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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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  • resherrick
    resherrick Schumacher13

    Posted

    I'm having my first real recurrance since last December. four months on Gabapentin and a fistfull of other pain drugs. After thats over you get the Post Herpetic Neuralgia which is residual nerve damage e which may or may not repair itself. I've lost most of my hearing on the right side, my right eye weeps constantly and stamina is nil.

    Now I'm having a recurrance, No ice pick behind the ear and very little burning scalp but my sinuses are a mess and stamina is gone. Had Ramsay-Hunt Syndrome first time, right side of my face collapseed, right eye would not close itching in my right ear. Now right side of my face is scrunched up!

    According to Merry this may continue for the rest of my life. BTW I'm 68.

    there are no rules with this. There is no consensis on treatment, a lot of the Drs. are not even aware of the issues.

    get some good pain treatment, remove stress from your life, sleep lots and scour the Internet for any information you can get. there is a raft of people on this site who are very knowledgable.

     This is scary stuff but you're not alone.

    Keep your head up!

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 resherrick

      Posted

      Hi Resherrick!

      I am so sorry you are having a recurrent episode of Ramsay Hunt Syndrome...I guess we are a select few! Hopefully, you started on an antiviral immediately, and an analgesic, immediately. I also found using Auralgon ear drops which contain Benzocaine, a numbing medication, helps topically with the pain.

      Please also Google the Lysine-Arginine diet Herpes Zoster-Shingles connection. Foods high in Arginine will trigger a Herpes Zoster-Shingles episode. If you eat foods high in Lysine and lower in Arginine, you can get less episodes, less painful episodes, and episodes that are of shorter duration. I love Macadamias, Cashews, and Peanuts- all high in Arginine...and once the lightbulb hit me regarding the diet connection, my episodes are less intense, less protracted, and slightly less frequent.

      Some individuals take Lysine supplements, but they can cause kidney stones and disease, liver disease, and cardiac disease in certain individuals.

      As I know what you are going through with the pain, facial drooping, exhaustion and malaise, my heart goes out to you. I also have trouble swallowing when I have Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. Do you? I find Famvir-Famciclovir easier to swallow as it is smaller.

      My warmest regards to you.

      Merry Juliana

  • kevin31557
    kevin31557 Schumacher13

    Posted

    Thanks so much for having this discussion!  It is wonderful to know I am not alone.  I have had it now for about two weeks.  It started with non-specific pain in my ear and throat, but after 5 days, the rash appeared and pain got worse.  The rash has scabbed over, but now those scabs are highly sensitive, and I have benn getting, luckily a few times a day only, the worst shooting/burning pain of my life.  I have been using ice packs to deal with that.  It seems like one of the nerve strands goes haywire.  Incidentally, I have it on the face, but the lower branch, mandibular, and so do not have to worry about the eye, but still have numb face, and a feeling of fulness and irritation in the ear.  
    • joseph34465
      joseph34465 kevin31557

      Posted

      Have had shingles for 3 months the pain at first was unbearable I take 150 milligrams of Lyrica 3 times a day I take I take 1 30 milligram percocet 3 times a day can I take 130 milligrams Cymbalta once a day. Pain is much better but I still have it but I think I'm on the downside good luck. I went to a pain specialist for the pain. I'm 66 and it's the worst pain I've ever had in my life.

  • micavana
    micavana Schumacher13

    Posted

    Hi. I was diagnosed with HZO 6 weeks ago. My left eye started to turn pink and I thought i had pink eye. I went to the doc and was diagnosed with HZO. The next day the rash started. I was perscribed anti-virals and eye drops. Progress has been very slow and the past 6 weeks have been a challenge, to put it mildly. I had no idea how serious this can be until I was diagnosed with it and started to research HZO. Thanks to everyone on this site for sharing thier experiences.

    6 weeks in, my eye sight is back. There does not appear to be damage to the eye (YAY!) but it is still very sensitive to light and slightly sore. Sometimes I feel like there is a worm moving around in my eye. I know, strange, but that is how it feels. The rash on my forhead and under my hair is still there and, at times, is very itchy / burny feeling. Fatigue is another issue I am facing. I feel like I can sleep all of the time.

    I am hoping that I will be over this in the next few weeks, but I have been hoping that from the start, so we shall see.

    Michael    

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 micavana

      Posted

      Dear Michael,

      I am so sorry you have been diagnosed with Herpes Zoster-Shingles ophthalmicus. When it attacks the eye and ear, the pain and complications can even be worse. I know, as I have had Herpes Zoster-Shingles in both areas. Fatigue and exhaustion and malaise are common symptoms in most of us as the DNA virus is circulating in your entire body. Obey your body and rest and sleep. Do not try to power through it. Also, the itching is common, and not usually helped by antihistamines. Cold compresses might help some.

      I do not know if you have been placed on steroid or antiviral ophthalmic drops, or any other analgesics. It is crucial to have the pain under control within the first month, or the risk of Post Herpetic Neuralgia PHN increases substantially.

      Are you on any analgesics, now?

      My heart goes out to you.

