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Is it shingles - please help

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vicky1957
vicky1957

Glad I found this site.  A week ago I felt very cold and could not warm up.  When I awoke the next day, I had pains everywhere, legs, back and head, I thought it was the flu coming. Three days later I noticed a red rash with raised bumps under my right breast.  It was not until my daughter's friend came round that I had even thought of shingles, her mum had been diagnosed with shingles and had the same symptoms.  I went to the doctor's and he said it could be shingles, but stated that the pains and how ill I felt was nothing to do with shingles. When I asked what it was then he said he did not know, he offered me paracetamol and told me to go back if the rash blistered.  I have no pain in the rash area, but it is very sore. 3 days after the first rash appeared I got another one about two inches from the first which is exactly the same - They are about 3 inch rough circles.  They have not blistered, But the bumps have gone a darker red.  If anyone out there could help I would really appreciate it.  Sorry this is so long, but I have wrote exactly what I told the doctor and am quite worried.

0 likes, 20 replies

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  • julie07472
    julie07472 vicky1957

    Posted

    Hi

    vicky 

    I had shingles a few months ago .have you got never pain near where the rash is .? This is a very strong pain .like no other pain I ever had .so you would know if it is shingles .hope this helps 

    all the best .hope you feel better soon 

    julie

  • staceyb4
    staceyb4 vicky1957

    Posted

    It sounds much like shingles. I have had them 5 times and have learned that Doctors don't all know what they should about them.

    Many people feel flu like symptoms with little or no fever and as the rash attacks nerves, the pain can be local to the rash or not.

    The first time I had a large rash with little nerve pain, but the rash really hurt, since then I have had less rash and much more nerve pain.

    You need to be on an anti-viral, see another Doctor if you must.

    Best of luck.

  • Merry19451
    Merry19451 vicky1957

    Posted

    Shingles is a Herpes Zoster Viral infection that usually starts with the aching, flu-like symptoms you described up to two weeks prior to the rash. The rash starts out like clear little blisters, called vesicles, then look more like tiny pimples, become darker, then crust or scab over. The vesicles-blisters are on a red base. The rash does not cross the midline of the body. Also, there usually, is severe pain under the rash, but not always, especially if you are younger. Sometimes it itches. Your doctor should have started you on an antiviral, either Famcyclovir or Valcyclovir within three days of onset of your rash, if what I described sounds similar to your rash. The pain can last a few weeks, so if you are having moderate or severe pain, ask for something strong,ie opioid. Please let me know if this helps and how you are.

    MerryJuliana

    in the US

  • Merry19451
    Merry19451 vicky1957

    Posted

    Also, doctors can be abysmally ignorant regarding shingles, Stateside and in the UK, unfortunately, so patients need to advocate for themselves. Shingles occur in crops, like chickenpox. In order to have shingles, you must have had chickenpox first. May I ask your age, please?
    • Merry19451
      Merry19451

      Posted

      What I described is a typical presentation of shingles, but, remember, Vickie, diseases never read the textbooks...ie it never presents the just that way!
    • vicky1957
      vicky1957 Merry19451

      Posted

      Thank you all so much for your replies. Merry, I am 58 and have had chicken pox.  Just cannot believe how ill I feel and my doctor was only interested in blisters. I feel like I am very hot but I don't have a temperatire.  Night time is the worst, but I feel so tired all the time.  Thank you for helping.
    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 vicky1957

      Posted

      I have had recurrent Herpes Zoster Oticus in my right ear every three weeks for the last 19 years. Many doctors are unaware that Shingles-Zoster begins with episodes of chills and hot periods, with or without an elevated temperature, with headache, joint and muscle pain, prior to, during , and after the rash. Also, severe fatigue and loss of appetite are symptoms, as this is truly a systemic viral disease. I am a nurse practitioner, and have been appalled at the ignorance here in the states by some physicians, and also in the UK, as I have helped some UK correspondents on this site.

      I was 44 when I first had Zoster, and was in intractable excruciating pain, but it took 3 weeks for the rash to present on my outer ear . Please let me know if there is anything else or any other questions you have. I truly empathize with you and am sorry you are going through this.

      Merry Juliana

    • vicky1957
      vicky1957 Merry19451

      Posted

      Yes I was suprised by the doctor's answers - It was an emergency appointment and I got the head of the surgery doctor and his specialality is skin conditions.  Should have known better, same doctor  when my little boy was  8 months old he contacted scabies from his cousin and even tho I told him this he still said it was acne and put in on antibiotics for two months, my son had scabies for five months, only telling this as this seems another skin condition that doctors have problems with.  Thank you ever so much for helping me, the thing that worried me the most was the pains nearly everywhere, I just still feel so ill like flu.  Can't believe this doctor has never seen shingles with flu like symptoms.
    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 vicky1957

      Posted

      A lot of physicians / surgeons think they know more than they do. As you discovered, your 8 months old son did not have acne (eight months olds don't get acne. Adolescents get acne.) Scabies is easy to diagnose due to Severe Itching at Night, the rash continues to spread without appropriate treatment, & History of Exposure.

