does shingles leave you feeling depressed?

Question

before easter this year i had shingles . about six weeks after that it reoccurred, i have been fine since , but i have been feeling very depressed of late its like going back in time , when i was much younger .i cant understand this as i havent felt like this for years. could shingles have something to do with this . or is it just my age i eat healthy and try and look after myself but im not sure how to deal with this . many thanks.

Answer 1

Hya

My Godmother had shingles, strangely enough we were talking about it very recently - my son has just had chicken pox and Shingles is like the grown up version!

Anyway my Godmother was very ill with the shingles and she said that she felt very low, she felt tired all the time and l think with any illness you do get abit depressed!

My Godmother said that it took her about 6 months or so before she felt completely better - both mentally and physically!

Remember that our body and minds are connected so if your body is 'malfunctioning' then obviously it is going to affect your state of mind!

Depression is a chemical imbalance in your brain and it does not take much to knock the balance out.......!

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

I had shingles in my gums. Kept coming back when I was seriously stressed.
Yes it left me depressed each time. Depressed and weakened.
Knowing what was behind the depression helped me overcome it.
I felt able to take back control as I didn't want another attack.
Talk to your doctor but try to stay off anti depressants if you can. Your body has already taken a beating. The kind that no one who hasn't been there can understand.
Good luck.

Answer 4

Not really. Shingles clears up normally in 5-6 weeks. In extreme cases it is possible for people to suffer neuralgic pain for the rest of their life but that is not happening in your case.

But suffering any illness which lowers your strength, or wears you down mentally can cause a mild depression. This should pass quickly unless you allow it to grow.

You are in a dangerous position in that whilst there are causes for clinical and reactive depression you are allowing a normal mild depression to grow.

The key to shaking it off is action. Try and get as much exercise as you can, ensure you are eating a healthy diet and take part in discussions etc with people. Set yourself small targets you can achieve with a little effort and achieve fairly easily. Success will lift you and you can then set a slightly harder target.

Depression is fuelled by self indulgently allowing it to control you. You recognised by your question that you do not want that so please get up and get going.

Good luck!

Answer 5

I agree with the depression that takes your thoughts back many years and the people you used to work with , and I can see them quite visibly . I had severe chest pain and thought it was a heart attack starting . The Doctor saw two blisters on my central spine and diagnosed shingles , and started Anti viral Aciclovir straight away which limited the blisters . But the depression is horrible , and also gives breathing difficulties . I am three weeks into it , and feel worn out . Amitryptiline , one at night is recommended , but this gives me nightmares , so sticking to Co-codamol . Remember all things pass ! I will recover .

Answer 6

i can tell you from my own experience that yes shingles can cause depression. unless you have experienced this then you have no right to answer that it does not . i dont care if you are a doctor or not.. but def yes it can cause tiredness, feeling very low and many other symptoms. but in time it will go. it is very hard to think possitive when you are low. my husband helped me. i am still suffering with many symptoms, but i have more good days than bad now. i also get cold down my left top thigh and pains behind my eyes. feeling down is the worse. but im hopeful it will go when the spring arrives and warmer wheather.

Answer 7

When you feel low think of something that made you happy before - usually works for me so try and keep a positive mind frame. But, no I don't think it could be the shingles althgouh maybe you are worried that it will return. Good luck

Answer 8

I know someone who had this and she became depressed for some time afterwards , i think she eventually got help from her GP who gave her mild anti-depressants. It could be your age, getting older and the worries that can sometimes bring,
I'd discuss it with your GP as well because they can gIve you advice not just on drugs, after all you may not want to go that route, on seeing someone like a counsellor to talk over these feelings. I sympathise totally ive been there myself.

Answer 9

I think any illness that lasts a while gets you down. Its to do with your brain releasing the hormones that will make you feel happy, sad or depressed. If you get run down everything gets on top of you. Try to keep yourself moving around even when you dont feel like, maybe even have a work out. Feel better

Answer 10

Psychologically it never affected me. Physically it was painful and now that they are gone I have some nerve damage that causes mild itchiness. I have had 2 episodes of shingles in my life and hope they never return.