      Best wishes

      Merry Juliana

    • Boomslang
      Boomslang micavana

      Posted

      Our timelines & symptoms are very similar.I had temple & ocular pain,intense enough to go to ER,just after Christmas but was diagnosed as having a migraine.Later my ,eye and cheek/jaw swelled and rash started on scalp and around left eye.Opthamologist examined & referred to specialist.He put me on 800 mg acyclovir 5x/day.Rash cleared but scalp/temple & outside of nose still both numb & sore at the same time..Eye and inside of nose burns and still red,but specialist says I dodged a bullet.Blue ice helps,also taking Opana,an effective,but expensive pain medicine I have been taking for a total shoulder replacemnt I had 3 months ago. The stress from that may have reduced the tolerance level of my immune system,but there is no way to be certain. Spending the rest of my life in pain is not something I look forward to.There is a  therapeutic procedure known as  a stellate ganglion nerve block ,it works by reducing the norepinepherine activating the sympathetic nerves in the face,over sensetized by trauma,(from this virus),It is not cheap ,but, may be the way to get relief from this PHP when nothing else is working, from what I am seeing people saying on these boards.In the meantime, I need to buy more blue ice!

    • micavana
      micavana Merry19451

      Posted

      Hi Mary Juliana. Thank you for your reply. My heart goes out to you as well. It has been rough on my end, but I cant imagine living through what you have faced. sad

      On my end, I have been making sure to get rest. I was on an anit-viral for the first 2 months. I am in month 3 at tthe moment. The eye is not back to normakl yet, but I can see out of it and a lot of the swelling has gone down. The rash is still on my forehead and scalp. It still itches and burns from time to time. But I am managing it through anti itch creams. 

      As much as I hate this, and do not wish it on my worst enemy, I know that it could have been worse. 

      Best Wishes,

      Michael

    • micavana
      micavana Boomslang

      Posted

      Hi Boomslang,

      Yes, I am sorry to say that we do sound very similar. Knowing how much I hatge this, I am sorry that you are also dealing with it. It is a struggle, but we will get though it. In my mind, we have to, there are too many other things in life to do and enjoy to let this win. My $0.02.

      While I do have pain in the eye and from the rash, I have been able to manage through it so far. It has gotten a little easier this month vs last month. So I will keep pushing forward and try to put my old life back together. If the pain increases vs decreases, I will check out  the stellate ganglion nerve block. Thanks for the heads up. I hope the pain for you, me or anyone, ever gets that bad. sad

      Best Wishes,

      Michael

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 micavana

      Posted

      Dear Michael,

      My outlook is that I have progressed from the prior week, month etc...Hope, and do what I can to improve my health. As I have multiple health conditions, I learned that resilience and adaptability are key, with a dash of optimism and pinch of humor. Support from family and friends help tremendously.

      Best wishes

      Merry Juliana

    • micavana
      micavana Merry19451

      Posted

      Amen! I applaude your outlook! You are a remarkable person Merry Juliana! Hang in there. The world need more people like you! smile

      Michael

    • Jane1618
      Jane1618 Merry19451

      Posted

      Hello again Merry,

      we have spoken on her quite a lot re the problems with my eye a year after being diagnosed with shingles. I am just wondering if it's ;possible that I got the PHN because of the lack of a good paon killer, I was in such agony before I was given something stronger, although I did get the antivirals the day after I spotted the rash. I can't see this ever going away as I have been told that I have a scar on my cornea. I can see ok but really hoping that wont get worse! I feel so sorry for you having to suffer years of shingles, it ruins lives!!

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 Jane1618

      Posted

      Jane,

      Jane:

      As the eye and ear are the two most difficult areas to treat regarding Herpes Zoster-Shingles, it is difficult for me to make a blanket statement regarding your case. What I will say is this: the Shingles patients whose acute pain is not controlled well by the end of the first month have a a rate of Post Herpetic Neuralgia PHN.

      I still think you need to pursue all the options I have researched for you in the past including nerve blocks and the medications. I have had nerve blocks for pain, and they worked tremendously. I know you have itching, which I suffered from until I discovered the source of the multiple allergies. I believe that there are solutions to your itching.

      Best wishes

      Merry Juliana

    • Jane1618
      Jane1618 Merry19451

      Posted

      Hello Merry

      It isn't really pain, more irritation if the eye and eyelid, it does itch too and is so sore and sometimes stings. I have held a cold compress on it at times and that helps short term. I don't really want a nerve blo'k as isn;t that an injection? I am going to the eye clinic on Wed to try and get some answers and see if there are any meds I should be taking and not just eye drops and gel!  I was told that my eye is irritating because of the scar on the cornea.I need to know if this can improve. You are such a kind and good person and everyone on here appreciates your help , thank you.. 

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 Jane1618

      Posted

      Jane,

      I am worried about you as I know how devastating the itching can be....I gained 32 kg due to medications for the severe allergies and out of control itching. Fortunately, I have taken the weight off, but it was depressing.

      Please ask about the feasibility of a nerve block.

      Best regards

      Merry Juliana

    • Jane1618
      Jane1618 Merry19451

      Posted

      Hi again Merry,

      Thank you for your concern, I am scared to have a nerve block in case it makes my head feel numb and I just don't fancy an injection in my head. I intend to discuss things next Wednesday at the eye clinic as  the soreness is also getting me down, My dr said ity is like having eczema on the eyelid!!

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