God this hurts

Thank you for replying.

I have had the anti vitals before the rash appeared but I am still in a lot of shoulder pain.

I don't know if this is related but my stomach and both bowel habits have changed over the last few weeks

. I am not sure if they are related but I am getting.so worried it could be something major.

Sorry for burdening you but this whole thing has made me feel quite down.

The anti-virals are strong meds and can cause abdominal problems. That said, consider calling your doctor and/or pharmacist. It's likely from either the meds or the shingles, but I'm not a doctor. You are NOT burdening anyone (BTW, usually this is a much busier forum, I'm sure others will be chiming in too). This condition can be over-whelming and it's common to be depressed and have muddle thoughts. You're exhausted, feeling lousy, in pain, and wondering when and if this will end, right? We've all been there and you WILL feel better.

For now, find anything that can distract you from the pain. I paced through my house, took several showers, others use heat or cold, find a comfortable way to sit or lie down, watch movies, watch birds, talk to your dog. Notice when the pain does decrease (and it will, even if for a short time) and remember, this too shall pass. Has your doctor prescribed anything for the pain? Ask about the drugs I mentioned above. They may have a different name where you are.  I'm in the US, your use of the word "fortnight" makes me think you're maybe British. Can you get a message to your doctor or his nurse easily? Let them know what you're dealing with, they can help. Try and be specific.

When you say shoulder, do you mean the scapula/shoulder blade on the back? Are you familiar with the idea of a dermatone? That means the nerve/area, like a straight line, that the virus follows. For me, it went from the breast line thru the back. My doctor explained that. But that pain is so overwhelming and the nerves so fired-up that the pain can also appear to be above, below or across. If I bend, the front hurts, if I twist or lift, it's the back. It's the core area. At times I feel like I'm being crushed by a nutcracker, but it passes.

When I was first diagnosed, I read through various threads on this forum, to realize what to expect and know that I wasn't alone. I also kept in contact with my doctor's nurse (who was an angel) and spoke to my pharmacist. For me, learning that what I was dealing with was "normal" helped. You may not be able to control much of this, but you can get through it.  Again, I want to stress, REST. Try not to bend, twist, lift, as you aggravate the nerves. They need to settle down as best they can. In a few days you WILL have improvement.  Take care, we're here for you.

Sorry Heather, I re-read your comments and you do say shoulder blade. Welcome to the club!! It stinks doesn't it? You may know that there are several common areas that shingles hits: the waist, the leg/bag, the eye, the scalp and yours and mine-back to front. There's an over-lap in symptoms, but each area has it's challenge. You also may or may not have much of a rash. I had 4 tiny dots on my lower left breast and two tiny spots on my back. That was it. Others have a very large area with the rash. Some are helped by cold, others by heat.

Personally, I was diagnosed in late October, but we missed the time frame to get the anti-virals. I'm now dealing with PHN, Post Herpatic Neuralgia, meaning I have nerve damage in those areas, so I still have pain and limitations. My regimen has been Gabapentin 3 times a day (I was on 2400 mg, down to 1800 now) Extra strength Tyelenol 3-4 times a day, Aspercreme with Lidocaine pain cream 3-4 times a day (I'm down to 3 times now on each of these) and my prescription anti-imflammatory I've been on for 25 years twice a day. I'm lucky in that the last drug seems to also help with the pain. Others use pain patches with Lidocaine, but they're horribly expensisive. The OTC ones work as well, but you can only use them 12 hours. Right now, as you know, that pain is 24 hours.

Babs

Thanks for caring it is so painful and when you mention it they look at the spots and can't understand the nerve pain which is particularly excruciating in the breast and underarm at this moment.

Could you tell me if you had any other feelings such as hot flushing and stomach problems.

Again many thanks for caring.

Heather x

You're welcome, it's easy to care and I'm glad I can help--just paying it forward from everyone who has helped me here. I did have nausea for several days, but at the time didn't realize it was from the shingles. I don't remember hot flushing, but I admit, I'm past menopause and my "thermostat" is messed up so sometimes I do get slightly warm flushes but I'm often cold.

As far as the bumps and the pain. The damage is in your nerves, which obviously, no-one can see. If one has pain from a headache, or from cancer, or appendicitis, can anyone actually see it? But somehow we all feel that the rash is what hurts. For some it does, but for those of us without a rash, the pain is still there, just not visible. 

I also never had itching. Many (most?) people have itching with shingles, just like in chicken pox. At least that's one thing that I missed.

My problems and pain so far are around the left shoulder blade and round the front left breast area.

Any thoughts would be gratefully appreciated.

Heather x

I don't know. You'd have to call your doctor. Generally, the virus follows the nerve, such as the back/chest one you have mentioned. You also are already on the anti-virals, but so many things can happen with shingles that aren't expected. Could it be an allergic reaction to something, could it be a bug bite?  Shingles makes you question everything you body does. Do you have pain and a rash there, or just an itch? You may want to call your doctor.

Hope you are feeling better than me!!!!!!