want. If you can get the prescription strength it is definitely worth a try . c 🙏

Hang in there Annie -

Gabapentin was a godsend. It helped with the nerve pain that lasts months after the blisters are gone. Hopefully, you won’t have any nervepain since you were vaccinated, whuch could make it a milder case than if you weren’t.

I hope you get to feeling better soon, Annie.

Thinking of you Annie.

Thank you all so much. Yes it hurts and itches but intermittently...but if I touch it, it's very sore. The steriod ointment they gave me does seem to keep the worst of the symptoms more manageable. I've also got swollen lymph nodes on that side by my ear, under my chin and even the back of my neck, and am getting very painful spasms up into my ear which is most unpleasant. I should be getting to the peak today or tomorrow and hopefully after that it will get easier. But I now have a new tender spot on my scalp behind the existing rash, but no rash yet. I thought the anti-virus was supposed to keep it from spreading, but maybe not. So long as it remains in the skin and not in the eye itself! The tylenol seems to cut the edge off some too. I just can't imagine how awful it would've been without the vax!

I've been thinking about you and hoping you're doing ok.

Hang in there, Annie! Really sorry that you need to wrangle with this issue.

My dh got it about 8 years ago and initially assumed it was poison ivy so cortect treatment was delayed. He was at the eye doctor daily. Because of his treatment delay, the postherpetic neuralgia was a problem for a long time. He did not like being on gabapentin.

I’m glad you are on top of managing this!

Hang in there, Annie. I think you’ve seen the worst of it and it‘s good yuou began treatment soon after it erupted.

Your sharing your experience and details have certainly been informative and helpful.

Hope you’re having a better day today Annie.

Count me in among the people who are thinking of you often and hoping that you are feeling somewhat better today.

oh Annie, that looks scary. The rash on my friend’s thigh looks similar. I have to call her to see how shes doing. Her doc gave her Valtrex and gabapentin Hope yours passes quickly.

Annie, I'm so sorry you're going through this. I remember my mom had shingles and it was awful. I hope you are soon on the other side and see improvement very soon.

I am so sorry to hear this, Annie. My mom had a terrible case on her forehead near her eye when I was in college. There was no treatment then, and she suffered terribly. I hope that your case resolves quickly.

My friend had a horrible shingles case, not too long after having Covid. (yes, vaxxed for both). She swore that a salt-based lavender and mint scrub (blended with almond oil) helped relieve the itch and pain. It was interesting, because her NP is a close friend. She called the evening after she had been in for an appointment, and there had been 3 MORE patients after her with the same progression.

Annie, I hope that clears up quickly.

Annie hope you are on the mend soon.

Checking in today to see if there has been any improvement and hoping no new spots!

Feeling a little better but the spots are still apparent. Still scalp soreness but no new spots I noticed. Almost done with the anti-virus drug. Thanks !

Thinking of you, Annie. I hope it’s over soon.

Darn it, Annie. I hope the whole mess goes away soon and you are back to your cheerful self.

Thanks ded....I'm still my cheerful self! The tylenol really helps to keep the pain at bay. Otherwise the stabbing/shooting pains by my jaw, ear and up into my head are pretty nasty.

So sorry to hear that, Annie, hope it resolves soon

(((Hugs)))

So sorry, Annie, that you’re still dealing with this. Hope you’re completely back to yourself soon.

Sorry you are still in the acute phase of this nasty illness.

Those if us who've been there understand how acutely painful it can be.

Hope you wake up soon to reduced discomfort (that's what happened with my first case....it was just gone one day).

@Annie Deighnaugh

Glad you are on the mend and that Tylenol works. c

Well, the tylenol works great except I ended up with clay-colored stools, a sign of liver distress. So I've had to switch to ibuprofen which is not as effective and can be an issue for my now-healed bleeding ulcer. But to go without a pain killer is unacceptable given the sharp shooting pains I'm getting in the side of my head. It's not easy being a princess!! (Mom always said that the reason why she and I could trip over nothing on a sidewalk, it was because we were princesses and, like the princess and the pea, are sensitive to the most miniscule imperfection!)

Update: The ibuprofen started my stomach hurting so I had to quit that too. Good news is I am now able to go without pain meds. The shooting/stabbing pains have stopped and I have just a slight headache and/or discomfort on that side. Scalp is still tender to the touch. A hint of rash is still visible on my face and into my scalp, but it is so much improved. It's not yet been 4 weeks, so I'm hoping this outcome is due to my being vaxed and getting the anti-virals quickly.

That’s really good news Annie. Sounds like you’re feeling much better than just 5 days ago!

Yes, thank you I am, KW.

I'm so glad it's improving and hopefully near the end of its cycle. What a painful ordeal. You make a great case for the vac cine, for sure.

Glad to see you are on the mend and nearing the end of this ordeal Annie.

" The ibuprofen started my stomach hurting so I had to quit that too. "

Apparently ibuprofen (Advil) can cause ulcers and other digestive system distress. .

My doctor has told me to always take Prilosec whenever using a nonsteroidal anti-inflamatory like Advil or Aleve (naproxen) and to take them right after meals.

Thank you Elmer, I am aware. PPIs make me ill. I have to settle for regular antacids.

I check in every so often to see how you are faring and hope to discover that this ordeal is finally over. Yikes Annie! Thankfully the shooting pain has vanished so no more pain meds. At least it sounds like you are feeling a little better.

Annie, I hope you continue to feel bettr. You have maintained such a positive attitude throughout this ordeal!

Annie, I am sure I would really like your now departed friend. I agree with her 100%. Being miserable never solved anything and being cheerful doesn't cost anything.

Such a simple outlook can make a world of difference. I always feel better when I am upbeat. If you give in to misery, it just wrecks everything even worse. Not always possible to be cheerful of course, but a good reminder to try....

Coincidentally just yesterday I was chatting with 2 friends. One guy has a bff who has been battling shingles for months. He still can't go for their morning walks, it hurts too much. He never got the vax.. The other guy volunteered that he has never been vax'ed for it either. He doesn't "believe" in them. I just said, the diseases sure believe in you. 🤷‍♀️

I don't understand. It is like not believing in gravity or something. It baffles me.

So glad you are improving Annie, and I too am sure you've had a milder course due to prior good decisions.

I'm glad to hear you can go without pain meds now and things are improving. I agree with you and your friend -- a positive outlook makes such a difference. But so do vaccines and antivirals. I'm sure you are progressing well due to all three.

How can you see a person you know suffer for months and not want to avoid that? I would think that a person who has such a bad case would also be at risk for lifelong nerve pain. That and potential blindness are just not worth the risk. Even if you don't "believe" in the science, it would seem worth humoring it a bit.

I’m very glad to hear that you are continuing to improve, Annie. Here’s hoping that it is soon a distant memory.