Piggyback to Shingles Shot

I think it says "waking hours" because, if you got the same prescription I did, it says to take every 4 hours, 5 times per day. Well, that's 20 hours and most of us aren't awake that long. So I think it just means that you don't have to set an alarm and wake up to take one if you're sleeping.

I took mine on this schedule: first at 7:00 a.m, then 11:00, then 3:00, then 7:00 p.m., and last at 11:00 p.m.

But on the weekends when I wasn't up and 7:00 a.m., I took the first one later, but then didn't get that fifth one in before going to bed.

I ended up getting a second prescription of the same meds because the day after I finished the first prescription, it started getting worse. So I called the doc and got the second prescription so I was on the meds for two full weeks.

After the outbreak started, I realized that the morning I felt like throwing up and the mild diarrehea (SP?) I had were probably symptoms but I didn't pay much attention because they weren't that bad.

I am sooooo sorry you have this. I am just now getting over mine, 3 weeks later. I still have what I call mild pain, but Advil seems to relieve that.

If you're not taking any pain meds, I would recommend Advil. It really helped me.

I wish I knew more about shingles, so then I could more appropriately answer your ques! I think that the medication states during waking hours b/c if it says every 6 hours it doesn't mean get up in the middle of the night to take, (only take during the hours you're awake). From what I do know about shingles I believe its the chicken pox virus reactivating itself and b/c of this most def it causes tired and other flu like symptoms.I'm sorry you are going through this, my friends husband had shingles and it was so painful :( Hope you feel better soon!!!!

Please call your pharmacist about when to take the medication. They are the best!

And yes, I was exhausted before the shingles showed themselves. I also had aches in my side. Go figure.

Take care.

During waking hours means this:

If the med says take 3 times per day during waking hours then you need to take it at intervals while you are awake, for instance if you get up at 9am but go to bed around 9pm then 8am, 4pm, and Midnight won't work for you. You'd have to take it about every 6 hours to get all 3 doses in.

In the "olden" days if a med said every 6 hours then mom was setting an alarm and waking the kiddo up to take a med.

I would always ask a pharmacist over anyone else when I have any question about medication. They have been to college and are "experts" on medications. Docs are experts on treating illnesses not the meds that are given. They know a lot but the pharmacist is the actual expert when it comes to any medication.