Ever had shingles?

[phorsenuf]

If so, what were your symptoms leading up to the rash breakout (if any)? What was the location?

Last night I started getting this band of pain on my left side. It doesn't feel muscular, more topical feeling in nature.

Curious what your experience was.

 

[Handbag Lady]

If so, what were your symptoms leading up to the rash breakout (if any)? What was the location?

Last night I started getting this band of pain on my left side. It doesn't feel muscular, more topical feeling in nature.

Curious what your experience was.

That is the exact feeling I had. Have you been feeling cranky, too?

 

[phorsenuf]

That is the exact feeling I had. Have you been feeling cranky, too?

Not too cranky. Mostly a headache and sniffling a lot. I also have been breaking out in terrible sweats too for no reason. Did you end up with the rash? Where was yours?

 

[MnMomtoboys]

Mine was on the right side. Supposedly shingles stays on one side. If u think u have it get your butt to the doctor tomorrow at the latest. I think you have 3 days to get meds otherwise your it out of luck.

Shingles was the most painful trying I have ever dealt with. At one point I was wishing was labor because it would have been less painful. Turns out I was pregnant.

 

[minnie mum]

The shingles rash is often preceded by headaches and flu-like symptoms. Any sign of a rash in the area that is painful? You should see your doctor within 3 days of onset of symptoms to start antiviral therapy. The doctor may also prescribe pain killers and an ointment for the rash and blisters. You have my sympathy if you have this. A good friend had this recently and was absolutely miserable for weeks.

DH and I both got the shingles vaccine this year to hopefully avoid getting the disease. The vaccine isn't a guarantee, but it would at least result in a milder case if we do get it.

 

[Mokat76]

Mine was on the right side. Supposedly shingles stays on one side. If u think u have it get your butt to the doctor tomorrow at the latest. I think you have 3 days to get meds otherwise your it out of luck. Shingles was the most painful trying I have ever dealt with. At one point I was wishing was labor because it would have been less painful. Turns out I was pregnant.

I haven't but my neighbor had it this summer and it laid her out. She is usually so active. She calls this her lost summer because it truly was.
I echo what MnMom said. Get to a doctor NOW. DONT WAIT.

 

[phorsenuf]

I have no rash though so how would the Dr. be able to tell? Would they put me on meds based on a possibility? I'll give my Dr. a buzz in the morning about it, but I doubt they'll be able to get me in (VA). Probably will end up at urgent care if I go.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I had pain on my right side right about where the band of my bra rubs. It felt like sunburn but there was nothing there.

I had one small little itchy patch on my back that I just dismissed as dry skin. It was no bigger than a quarter.

The pain got really intense anytime my clothing even so much as brushed my right side.

I went to the doctor and as he examined me he found the small rash on my back and put it all together.

I felt like an idiot because I told him I must have gotten it from DH's cousin who had it shortly before they visited! I've since been educated.

I hope that if it IS shingles that you catch it early! I had a very mild case and the pain was BAD.

 

[Mokat76]

My neighbor barely ever had any rash but the one sided severe pain with a few little rash like bumps were enough. If you can get to one of those quick clinics if VA can't see you timely, do it.

 

[ronandannette]

The shingles rash is often preceded by headaches and flu-like symptoms. Any sign of a rash in the area that is painful? You should see your doctor within 3 days of onset of symptoms to start antiviral therapy. The doctor may also prescribe pain killers and an ointment for the rash and blisters. You have my sympathy if you have this. A good friend had this recently and was absolutely miserable for weeks.

DH and I both got the shingles vaccine this year to hopefully avoid getting the disease. The vaccine isn't a guarantee, but it would at least result in a milder case if we do get it.

Good luck OP - I sure hope you have something else (maybe contact dermatitis) but I agree you should get medical attention ASAP even if it is at a walk-in clinic.

For some reason, I am extremely paranoid about this ailment although I've never really known anyone who experienced it. Here in our Health Region, vaccine is only administered to people over the age of 50. Our Dr. has ordered a dose for DH but I'll be sitting here "unprotected" for another couple of years.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

You should also try to avoid being around those who are pregnant until your dr. confirms your dx.

My son had the singles and it was terrible and he was about 14. Its very painful. As others said get to the dr asap. We waited till it was too late because we didnt know the symptoms and he got the meds anyway but they really didnt help.

Also stress makes it worse too.

With your med. history I would see the dr. asap.

Wishing you all the best and hope you feel better soon.

