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i am desperate for some sympathy from someone who knows how i feel!

Posted , 5 users are following.

angie76698
angie76698

I am almost certain i have internal shingles. I have not been to the doctor because I'm tried of being looked at like a hypochondriac! Has anyone experienced PHN?

0 likes, 22 replies

22 Replies

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  • Ellie1943
    Ellie1943 angie76698

    Posted

    Hi Angie. What do you mean by internal shingles? Have you had a bout of shingles recently or in the past? If so you can get recurring bouts of it with or without the rash. What symptoms are you having? The virus stays dormant in your nerve endings, after chicken pox, very close to the spine and erupts on your body/skin when you're rundown, stressed or have some auto immune illness.  Most GP's don't recognise it unless you have a rash so that makes things a bit difficult. I'm sure others will come and speak to you soon but if you're unwell and can't get up, go to work etc you should make an appointment to see your GP and tell him/her your symptoms. Good luck rolleyes
  • steve_1
    steve_1 angie76698

    Posted

    yep  9 years of it.

    If by internal shingles you mean the burning pain like someone has grabbed a pressure point or ants crawling along a nerve then welcome to PHN.

    Best cure I found is Tramadol and Amitriptyline.

    Good luck.

    • angie76698
      angie76698 steve_1

      Posted

      Hi Steve.. For speed i have copied what i told Pollyanna. Can you see all of the replies?

      I have had shingles 10 or 12 times. And yes PHN also bit this is different. Started last of Oct between shoulder blades. No rash just itching. Now no itch but numbness and deep pain and swelling. I get very nauseated and severe diarrhea. Now the swelling and pain has come around to my left collar bone. I hate doctors!! But i guess i will habe to go.

  • Ellie1943
    Ellie1943 angie76698

    Posted

    PS from previous post. As Steve said, we are more than likely to get PHN (post herpetic neuralgia after a bout of shingles. It can be painful, itchy, burning or stabbing pain, crawly sensation as it's nerve pain in the nerve affected by the shingles. Where you get it depends on which dermatome, (nerve ending) was affected. Hope we've helped. Ditto see GP if you think it's necessary. They can give you medication for nerve pain and strong opiate type pain killers too. Best wishes. confused
    • angie76698
      angie76698 Ellie1943

      Posted

      Pollyanna...thanks your replying.... I have had shingles 10 or 12 times. And yes PHN also bit this is different. Started last of Oct between shoulder blades. No rash just itching. Now no itch but numbness and deep pain and swelling. I get very nauseated and severe diarrhea. Now the swelling and pain has come around to my left collar bone. I hate doctors!! But i guess i will habe to go.
    • Ellie1943
      Ellie1943 angie76698

      Posted

      Hi Angie. You didn't mention your age, what is it? Sounds like you've had another bout in your back where the dermatones are. Do you know which dermatone your first outbreak was? ie cervical, 1-2-3-4-5. I had it in C3-4 which affected my shoulder, upper arm, back of neck and scalp. That was last April and still having PHN in that region. You should def see your Doc because of the sickness and diarreah. Tell him/her what you've said on here. You may need some anti virals plus strong pain meds and pregablin or similar for the nerve pain. Good luck at GP's! rolleyes

       Are you in the UK or somewhere else?

    • angie76698
      angie76698 Ellie1943

      Posted

      Hi...sorry i took so lomg to reply. I've not felt much like doing anything! I'm 62...an old fart. Lol I'm in the US. Still very sore and swollen. If i do nothing it's better. If i do things I'm almost in tears.
    • Ellie1943
      Ellie1943 angie76698

      Posted

      Hi Angie. I would say you definitely need a doctor if just to get a diagnosis and some pain medication. Did you see one yet?
    • angie76698
      angie76698 Ellie1943

      Posted

      No....no insurance. It's got my left eye numb now. Just keeps getting better!
    • angie76698
      angie76698 Ellie1943

      Posted

      No....no insurance. It's got my left eye numb now. Just keeps getting better!
  • Ellie1943
    Ellie1943 angie76698

    Posted

    Sorry to hear that Angie but couldn't you go to ER? That's what I would do if I felt so ill. Fortunately, here in UK we don't have to have private health insurance unless we want it. The NHS covers most thingsand urgent care is treated in Accident/Emergency dept at a hospital. People knock the NHS but it's a life saver, literally for people who are hardup for whatever reason! Hope you can get something done soon. Best wishes. Pollyanna UK
    • angie76698
      angie76698 Ellie1943

      Posted

      Yeah the health care system sucks here right now. I lost my job of 20 yrs and for the first time i have no insurance. But i just keep hoping it will wear itself out. So you dont have episodes of phn?
  • Ellie1943
    Ellie1943 angie76698

    Posted

    PS. If it is shingles in your eye it definitely is an emergency. It can cause sight loss! Also if it affects your ear it can cause deafness so please, do go to ER.
    • angie76698
      angie76698 Ellie1943

      Posted

      But you know what throws me off everytime is the lack of sympathy from family and friends cause they don't see a terrible rash!!!!!
  • Ellie1943
    Ellie1943 angie76698

    Posted

    Yes I do get PHN sometimes but not as much as I did at first. I'm taking a supplement called L-Lysine which some people on here recommended. It's supposed to help keep PHN and recurring shingles at bay and so far it's worked for me. Available at Health food shops and online through Amazon where I bought some. Good luck and goodnight, I'm off to bed now it's getting late for old ladies like me, (72) rolleyestwisted
    • angie76698
      angie76698 Ellie1943

      Posted

      Pollyanna...so are you like 5 hours ahead of me? It's 7;18 here. Anyway. Went to ER today. Ues everything is shingles and it is around the whole socket of my left eye.
    • Ellie1943
      Ellie1943 angie76698

      Posted

      Hi Angie. No not too well at the moment but not shingles! I have osteo arthritis, (the old fogie type,) lol. Plus some gyne issues at the moment so feeling a bit tired and under the weather. Susan seems to know about the shingles probs and also lives in US so much more up up date than I am. I agree that some docs don't have much knowledge regarding Varicella Zoster. I'm surprised that Merry has not been on with advice, she's a nurse and a sufferer too. Can you get Obama insurance cover? I thought everyone in America was going to get that! It does seem that Varicella Zoster/Shingles hits when we are down or ill with other things. I think any auto immune disease can mean that you're more liable to get the virus as they affect your ability to fight off infections and virus'! Try asking your GP for some blood tests to find out if you have any problems like that. It would account for the reason you have so many outbreaks. Try not to get stressed as this is also a trigger apparently.Stop Googling and see your Doc again. Best wishes Pollyanna. UK

       

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