Could this be shingles?

I had pain behind my right shoulder blade up to my neck that was unbearable. I could not lay flat. I was incredibly tired and weak for 5 days before I got the rash. Go to your dr and get the antivirals fast to stop the progression of this. If it is not shingles, it won't kill you to take antivirals.

Read Merry Juliana .  I'd say go to the Care Center to be checked. Don't wait until a doctor'ss appointment. The symptoms do resemble shingles and you need the help of meds NOW.

Hi Dotcon, look up some of Merry Juliana's past posts on this forum. If you think it is Shingles you need to get the anti virals asap as they apparently don't work well after 5 days. You could be what Merry calls pre dromal, when the virus is in your system but the rash has not yet started. Try a walkin centre or A and E, (in UK). They should be able to prescribe or give you the medication you need, which is the anti virals and strong pain pills to start with. Best wishes, Pollyanna UK

Dear Dotcon,

As the pain is unbearable and unilateral or one sided, and you have pain radiating to your eye, please go to the A&E if you are in the UK or urgent care if in the US. Often Herpes Zoster-Shingles is preceded by a period of feeling unwell. The symptoms can be flu-like, such as headache, joint and muscle aches, fever, chills and sweating, malaise, weakness, fatigue and photophobia. Usually, severe excruciating pain follows, then a rash. The sooner you start antivirals, the faster the resolution of the symptoms. It takes an intelligent physician who will actually have a degree of suspicion regarding Herpes Zoster-Shingles. Do you have a facial droop. You might see it at your eyes and/or lips and it could be subtle. Are the lesions ulcers on your right tongue, or did they start as vesicles-blisters.

At any rate, please see a physician ASAP and keep me posted.

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 last 20 years.

Best Wishes

Merry Juliana

Thank you all for your responses to my worry about shingles. As it was the Bank Holiday week~end,I was limited to what I could do. However,I decided to "examine" my mouth to see exactly where the pain could be coming from. What a mess. My tongue had a cpmplete white coating apart from a sore part down the side.and was swollen.  I traced the pain in my eye to the gum around my eye tooth which was really,really sore. The gum was coated in white fur too. It had got like that overnight.I had a bad infection about 18 months ago which took 3 lots of antibiotics to shift. My mouth was in a mess then,although not sore. GP at the time diagnosed thrush and gave me Nystatin drops. I still had some left in the bottle and put this on my tongue. The relief has been wonderful. Have an appointment with GP and dentist next week,so should get a proper diagnosis. Would not have believed thrush could cause such scary symptoms. Thank you all again for your replies. I love this site.