 

[minkydog]

DH started out like that when he had shingles. One evening he asked me to look at his back. He thought maybe he had a boo-boo of some kind back there but I couldn't see anything. At 6am the next morning he woke me up crying because it hurt so bad. I lifted up his shirt and y'all prolly know what I saw--a string of small blistery bumps that went from this spine to around the front, like a string of pearls. I knew right away that it was shingles and got him to the doctor as soon as they opened. It was very painful the first 2 weeks, and then moderately sore for another 2 weeks. I attribute his relatively easy recovery to having gotten him on the anti-virals so quickly. I've known other people who had way worse experiences with shingles.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

See my small rash wasn't even in the area where my pain was nor did I have blisters. It looked like a small group of bug bites. It was below my right shoulder blade. The area that hurt was about two inches tall and went from my spine to my belly button, and like I said, right where my bra band is(only on the right side which is a telltale sign).

I wouldn't wait for a rash to develop OP.

 

[Handbag Lady]

Mine was a band on my left side. It was uncomfortable but not the agony I know others to have. I never got a full rash that I could see, my doctor said she saw it, though. Mine was in little red pinpricks. I was also told I had the easiest case my doc has seen in ages.

I was just really cranky and mean to people. I was very uncomfortable and I just felt an overall sense of disenchantment and melancholy.

 

[Pamlur]

Mine went down my right arm; my arm hurt so badly and so deeply that I felt like I could snap it between my fingers. Then the burning, itching blisters started. I had it 25 years ago, and I still have scars on my arm.

 

[bushdianee]

I thought I had lice! Mine were on the top right side of my forehead and scalp. It didn't hurt but itched horribly. I went to the Dr. and saw a PA who misdiagnosed it as impitago (sp). I went back when the itching got worse and the cream wasn't working. I saw the same PA who had no idea what he was looking at. He called in my regular Dr who took one look at it and said it was shingles. It cleared up fairly quickly once the right meds were given.

 

[LindaG4458]

Mine was a band on my left side. It was uncomfortable but not the agony I know others to have. I never got a full rash that I could see, my doctor said she saw it, though. Mine was in little red pinpricks. I was also told I had the easiest case my doc has seen in ages.

I was just really cranky and mean to people. I was very uncomfortable and I just felt an overall sense of disenchantment and melancholy.

Mine was very similar to this. I had been in pre- and post-op with a bunch of little kids getting their nasal tubes inserted. Later I started having symptoms of shooting pain around the left side. When I finally went to the doctor he could see the rash that was not visible to me. It was mainly annoying. He gave me some kind of meds to control contagion to others.

This year my doctor suggested the shingles vaccine and I did have it. Other than the injection discomfort I have had no problems so far.

 

[BonnieA]

I've had shingles 3 times. The first was the worst but still a very mild case, never have the blisters. Valtrex worked very good. That case was on my bra line. When it first started it felt like a plastic string from a price marker was irritating. So I caught mine early. But it was still horrible, I can't imagine what a full blown case is like. The other two times it tried to appear on the bottom of my foot (yes you can get it there). But got treatment right away. So not even red, and bad stuff ended the same day after I took Valtrex. Now I know the feeling and have a prescription ready in case.

 

[Cruisin]

For about a week or so I had a pain that I misdiagnosed as kidney stone pain in my left side. I do know that I have kidney stones in that kidney because of previous CT scans.

The pain that I had felt extremely similar to the pain of kidney stones. No other symptoms really.

When it didn't go away after that much time I went to be checked out. The doctor at first couldn't figure out what it was and eventually said that even though I didn't have any rash he thought that I had shingles. Prescribed me some meds and sent me home.

Lo and behold the next morning there were a few small red bumps on my side. I only got a few and they didn't really cause me any trouble at all.

So, all in all, I had it pretty easy which I know is not normal, so I was lucky.

 

[daughtersrus]

I have to say that it was the most painful thing that I've ever had including 3 C-Sections, appendectomy and having my gallbladder removed.
Mine rash was a cluster of small bumps similar to bug bites on the back of my head. The pain radiated from the back of my head, all the way down my back and all around my skull.

I went to urgent care twice. They never said it was shingles but I'm sure it was. The pain lasted for several weeks. It was so bad that I had to sleep sitting up so that nothing was touching the bumps. Car rides were horrible because the back of the seat would touch the rash.

Thankfully it hasn't returned. A friend of mine has had shingles twice.