A month ago, I was diagnosed with shingles, and it seems the universe is not without a sense of humor because that rash was front and center on my face. The last thing I was thinking was shingles, and honestly... who's ever prepared for that?
Within hours of sharing what was happening, so many of you reached out with advice, encouragement, and ideas that helped so much and had me down a whole shingles rabbit hole. Some of those suggestions brought comfort, others gave me new questions to ask my doctors, and a few became part of my recovery plan alongside the antiviral medication my doctor prescribed.
This post isn’t about telling you what to do—it’s about sharing what I experienced and the incredible support this community gave me. I wanted to put everything in one place in case it helps someone else on their shingles journey.
Before we dive in, I want to be very clear: I am not a doctor or medical professional. I’m just a professional amateur. Nothing in this post is medical advice, nor should it replace advice from your physician or another qualified healthcare professional. Cuz I am certainly not qualified in any way to give you anything but the tools I used on my journey.
Everything you’re about to read is based solely on my personal experience and the suggestions shared with me by this incredible community. What worked for me may not be appropriate—or safe—for you.
If you think you have shingles, please contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible. Early diagnosis and treatment can be extremely important, especially if the rash is near your eye or face. Always discuss medications, supplements, herbs, IV therapies, topicals, acupuncture, or any other treatment with your doctor before trying them.
My goal isn’t to tell you what you should do. My goal is simply to share what happened to me, what my doctors recommended, what many of you shared, and what I personally found helpful during my recovery. I hope that, if nothing else, this post helps you feel a little more informed so that you can decide what's right for you.
The very first thing I did was call my doctor. Because the rash was close to my eye, I also made an appointment with my optometrist to make sure it hadn’t affected my vision. I started Valtrex within the recommended treatment window, applied Aquaphor to help protect the affected skin, and focused on getting as much rest as possible. Looking back, starting antiviral treatment early was probably the single most important step I took.
One of the most incredible parts of this experience was hearing from so many of you. My inbox filled with stories, encouragement, and ideas that had helped you or someone you loved. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with me.
As a reminder: these are suggestions from the DFB community, not medical advice. Always talk with your healthcare provider before trying any medication, supplement, herb, or treatment.
This was by far the recommendation I heard most often: start treatment as early as possible. I called my doctor right away and was able to begin Valtrex within the recommended treatment window.
Lysine came up again and again in your messages. It was probably the most frequently suggested supplement, so I chose to include it as part of my recovery after discussing it with my healthcare provider. I used THIS ONE from Thorne.
Why People Use It: To support normal immune function and apparently, it starves the virus. Research is limited, but it really seemed to help me.
Zinc was another supplement that appeared frequently in your messages. I decided to add it to my daily routine during recovery. I used THIS ONE from Dr. Bo.
Why People Use It: To support normal immune function and wound healing.
Vitamin C was another common suggestion and became part of my recovery routine. I use THESE from Pure Encapsulations.
Why People Use It: To support immune health and collagen production, which plays an important role in skin repair.
Many of you encouraged me to support my gut with probiotics. I focused on probiotic-rich foods such as kefir, plain Greek yogurt (with live active cultures), sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, kombucha, and traditionally fermented pickles. I also included a probiotic supplement.
Why People Use It: To support a healthy gut microbiome, which plays an important role in overall immune health.
Lemon balm was one of the herbal remedies mentioned most often. While everyone’s experience is different, I wanted to include it because it came up so frequently. I used THIS ONE from Dr. Bo.
Why People Use It: Traditionally used to soothe irritated skin. Laboratory studies have shown antiviral activity against herpes simplex viruses.
I take oil of oregano somewhat regularly. Several of you shared that oil of oregano had been part of your own recovery, and suggested I take it daily. I used THIS ONE from Dr. BO
Why People Use It: Traditionally used to support immune health. Oregano oil contains compounds with antimicrobial activity in laboratory studies.
Cat’s claw was another herbal recommendation that appeared several times. Before shingles, I had never heard of using it this way. I used THIS ONE.
Why People Use It: Traditionally used to support immune health and a healthy inflammatory response.
This was one of the more unexpected suggestions. It wasn’t something I was familiar with, but several of you said it had been part of their own recovery. I got THIS ONE on Amazon.
Why People Use It: Traditionally used to support wound healing and protect the skin.
Pansy extract was completely new to me. I had never heard of it until so many of you mentioned it. I used THIS ONE.
Why People Use It: Traditionally used in herbal medicine to soothe irritated skin.
Skullcap tea was another recommendation, so I wanted to include it here. I ordered THIS ONE.
Why People Use It: Traditionally used to promote relaxation and support the nervous system, which is important since shingles can be triggered by stress.
Many of you encouraged me to pay closer attention to my diet and suggested incorporating more lysine-rich foods during recovery.
Why People Consume Them: To support overall nutrition. Some people believe increasing lysine intake may help support recovery from herpes-family viruses, which includes shingles.
Examples: Parmesan cheese, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, kefir, milk, beef, and pork.
Several of you also recommended to temporarily avoid foods that are naturally higher in arginine while recovering.
Why People Avoid Them: Herpes viruses use arginine during replication. Whether this affects shingles recovery has not been clearly established, but you know what? I wasn't gonna mess around with it.
Examples: Peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, chocolate, cocoa powder, soy products, and gelatin.
Kefir and full-fat Greek yogurt were two probiotic-rich foods that many of you recommended adding to my diet, also high in lysine. I also used THESE liquid probiotic drops from Dr. Bo.
Why People Consume Them: To provide probiotics and protein that support overall nutrition and gut health.
I was already seeing Dr. Nam with California Mobile Acupuncture, so I scheduled acupuncture treatments right away. Whether it was the timing, the treatments themselves, or everything working together, I truly believe acupuncture became an important part of my recovery. (PS if you mention DEWY you will get a discount on your first treatment with them)
Why People Use It: To support pain management and overall well-being. Some studies suggest acupuncture may help relieve shingles-related pain. For me, it was a game changer in pushing the virus out and reducing its heat.
One incredibly kind member of our community connected me with her nurse, who came to my home for IV nutrient therapy. She gave me a combo of lysine, vitamin B, and glutathione. THIS is the woman who came to my house.
Why People Use It: To deliver fluids and nutrients directly into the bloodstream when your body needs it most.
I started using Aquaphor on day one to help protect the affected skin while it healed. It became part of my daily routine throughout the active phase of my shingles. You can get it everywhere, but just in case, HERE you go.
Why People Use It: To create a protective moisture barrier that helps reduce dryness and supports skin healing.
I didn’t start using emu oil until the active infection had cleared and my doctor gave me the okay. It became part of my post-shingles skincare routine because I loved how deeply moisturizing and comforting it felt on my skin. Day by day, it is helping to reduce the redness. My friend gave me her old bottle, but THIS ONE is also great.
Why People Use It: To moisturize dry, healing skin and support the skin barrier. Research is limited, but many people find it soothing.
Colloidal silver gel was another product many of you mentioned. I chose to try it after the active phase of my shingles, and I am still using it one month out along with the emu oil. I use THIS ONE.
Why People Use It: Some people apply it topically for minor skin irritation.
I’m so grateful for this community. Thank you for sharing your stories, your support, and your suggestions. Before trying any medication, supplement, herb, therapy, or dietary change, verify that it's appropriate for your individual situation with a qualified healthcare professional. I truly appreciate every one of you.
Love you guys. ❤️
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