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Anyone had Shingles on their face/head?

Posted , 79 users are following.

Schumacher13
Schumacher13

I was diagnosed as having Shingles on Friday at the doctors. I started itching on my forehead Tues night and by the next day my forehead had all red marks on it? I didn't realise you can get shingles on your face? 

I have had horrible pain on/off since, swelling on my eyebrow and jawline near my ears?

Anyone else had this? How long will it last? Also should I be off work with it?

Appeciate any advice please

8 likes, 309 replies

309 Replies

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  • gordoOMGitHurts
    gordoOMGitHurts Schumacher13

    Posted

    I'm with you, got it on my head and eye at the moment, diagnosed Wednesday night. It's been very painful even before it was diagnosed. After it was my eye completely swelled up and closed over, looked like I'd been in a boxing match (Friday morning). I did, as advised and went straight to an opthamologist on Thursday who was able to tell my eye,retina and optic nerve all looked ok, but was advised to go back next week to see them again for another check up - so highly recommend this to you.

    72 hours on the Antivirals and it seems to be abating slightly. Though I've had a constant headache and some nausea/vomiting in the first couple of days. Guess that was a mixture of the meds. What I'm finding amazing is how I got here... I'm a very fit 39 year old male and did not think I was run down at all. Young family stress is all.

    Also Concerned about possible Postherpetic Neuralgia, Eye Dr said symptoms of shooting pains can last up to a year 😁 lets hope we're not in that 15% eh?!

    Good luck.

    G

    • Schumacher13
      Schumacher13 gordoOMGitHurts

      Posted

      Thank you G

      I too am amazed how I got it!! People keep asking me who gave it me? 

      I realise how very little I knew about this illness till I got it and I'm a nurse!!! I am older than you at 55, but the only stress I have is work related which most people seem to suffer with on a daily basis??? 

      Hope you are feeling a little better today?

      Pauline.

    • gordoOMGitHurts
      gordoOMGitHurts Schumacher13

      Posted

      I am too thanks Pauline. You can get a vaccination if you're over 50 I believe?? I'm based in Australia now and that's the rule here. I'd pay for it after this 😉 or definitely book in for one when I am!

      Glad you're feeling a bit better.

      Good luck.

      G

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 gordoOMGitHurts

      Posted

      Hi Gordon,

      When it is in your eye, it is excruciating and agonizing! The reason you vomited is any inflammation of your eye stimulates the vomiting center of the brain. As I have Scleritis, a bad autoimmune disease of the eyeball, and recurrent Shingles- Herpes Zoster Oticus in my right ear, I literally know how you feel.

      I hope your physician gave you an opioid such as oxycodone for the extreme pain , because he should have. The one feared complications of Herpes Zoster, especially when it occurs in the eye or ear is encephalomeningitis. If you develop a fever, severe headacstiff neck, start hallucinating, etc, go to the emergency room.

    • gordoOMGitHurts
      gordoOMGitHurts Merry19451

      Posted

      Thanks for you reply to me Merry. Great advice, sounds like you've had a hell of a time, sorry to hear that.

      Stay Positive.

    • Thameslass
      Thameslass Jane1618

      Posted

      That's only in the UK - I believe that we could choose to pay for it privately before then.

      I assume that in the US they have to pay for it whatever their age.

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 Thameslass

      Posted

      Thameslass,

      In the US, insurance covers the Zostavax immunization at age 55.

      Merry Juliana

    • Boomslang
      Boomslang Jane1618

      Posted

       Good Lord,....If you have had a bout already with this awful thing-- regardless of what the policy making "haters" are telling you, ask yourself one simple question: In my sountry;",Is: a vaccinanation  ontainable.?" I will worry later about how it gets paid for,... since I have been watching insurance companies dictate what,who and how much they pay for everything if they decide to cover it at all here in the US. Iy is shameful in a prosperous country that people are hoing unvaccinated because decent healthcare is always just not within  the average citizen`s budget.  Socialized medicine  from what I hear does not tell people they have to wait until they are 70 for a shingles vaccination

    • ruth_04912
      ruth_04912 Merry19451

      Posted

      I have had shingles in my eye for many years. Just yesterday the doctors decided that a left Temporal Tarsorrhaphy was necessary. 

      Do you think this will help in any way?

       

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 ruth_04912

      Posted

      Ruth,

      I do not know why you are having this done. Usually, this is done so that the cornea can heal. Have you had recurrent shingles so many times that your cornea has ulcerative lesions that don't heal, or another non healing condition?...

      Are you immunocompromised that you keep getting shingles in your eye?

      How old are you? I know it is horrible to have recurrent Herpes Zoster-Shingles.

      I am a Nurse Practitioner in the States and have had Herpes Zoster-Shingles in my right ear every three to five weeks for the past twenty years and twice in my right eye.

      Best Wishes

      Merry Juliana

    • ruth_04912
      ruth_04912 Merry19451

      Posted

      Thank you for responding...I had shingles 5 years ago in Denver that affected my ocular nerve.  My current (CA) opthomalogist said it  (shingles) won't go away.   He keeps me on the anti-viral(Valacyclovir), which I thought was only taken when shingles first erupt. Do you know the reasons I could be still taking this? Have I been having recurrent episodes without my knowing.  Dr. says I have an open sore which will not heal unless lids are sewn together. 2 questions:  Why am I stll taking the anti-viral, and am I contagious?

      Thank you!

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 ruth_04912

      Posted

      When you have Herpes Zoster-Shingles ophthalmicus, it affects the first branch of the Trigeminal Nerve...

      I can't begin to think of a rationale to have you on full-strength Valcyclovir continuously. The Ophthalmologist is probably concerned about reactivation of the varicella virus. He has to weigh the risk of recurrent Herpes Zoster-Shingles episodes to the risk of the adverse reactions of the Antivirals...I hope your liver and kidney functions are monitored. Are you on 1000 mg three times daily?

      I do not know if your eye is shedding viral particles ie..Active disease...That is a question for your Ophthalmologist....Do you have any vesicle-blisters on your face. If you don't have any lesions, I doubt that you are contagious.

      The fact that you have a complication from Herpes Zoster-Shingles tells me that you have a severe problem.

      Where are you in California?

      Merry Juliana

    • ruth_04912
      ruth_04912 Merry19451

      Posted

      Thank you for your speedy reply. I live in the Walnut Creek area. I will ask my Dr. those three questions tomorrow.
    • Jane1618
      Jane1618 gordoOMGitHurts

      Posted

      It's almost a year for me but no pain in eye, just itching and sometimes it feels sore but looks normal, Scar on cornea I was told last week but thankfully vision is ok so far!

    • Adldiane
      Adldiane Thameslass

      Posted

      In the US we can get it after age 50 and we have a new one coming out (Shingrex) not sure of spelling. Merry knows all about it. Thank God. Shingles is a side effect of my RA medicine and I have had shingle more than once and I am waiting on it to be approved. I would have had shingles way more has I not had the Acyclovir to ward it off my right ear stops up and the tingling starts and I know "here it comes again" so I get on the medicine. Diane

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