<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

I received many replies to my inquiry regarding Shingles.
The summary is long (3 parts), but worth reading.


I had Shingles for the first time last April and then again in June.  The
doctor didn't have any explanation why I got it twice in succession.  I sure
hope I don't ever get it again!
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I used to have recurring Shingles. Up until about a year ago. I had my first
outbreak of them when I was pregnant with my daughter 22 years ago. I was
told at the time that it was a one time thing and that it was caused by
stress. But, after I had my daughter, I started getting outbreaks of
shingles once a month (concurring with ovulation).  There were some months
that I didn't get shingles, but most months I did and I never seemed to be
able to pinpoint what the difference between the months when I did and the
months when I didn't was. These outbreaks of shingles continued for about
21years. I did find however, that when I stopped eating gluten, the
outbreaks went from on average once a month, to about once every three or
four months (some relief at least). Then when I learned about DH (a skin
condition to do with being Celiac) I asked my dr if possibly what I had was
not recurring shingles but rather DH and was told no, it was definitely
recurring shingles.  I have lost a lot of faith in drs over the year and so
I decided to treat my recurring shingles as though it was DH and see what
would happen. I stopped using all body soaps, lotions, etc that contained
any vitamin E and other gluten products.  The recurring shingles didn't
completely go away, but instead of every three or four months I was now only
getting outbreaks about once or twice a year.  A little more than a year
ago, for other reasons, I cut all starches (no potatoes, no corn, no rice,
no bread substitutes, no grains,...) from my diet.  I now eat only fish,
fowl, meat, eggs, cheeses, low glycemic vegetables, and 1 piece of fruit per
day. I have not had an occurrence of shingles since I did this.  I hope this
information is helpful to you. I would be interested in hearing what others
on the list had to say about recurring shingles.
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It could be triggered by Celiac.  It can come back anytime you BODY is under
stress. CD is stressful to the body.  You may also have some vitamin or
mineral deficiencies which indirectly trigger. All herpes virus stay in
body--only dormant.
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My celiac daughter had shingles after using too much lice shampoo. Are you
taking any medication? What could it be that is lowering your immune system,
I wonder...
A very good site is www.paleodiet.com  Try removing all the refined stuff
from your diet and eat meat, fish, veggies and fruit only to build your
immune system.
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I empathize with you.  I am not a celiac, but in Sept. of 2000 I got a case
of shingles right around the middle.  That area has been bothering me ever
since.  I wish it would leave.
***************
I had shingles for the first (and hopefully last) time last summer.
Shingles can and usually does recur, but the frequency varies from person to
person.  Shingles is caused by the same virus as chicken pox, but instead of
affecting the skin as in chicken pox, shingles settles in a nerve.  If you
have it in one nerve it usually stays in that nerve.  I had it in a nerve
that affected the left side of my face.  My mom had it on her rib cage
(don't remember which side.)
There are prescription medications available to shorten the duration and
ease the symptoms.
Yes, stress seems to trigger episodes of shingles, but other things like
climate can, too.
***************
I actually only had one outbreak of the sores with shingles, but I have had
numerous cases of the places in my spine where it originated, acting up and
making my back incredibly painful.  I'm quite sure it's the herpes virus
living in there.  But, it was only after ingestion of wheat that these
flare-ups occurred.
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I just recently got diagnosed at age 27...  I had shingles at 16, which was
told to me to be unheard of?!!  I spend a lot of the time trying to do the
math, but more and more things that have seemed unrelated in the past, I
have started to blame on celiac. Just food for thought, no pun intended.
***************
That definitely sounds like Shingles.  I have never had them, but my sister
has, a year ago, after surgery.  The Dr.'s attributed hers to the stress on
the body from the surgery.  When she got home she used something, an amino
acid, I believe, called L-Lysine, a couple of tablets a day and she thinks
it helped lessen the healing time.  I think she got it at the drugstore by
the vitamins and other stuff.  As nasty as DH can be, at least it isn't
horribly painful like the shingles.  Stress may really be the trigger and
being run down.
***************
 do know that dermatologists do confuse one thing for another. I wonder if
you might actually have dermatitis herpetiformus and are reacting to some
contact gluten. Then there's also psoriasis which is often misdiagnosed - I
have read that it can respond to increased intake of good mega 3 oils (eg
flaxseed) as well as sea salt baths.

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