I'm a hypochondriac and I have shingles.
Posted , 3 users are following.
Greetings & Salutations!
I first found out I had the shingles in 2015 - silly me thought it was a spider bite - It was on the back of my left arm which the doctor thought was odd since it [usually] first flares up on your back.. Anywho, I got a prescription for it and it cleared up within a week or so.. I hadn't had a problem with the blisters since then but that pain in the nerves is the worst sometimes! Today I was sitting down talking to a friend and started to get a pain on my left side, then in my chest.. I've actually had the pain in my chest for a little while now but it's way worse today, and I've been stressing about it all day. A good few hours have past since then and I was serving myself some dinner when I got the worst pain where I had my first flare up all the way down to the side of my ribs. I took some deep breaths to calm myself down and now the pain is back in my chest. I've also been stressed out with school.. I'm just really confused as to what I should do at this point. Maybe someone who's been going through the same pain could give me some advice. *shrugs*
1 like, 8 replies
Samantha4040 Havoc_Rose
Posted
I'm so sorry your having a hard time! Didn't you call your doctor? I would think the sooner you get on an antiviral the better it is. Do you have any heart issues?
Im going through my first shingles experience and I thought the same thing "a spider bite"
others here know so much more and will have better advice I'm sure. Personally, I'll get my doc on the phone no later than tomorrow.
I hope you get some good advice!!
Havoc_Rose Samantha4040
Posted
No. I actually don't have a primary care doctor. And for the heart problems I don't think I do.. I never have in the past.
Thank you, Samantha! I'll see what I can do after the weekend.
Merry19451 Havoc_Rose
Posted
First, I am sorry you are going through this, again. When you think you are having another bout of Herpes Zoster-Shingles, you should see your physician straight away to start on the antivirals.
I get recurrent Herpes Zoster-Shingles, so I am experienced at trying to make the best of it...
May I ask where you live and your age, please?
I have been getting Herpes Zoster-Shingles every three to five weeks in my right ear for the past twenty years and twice in my right eye. I am 65 years. I live in Delaware USA. It is 3 AM here, currently...
Where is the pain in your chest and what does it feel like? Is it like the Shingles pain you had before ie burning lancinating pain? Is there a rash? Do you have a headache, fever, chills, and sweating, aches and pains, malaise, exhaustion, or malaise? Do you have shortness of breath, palpitations?
Do you have heart disease? You mentioned school, and I know how stressful that can be.
Please let me know the answers so I can help advise you.
I am a Nurse Practitioner .
Merry Juliana
Havoc_Rose Merry19451
Posted
Hi, Merry!
I would like to see a physician for this but I unfortunately don't have health insurance at the moment.
I live in Arizona and I'm 26 years old.. It's 11:39pm here, I'm a bit of a night owl.
Ouch! I had no idea you could get them in your ear.
The pain in my chest was more on the left, but felt like that pain was in the both sides, like, a rainbow over the center of my chest. I did feel that burning pain like before but without a rash, the back of my head was hurting, and I did start to get a little bit of a fever which I do remember having the first time I got the shingles. No palpitations or shortness of breath.
I haven't had heart problems in the past. But I do have anxiety and sometimes I psych myself out and think I'm going to have a heart attack, but I just have to stop what I'm doing and take some deep breaths.
I hope my answers help and thank you so much.
Merry19451 Havoc_Rose
Posted
Rose,
Sorry for all the questions, but I am trying to discern if you have chest pain from your heart or from Shingles. If the pain is constant pressure on your breast bone, then I would go to the ER, especially if you are short of breath and/or have palpitations.
If it is the lancinating pain on the side of your chest, and is the same place where you had Shingles before, then you need to see a Physician for Antivirals.
If you aren't certain, please go to A&E or Urgent Care to be evaluated. My motto is, when in doubt,
Check it out....
Let me know what is happening....
I care very much...
Best wishes..
Merry Juliana
Havoc_Rose Merry19451
Posted
I'll be completely honest I'm really scared to go to the ER.
I forgot to mention I woke this morning and didn't have a problem with the pain, I also think I might be starting my menstrual cycle soon.
That's a good motto! I however don't have health insurance, but I will see what I can do after the weekend.
Merry19451 Havoc_Rose
Posted
Often there are clinics for people without health insurance at low cost. I would find out the name of one of those. They are funded by the Federal Government. Try going to a clinic rather than the ER, as a clinic will be far cheaper.
Merry Juliana
Samantha4040 Havoc_Rose
Posted
How are you feeling? my first thought was to make sure you didn't have anything going on with your heart. I was reading the other posts and I see your scared to go to the ER. Like Merry said there are clinics, not sure about your area. You can try to call the health department or any doctors office and ask advice for a free or low cost clinic. If not, getting on the antiviral meds are pretty important if you can get them soon. The ER will take care of you and also may know where you can go for health care. The ER actually diagnosed my shingles when my own pcp didn't know what it was.
Your on my mind and really hope you see someone soon.
samantha