      Viral infections make you feel sick, achey, fatigued, chills, hot, perspiration, etc, and Zoster is no exception.

    • Ellie1943
      Ellie1943 Merry19451

      Posted

      Thankyou Merry. You've just described how I've been feeling on and off for some time now. I had periods of sweating accompanied by an itchy rash on scalp, several times but did not connect it with shingles until recently. Just thought it was a sweat rash! This started again a few weeks ago then I had shoulder/upper arm pain and itching followed by the described shingles rash. Then a small patch of rash on hand after a few more days. My doc looked and said "Shingles". She gave me anti virals for seven days. I started to feel better but now I've finished them I feel really bad again. Aches and pains all over plus headache and complete exhaustion. The pain seems to be in the same joint/muscle areas where I have osteo arthritis pain most of the time but much worse! ( Spine, shoulders, feet, hands and neck). I'm already taking Tramadol and Diclofenac for the OA. Don't really want to take anything stronger! I feel so tired it's hard to keep going but I get the impression from some of the docs in my practice that they think I'm hypochondriac when I go about pain issues. They just say keep taking the tabs, we can't replace your spine etc! I'm almost 72 now. Are these problems common with Shingles? I don't fancy this for the rest of my life!
    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 Ellie1943

      Posted

      Hello Enid,

      So sorry, you are suffering.

      Herpes Zoster or Shingles is really more than a rash. It is caused by the Herpes Varicella Virus or chicken pox virus that has lain? layed? laid ?i in wait on your sensory Nerves until your immune system is weakened. Then you suffer from a Viremia in which your whole body is fatigued, aching, and feverish. Then the pain starts, usually before the rash, sometimes the rash never comes. This is called Zoster Sine Herpete. It is still Herpes Zoster or Shingles. The third phase the patient still feels ill, in pain, achey, the rash subsides, is still terribly fatigued. Sometimes, the patient can experience post herpetic neuralgia, in which the pain never goes away. I think the bad pain you are feeling should slowly subside, but give yourself permission to rest more. I spent 2 days in bed just sleeping after the Zoster pain subsided as I couldn't sleep well when I had Zoster a week ago. I feel terribly achy still, but know from experience this too shall pass. Unfortunately, Zoster pain is one of the most excruciating pain there is, as it is neuropathic or Nerve pain. Most people do not understand the pain unless they have it themselves. I hope this helps you understand this condition more.

      Merry Juliana 😊

    • Ellie1943
      Ellie1943 Merry19451

      Posted

      Thankyou so much Merry. Yes it does help me understand the condition better. The docs at my surgery are not much help, I don't think they have time or energy to study the matter as you have done. (NHS UK!) It takes someone who's suffered it to understand I think. Hope you find some relief as it sounds like you have on a regular basis! I stayed in bed until 11am today and feel more rested now. Regards EnidC
    • Ellie1943
      Ellie1943 vicky1957

      Posted

      Hi Vicky. I've been reading the blogs on this website since I started with shingles at Easter. Your symptoms sound similar to mine. I hope you got the help you needed from your GP eventually. I saw a different doc the second time, female! She said definitely shingles and prescribed anti virals for a week. They did help but still getting some PHN! (Neuralgia). Had a couple more rashes after that too. Keeping fingers crossed now as I'm going on hols shortly. Hope you're much better now.
  • kkf44
    kkf44 vicky1957

    Posted

    I have the shingles with no rash just burning pain can not have my shirt on it.

    Went to the dr. he would not give me anything till I had the rash.

    I found on here L-Lsine 1000mg 1 a day get it at walmart or Puritan's Pride lots better I also take B-12 try this it may not get rid of the shingles but help the pain

    I still do not have the rash

  • pepperpop
    pepperpop vicky1957

    Posted

    Hi - So sorry that you have this.  I had a bout of shingles last year so I wanted to share what I wish I had known then.   My dr. put me on the antivirals, but did not advise me to cut the arginine out of my diet.  Shingles needs arginine to reproduce while lysine competes with it.   I was eating a diet high in nuts, onions, oranges and it caused my Shingles to explode.   The shingles only got under control after I cut the arginine out and increased lysine, I used the anti viral  meds too of course.  My diet was working agains't me while trying to get over the Shingles.  If you google shingles and arginine you can find more info on the connection.   In order to make sure the shingles don't come back I take lysine very day and cut back on nuts, orange juice, etc.   Hope this helps.
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