Shingles (Virus, Not Roof Material)

[njdevilsb]

I came down with a mild case of shingles this past week.  The main purpose of this post is to bring awareness so others won't make the same mistake that I did.

Last Wednesday, I had a small rash that was very uncomfortable and burned that developed right at my belt line on my right side.  I kept an eye on it and used calamine lotion on it, but it just progressively kept getting worse. 

By Saturday, they had turned into blisters that were surrounded by red skin.  Throughout the process, I have felt everything from a mild fever to headache to weakness.  I had about 9 blisters in about a 2 inch clump.  I couldn't wear any kind of clothing on them and the burning was just about unbearable.  I also had some shooting pains that would come and go. 

Through some research, I basically had self diagnosed myself with shingles.  I was hoping symptoms would let up by Monday, but they didn't.  I went to the doctor Monday morning and sure enough, it was shingles.  He said there is an antivirus for it but it's pretty much useless if the rash has been present for 48-72 hours, and this was my 6th day.  At the time, my worst pain was about a 4/10 and I had 9 blisters about the size of my pinky nail, but really thick.  He told me to just take Aleve and watch it.  Today is my 9th day and they are just starting to get better.   The intense burning is much better but it's still there sometimes and the shooting pains are all but gone.  The blisters are finally starting to go down but are turning a red bloody color underneath. 

I'm 27 years old and shingles aren't really common for people in my age group.  I am just thankful that I had a mild case because I've basically been laying around for 9 days except to force myself to go to class (thankfully only 1 class per day).  I took time off work to rest up.  Hopefully if anybody reads this it can be a lesson that if you develop a burning painful rash, don't assume that it's nothing major and it'll just go away.  Even if you just have an area that burns or has pain, get it checked.  Shingles can be felt before the rash develops.  I waited too long for the antivirus to be helpful.  I just assumed the dry air and agitation from my pants caused the rash and it would go away.  Throughout my research, I have read some horror stories of cases much more severe than mine.  If you have had chicken pox, you are at risk for shingles for the rest of your life as it's caused by the same virus.  It lives by your spine and in certain situations, it will follow your nerve path and do what it did to me.

Luckily it happened before turkey season.  I would have been hobbling out there one way or another.

[cahaba]

Glad you are finally getting some relief. I started to take the shingle virus shot till I read several horror stories related to it. Our doctors nurse said "you don't want it" talking about the shingle shot. I really don't know whether to take it or not.

[njdevilsb]

Did she say why not to get it?  Doing a little searching, I see it's mostly for people over 50 years old, but I didn't see major side effect.

[mwr]

I'm 60 and taking Valtrex and steroids, at least that is what he is treating me for, the shingles, I have the pain but no rash yet?? Its been a week, it getting better but the steroids drive my type2 diabetes sky high and these are some nasty drugs!!! Did they make you sick??  My wife had the vaccine and has not had any trouble with it. My is around one side of my waist and my shoulder??  When I can I am getting that vaccine if I can, don't want to go thru this again!!!! Mikey

[njdevilsb]

If you're asking me about the treatment, I didn't get it.  If you're asking about shingles, they did make me not feel well.  Actually, today I felt the worst physically.  Some of the side effects include flu like symptoms.

Hopefully you've caught it early enough that it won't keep progressing.

[DirtNap647]

nasty stuff... get well soon

[Skeeterbait]

I had a bout of Bell's palsy as a child soon after having the chicken pox.  Then at 39 years old I had two back to back bouts of Bell's palsy which left half my face partially but permanently paralyzed followed by shingles behind my ear and in my scalp.  All are caused by the same virus.  Generally they don't give the shingles vaccine to younger people but in my case history, they thought it warranted.  I am 54 years old now and no more problems have occurred.  Can't say it was the vaccine but it may be.  Either way, I have had no ill effects from the vaccine I know of.

People talk about the burning and shooting pain of shingles which is bad, but as you now know there is more to it.  A sickening ill feeling in general, it fries your entire emotional system making you anxious about every noise around you and bright lights.  You just want to get away from everyone and hunker down in a dark, quiet room and wait it out.  Mine lasted for about a month.

I feel for you, know what your going thru.  Wish I had a quick cure for you but I don't.  Sounds like yours is abating so that is good news.  Hopefully you won't have a reoccurrence, but if you do, consider pressing your doctor about the vaccine.

[woodsman1977]

Glad your feeling better, I had the same thing happen to me about 6 weeks ago.

I am 36 and was preparing for my mexican vacation and was using a tanning bed, couple days later i felt the burning sensation on my back, just below my shoulder blade. I didn't pay too much attention at first becasuse i thought I was just in the bed a couple minutes too long. It only got worse and so i went to the doctor on the 5th day. He gave me a perscription and it cleared up about 10 days later.

It really sucked though!!!!

[ShortSpurs]

+BTDT, it is a pesky, itchy, painful condition. My neighbor has had them twice, within a year. My doctor said that the virus can actually take place below the skin surface and not appear on the surface. Some folks are left with a scared area, I have a dime sized spot at the waist on my left side, and its been years since the event.

[BigGobbler]

That's some nasty crap my wife had it when she was 22 and it bloomed big time when she had to have kemo and radiation for cancer. I would not wish that on anyone.she still has some battle wounds from it.

[bmhern]

My mother and my grandmother both had the shingles. It can be very painful and hard to overcome, my grandmother ended up with her right arm partially paralyzed from it. Its nothing to play around with.

[Dtrkyman]

I guess I am the lucky one, I had a rash on my side that itched a little but did not burn, I never felt sick at all but after a while I had it checked out and it was shingles, I thought it was from a tick bite I had in the area.

The ignorant Doctor asked me what made me think I had a tick bite in a really arrogant tone, well I said maybe because I pulled a FN tick off my side moron!  Dont really even remember but I think they gave me a prescription for it and never had another case of it, this was over 10 years ago, I had chicken pox when I was a kid so I guess this is why I got it.

[cahaba]

Did she say why not to get it?  Doing a little searching, I see it's mostly for people over 50 years old, but I didn't see major side effect.

She didn't elaborate on it. The shot is basically introducing the virus into your system in a small amount. I read where people who took the shot actually got full blown shingles. Some had the symptoms come back more than once. Here is a link to people who have taken the vaccine. There's 53 comments. Don't just read the first page.
http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drugreview-144377-ZOSTAVAX+SubQ.aspx?drugid=144377&drugname=ZOSTAVAX+SubQ

[tomstopper]

Nasty stuff. A guy here at work had it as well and hes only 32. He said that he had never been that sick in his life...... Glad your starting to feel better....

[njdevilsb]

It is interesting to hear of all of the different experiences people here have had with it.  I feel for everybody who has/had it worse than I currently do.  It's definitely not something I want to have again nor watch somebody go through.  No matter what you have, usually there is somebody who is worse off.  Thanks for all of the replies.

Skeeterbait, I didn't realize that Bell's Palsy was also caused by the same virus.  That must have been an awful time for you.