Shingles and Lupus

Apparently women who have lupus who have also had chicken pox are at an EVEN HIGHER risk of developing shingles because of our lupus flaring it up.

http://dailystrength.org/c/Lupus/forum/2787444-oh-no-shingles

http://www.wehavelupus.com/message-board-forum/about2103.html

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/archive/index.php/t-600067.html

Kind of crazy when you think about it. Some of the women on these boards have had it SEVERAL times. Can you imagine having this, this OR THIS more than once????? I know I can't. This one time is more than enough for me. Damn man! That's some shit.

What's interesting is that there is something that is part of the Chicken Pox virus (which is the same virus that shingles has) that is related to causing flare up's of auto immune diseases. Some of the women on these boards didn't have their first flares with lupus until after their chicken pox. Some a while after, some directly after. Is it something about the virus itself? The virus and chicken pox apparently puts you at risk for a secondary infection and since your immune system is weakened it could lead to a flare up of lupus (which is also already in your body due to being inherited) or some other auto immune disorder. A very interesting thought.

http://cerebel.com/lupus/lupus_question.php?q=7497
One site here though says that there's no "proof" that there's a link between the shingles and the lupus, BUT I feel as though there is plenty of proof through all the stories and listings of women who have lupus AND other auto immune disease AND are taking immunosuppressant drugs AND have had shingles dozens of times. I'm sorry, but that is just NOT a normal thing for anyone.

And what the hell kind of medieval shit is shingles anyway? I feel like a god damn wench or something. Of course it's on the side of my torso, so no one has to see it, but still. This is some painful ass shit. Here I thought that my lupus had thrown me everything it was ever going to throw me in terms of painful things or bad flares. It still gets bad, but I know how bad it can get. AND I thought that was bad, but no, this shit is far worse. I'd prefer to limp around on my bad hip over this any day. Besides the blisters on my side, the pain in my back and my side is just unbearable. I've had to be high as a kite for days now just to do things. And I can hardly do things because I'm purple hazed. Fucked up.

No site or anyone can tell me there's no connection between how fucked up the lupus has my immune system and this virus being flared up to cause this. There is some kind of connection between auto immune disorders and viruses that cause shingles and fucked up shit like it.

Ok. There's my rant for now. Back to the show for now