Janaki,OOOHH! Shingles! I had shingles last fall and it was so painful. My
doctor wanted to prescribe Famvir, a new drug, and I could have it free
because the clinic was testing it. Well, I don't use many drugs and I
wasn't thrilled by guinia pig status. I declined. I read everything I
could find and contacted people knowledgeable in nutritional, herbal and
homeopathic remedies. I had a remarkably smooth course and I anticipate no
recurring pain as is common when the nerve pathways aren't healed. A friend
had shingles in April this year and his course was much longer and more
painful, and he is still having the severe nerve pain occasionally.
Here's what I did:
Immune boosters: Vitamine A, Garlic tabs and in food, Echinacea,
Golden seal (the last two in tincture)
Nerve healing: Vitamine B Complex
Anti-viral: Llysine, and eggs for zinc
Specific: Homeopathic remedy for chicken pox
Diet: Veggie juice
Skin comfort and drying: Tea tree oil (it really felt good and I am
left with no scarring
Sounds wild, doesn't it? I may not have needed all of these but none of
them do harm and I really wanted to HEAL and not just recover from the
symptoms. If you are reluctant to suggest the unfamiliar you could refer
her to a knowledgeable person. Echinacea is becoming common and vit B,
eggs and veggie juice (v/8)would not be strange, nor would garlic. (She
really needs to boost her immune system because a compromised immune system
is why this thing comes up.) Tea tree oil topically wouldn't be unusual
either. But I feel the homeopathic remedy was really helpful.
My friend took the drug, also codeine for the pain, and felt much worse.
This is a study of TWO--very scientific!
I would certainly try these treatments, none of which would harm a nursing
baby, before I would stop nursing, robbing the baby of antibodies that my
body is producing in abundance as I recover. I believe the risk of the
baby's getting chicken pox would be much greater, now that he has already
been exposed, if he were removed from the breast.
Pat Gima, IBCLC
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