I have been suffering from shingles for 6yrs on and off ...

Hi,my friend you have something besides shingles!Shingles do not come and go in fact 95 percent of people who have them only have them one time in their life.You may be suffering from a herpes virus maybe simplex 2,please see another doctor and be check,As this type of virus can be pass on to someone else,shingles can not be! good luck eddie

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I also have had shingles come and go in the same place as you mention for several years - perhaps as many as 10. It was eventually diagnosed by my GP and tested at the JR in Oxford, and confirmed as the herpes virus which is Shingles. I get it about one a month or once every 2 months. I use Aciclovir - antiviral tablets I believe. Doctors say it shouldn't come and go like that but it does. The tablets clear it, within a few days, although there is still scarrring from the spot - I blast it with 25 over 5 days. I don't suffer a lot of pain, just discomfort, and no dizziness.

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hi i also have been suffering from recurring shingles for over a year now. my gp wont take me seriously, but after a recent spell in hospital i am seeing an immunologist. so hopefully we can get down to the root cause. i get them about every six weeks most of the time in agony, also lots of scarring at the bottom of my back

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So..once you get you first outbreak,does it usually reaccur in the same spot?

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I have had shingles for the past 18 months and this will be my 5/6 bout of it. As with the others mentioned previously mine are at the top of my buttocks. I read that it only occurs on one side of the body and although they are close to my spine it has appeared on both sides. So \"no\" it is not in the same spot every time. I can manage the blisters but sometimes I get the neuralgia which is the killer as I get pain in the groin or my bum. Not great when you have a desk job! Having read some of the other experiences I feel lucky not to have the tiredness mentioned. I am not stressed, and yes I work hard at the weekends with DIY and running but this is not exceptional. I am now 41 and maybe my body is telling me to slow down but I am not ready for the pipe and slippers yet. I am interested to know how this could possibly be linked to my immune system. Am I lacking in a vitamin which would help with resisting the attacks? Is there any general advice that Cancer patients receive to help build their immune system as I believe they are often susceptible to attacks?

This is a great forum and I feel better for knowing I am not alone in suffering with this.

I'm 31 and went to the Dr's today with what I thought was an insect bite that was getting worse on my right buttock. The nurse got a Dr to give a second opinion and its been diagnosed as shingles. I have never had it before so any tips or ideas as to why I have it and how i can ease it would really help.

I am a 42 year old female and have had shingles more than 20 times since the age of 20. It always occurs in the same spot on my knee (about an inch in diameter) and has left scarring. Earlier on it was quite painful and I was given an ointment to spread over the nerve from my groin to my big toe. Over the years the pain has lessened to almost no pain, although it is still a bother. It does not itch or ache, but I can always tell a few days prior to the \"outbreak\" as I have tingling/numbing on my knee. Recently I have had an outbreak that cleared after a couple of weeks but has returned almost immediately. Has this ever happened to anyone? I have an appt. with my doctor next week to discuss this. I too, was tested years ago for herpes simplex and had a negative result.