Ever had shingles?

[MnMomtoboys]

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.

Right now I hate you.

Phors get to the doc..

 

[ebtbmom]

I had it on my forehead. It started with severe cold symptoms then the blisters developed. My ninny of a dr didn't know what it was so she didn't treat me even though I suggested shingles. She referred me to a dermatologist and after about a week and a half I finally got an antiviral.

The blisters felt like hot burning. My hair couldn't brush against it because it hurt. Occasionally I'll still feel a burn near the nerve path.

 

[Cruisin]

Right now I hate you.

Sorry

 

[Octoberbride03]

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.

Oh VA

This is 1 of the biggest pet peeves about living in this state. Need a Dr's appt. its 4-6 weeks!! I had major back pain this fall(guessing sciatica) that was wicked!! and called my Dr, nurse is like 6 weeks is best i can do. Ok fine, I'll just go ahead and rent the wheelchair now for the coming paralysis. I think Urgent care is my new regular Doc.

As for Shingles, I have not had the displeasure, though my sister did this past summer. Not quite sure how long she had it for. I'm hoping to last another 18 years till I'm old enough for the vaccine.

 

[johnsontrio]

Noticed a small itchy and burning lesion right in my eyebrow area around 11pm, thought " that's weird" but didn't make much of it. The next morning there were 4, curved down towards my temple and I knew right away what it was. Called my BIL, an infectious disease MD, and started on the antivirals by 10am. Never developed more lesions but ended up with that side of my head swollen up softball size, throbbing pain and fatigue that lasted about one week. I credit the limited course of the attack to starting the antivirals right away. I've know several people that have had several months long protracted courses that have been very debilitating. One male cousin of mine lost 38 pounds.

 

[Nancy]

Mine was on my head. Before the rash broke out my head hurt to touch it and I had swollen areas where the lymph glands are. After 2 days of it hurting more and more to touch my head and then feeling headachy and really sick I went to urgent care never thinking the doctor would tell me he thought I would be breaking out in the shingles rash in a day or so. The next day I felt my head and it felt like little bumps in a few areas where the pain was. Sure enough I broke out.

The doctor had given me Valtrex prescription and said to fill it and as soon as the rash broke out to start taking it. I was told to watch for a high fever and was told that I was not contagious until I actually broke out. Shingles are not contagious but if someone did not have chicken pox they could develop that and I was also told not to be around pregnant women...so I was off work for 2 weeks.

I actually ended up in the ER..fever went up to 103, pain was so intense I couldn't even sleep because just touching my head to the pillow hurt. I also was having issues with bright light hurting my right eye (which was the side the shingles was on). I got some nice pain meds since tylenol wasn't doing a thing. Valtrex taken right at the start kept the outbreak from getting really bad.

And my good thing that happened with it....I had to go see an ophthalmologist to make sure the shingles didn't affect the nerve in my right eye. When she was checking my eyes she saw something in the left eye that now needs to be watched. I have a mole on my retina in my left eye. My normal eye doctor would not have caught it...but now I have to have it looked at once a year to make sure there are no changes just like any other mole.

 

[MIGrandma]

Can you START getting shingles and then have it STOP?

The reason I ask is because a few weeks ago I woke up with pain on my left side, right at my bra line and then down 3-4 inches. It felt like a really bad sunburn. Couldn't see anything there. It bothered me for a couple of days, then went away, then a few days later came back but not as bad, went away again and hasn't been back.

Maybe it was something else, I don't know.

Our doctor doesn't recommend the shingles shot until age 60, so I've got 3 more years to wait.

I've tried to get my Mom to have one, she's 77, but she doesn't want to. She said it doesn't guarantee you won't get it, which I knew, but still at least if you had the shot and you still got it you would know you did what you could.

Question for those who have had it more than once. Does she shingles shot not work at all if you've already had it once? I was just wondering why you didn't get it after your first bout with it, if you've had it 2-3 times or more.

 

[phorsenuf]

Thank you all for your replies and experiences. Since I wasn't feeling any worse today i did not go to the Drs. Plus I had so darn much to do I just couldn't. If tomorrow it seems any worse though I'll get checked out.

Oh VA

This is 1 of the biggest pet peeves about living in this state. Need a Dr's appt. its 4-6 weeks!! I had major back pain this fall(guessing sciatica) that was wicked!! and called my Dr, nurse is like 6 weeks is best i can do. Ok fine, I'll just go ahead and rent the wheelchair now for the coming paralysis. I think Urgent care is my new regular Doc.

I'm still waiting on a call back from the nurse at the VA for a pain I had in my side. Ended up in the ER and having emergency surgery for that one.

 

[minnie56]

Reading this ....so glad I had the shingles vaccine!!!

 

[momtotwo]

My pain started in my lower back almost like I strained it. It was only on one side though. I had itching too, but the rash took several days to come out. Mine was on my left side and the pain got very bad.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Reading this ....so glad I had the shingles vaccine!!!

Me, too. Just be aware that the vaccine is only 40% effective. But, it's at least effective.

My sister had shingles, way back in the day when we were all kids, I think she was 7. Our younger sister & I got chicken pox and she got shingles. She has scars around one side of her waist. My mom always said that road trip from New York to Kansas with 3 sick kids wasn't not the highlight of her life.

Yes, the doctor told her it was OK to take the trip, since she had to quarantine us kids any way, we would just be quarantined in the car.

 

[JanaDee]

Reading this ....so glad I had the shingles vaccine!!!

So did my MIL and she still got shingles. The lingering debilitating nerve pain in her head contributed to her death.

 

[minnie56]

Me, too. Just be aware that the vaccine is only 40% effective. But, it's at least effective.

My sister had shingles, way back in the day when we were all kids, I think she was 7. Our younger sister & I got chicken pox and she got shingles. She has scars around one side of her waist. My mom always said that road trip from New York to Kansas with 3 sick kids wasn't not the highlight of her life.

Yes, the doctor told her it was OK to take the trip, since she had to quarantine us kids any way, we would just be quarantined in the car.

It's a little higher when you're younger but does decrease as we age.
I've heard typically if one does get despite having the vaccine it's a milder case so I'll take any shot I can get at that!

 

[Neesy228]

I ended up with shingles on my right side (covering my entire shoulder blade, under my arm along my bra line and down my side). It was the most painful thing I've ever been through and my right shoulder area is still "numb" from the damage. The doctor said it covered 20% of my body. I didn't realize what it was and we were on vacation when it started, so by the time I got to the doctor, it was too late for anti-virals. I spent weeks on painkillers and my friends helped me with my children. Mine started with an itchy back. Then, I thought I had pulled a muscle. Then I thought I had gotten too much sun when it started to burn. Then the blisters started. I urge you to go see your doctor asap. Its not anything to second guess.

 

[ellone]

When I was younger I remember that shingles was rare. It's rising and it seems like the medical community isn't looking for the cause. They have a vaccine that is nowhere near 100% effective. So in my mind they really should be looking into the the root cause.

Did having kids with the chickenpox somehow boost an adults immunity to prevent shingles? Or is it due to a lack of vitamins from a change in diets to processed foods that don't get us as much vitamins as fresh foods did? Some vitamins do help the symptoms of shingles so this could have merit (but you can't get big pharmaceutical patent money from vitamins so I doubt anyone wants to do a study on that).