Question by Noah: Shingles question…help?
Ok so my mom who is 39 has been getting what doctors say is shingles for almost a year now. Right now she is taking “Valtrex” to treat them. She started treatment for them about 2 weeks ago but quit after about a week because it was almost gone but then she started taking it again because it started to get really red again, now she got up this morning and has another spot that she thinks is shingles so what I want to know is can you get new shingles when your already being treated for old ones? also she has multiple sclerosis so we was wondering if that could be a reason she is getting them so often?
Best answer:
Answer by prwagner3
Shingles are caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. When a person gets chicken pox as a child, the virus never leaves the body; it becomes dormant.
Later in life, the virus may become active again. However, instead of nasty, itchy blisters all over the body, it manifests itself along the pathways of nerves, which is why it is so painful.
Yes, it is possible for shingles to show up in more than one site. When the shingles goes away, you still are harboring the virus and may experience even more events in the future.
Valtrex is an anti-viral medication that has been shown to have some limited ability to prevent the virus from multiplying. She should continue taking it as her doctor suggests, but it is in no way a cure.
An interesting note is that those who have never had chicken pox, but did receive the vaccine for the virus, are not at risk for shingles later in life. Another important reason to have your children vaccinated for chicken pox as suggested by your state’s health department.
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