Anyone had Shingles on their face/head?

I actually went back to my ophthalmologist yesterday for a check. Was surprised to find out I had lesions on both the top and lower eye ball (it was clear Thursday when I went), lucky it's not in my line of sight though👍 so I've not been aware of it (apart from the pain) and any potential scaring shouldn't affect my sight. Going back in a weeks time for another hopefully final check up.

Head, where I have the rash, has now dried up and scabs on any lesions so I'm no longer infectious to people who've not had chicken pox. Downside is itchy now and head is still numb?? Hoping this is going to subside, anyone else experienced how long that lasts?

Hope you're also feeling much better Pauline.

G

Dear Gordon,

As you have been placed more promptly on antivirals than some, hopefully the more severe pain, burning, and itching shall diminish the first three weeks, with milder pain, itching, and burning the second three weeks. Some people are more fortunate and have very little symptoms after the first three weeks. The shingles affecting the the cranial (In the head) nerves can certainly be excruciating, as I can attest. Pain can wear one down. Certain people swear by L lysine, but double blind research control trials have shown no efficacy. The nerves shall regenerate . If you are itchy, you might ask your physician for Zyrtec or Atarax, as that should help tremendously. You still need to rest as you are recovering from a viral insult on your body and your recovery shall drag on if you don't. I am in the US, so please Google the medications for the UK names, as you have different brand names across the pond. I hope this helps.. The eye is the worst place to get Shingles, unfortunately. Please be aware that one can get recurrent Shingles, as too many physicians are unaware of this salient fact.

please take care.

Merry Juliana

Thanks again Merry. I'll look into those. I'm a Brit who moved to Sydney Australia, different pond 😄

Hope to get back into my training again soon!

Certainly that is an even larger pond! I can't even imagine flying that long a distance! I have never had the pleasure of visiting NZ or Australia! I lived in Europe for six great years and thus was able to visit the UK frequently. I live on the east coast on the Atlantic in Delaware, one of the original thirteen colonies. Hopefully you can swim in Sydney. The North Sea is frightfully cold. I am sorry the lesions affected your eye.

At least you are on the road to

recovery.

To your health!

Merry Juliana

My  eye itches every single day after 7 months!! I had shingles at the end of March, in the eye, forehead and head,  although luckily my vision wasn't affected,my eye gets sore from rubbing it and most days it is uncomfortable even when it isn't itching, It seems ridiculous that there is nothing that can prevent this from just carrying on and on!! My head was numb for a while after shingles but that gradualkly stopped, but the itching never has!

I rmemeber the numb stage in my 

head and temple, it diid't last very long but it's now coming up to a year and although the head and forehead are better my eye has never stopped itching on and off every single day, also feels sore a lot of the time., I was told last week that I have a scar on the cornea. Luckily I have not lost sight in that eye! Not everyone gets PHN, complications after the shingles have gone, so I hope you are one of the luckier ones!

oh boy!  They didn't give you anything to take???  Not even an anti-viral to kill the virus???  I would definitely get a second opinion.  It will go away in time but to take the chance of not killing the virus seems odd to me.  This is my 4th time having them and I am 57 years old.  This time I have no rash or blisters....just that undescribable pain!  I'm learning that Shingles can affect different people in different ways.  I know that you need to be mindful of being around someone that is pregnant or has never had chicken pox.  You can't give them Shingles but it is possible to give them chicken pox.  I hope you get some relief.  I always wonder why it likes to come out right under the bra!  That just adds insult to injury.   Good luck!

So sorry you are suffering. The excruciating pain reoccurring in the same spot is your clue that it is Herpes Zoster-Shingles. Your physician should have prescribed an antivira within three days of onset and an opioid for pain. Unfortunately, physicians are not savy regarding treatment of this viral illness. You had the prodromal onset of the disease with feeling run down, achey.

Merry Juliana

We all feel your pain, itchiness, and aches!  You sound like you really have a nasty case of it.  I took the same medicine and you're right...it looks like it's the size of a thigh bone!  3 a day for 7 days can seem like a lot of pill swallowing but it helps.  I would say stay off work until your rash/blisters have dried over.  From what I understand, that is when you are contagious and if you work in a bank or with the public, you run the risk of passing on chicken pox to anyone not immune.  Plus, you're going to feel like crap while the virus works out of your system.  Don't feel the slightest bit guilty!  They should thank you for taking care of yourself plus to not take the chance to pass it on.. Hopefully you got something that will help with the pain. There really are no words to properly describe the pain, is there?!?  But, we all can relate to it and we share your pain.  It takes a little while to fully get over but every day should get better.  Just allow yourself to slow down, rest as much as you need, and work on feeling better.  Good luck!!!

You absolutely should be off from work. First, you are infected with Herpes Zoster virus and are very sick with a viremia. Second, you have a rash that cannot be covered as it is on your face, thus exposing and possibly infecting people to the virus who have not had chickenpox. Any one who is immunocompromised is at terrible risk.

My other huge concern is that if the rash is in your eye, it is considered an emergency and you should be seen today by an ophthalmologist. The Herpes Zoster virus can damage your eye, so please see an ophthalmologist right away.

I am so sorry you are suffering, as the pain can be excruciating. If you are in agony, and I was, your physician should give you an opioid and perhaps Lyrica. I use Auralgon ear drops that have Benzocaine, which help.

I get Herpes Zoster in my right ear every three to five weeks for the last 19 years. The first time I went to three ENT doctors. The first two thought it was all in my head (well, it was) as the rash had not appeared in the ear canal, as yet, even though the pain was excruciating. The third one diagnosed it.

I hope this helps.

Merry Juliana