Is this shingles without a rash? Worried

Hi Martin,

What you describe sounds like Shingles. The burning pain on the skin, wrapping around the back to the chest, one-sided, and fatigue are classic Shingles.

You certainly can have Shingles without the rash. It is called Zoster Sine Herpete.

Many Physicians are abysmally ignorant about the disease, the diagnosis, the accompanying symptoms,the treatment, and the management.

Shingles can be triggered by an injury, trauma, or surgery to an area on the body, as well as stress. Other factors are Irritable Bowel Disease, Autoimmune Diseases such as

SLE, RA, Psoriasis, Sjogrens, ITP,

or being immunocompromised with Cancer , on corticosteroids, immunomodulators. Age also increases your risk.

Other accompanying symptoms of Herpes Zoster-Shingles may include headache, chills and sweating, aches and pains, malaise, fatigue and exhaustion.

My suggestion to you is to go to A&E or Urgent Care and ask for Antivirals. Also ask for pain medications as the pain will get worse before it gets better.

Martin, are you relatively healthy or do you have any risk factors I mentioned. If so, you need to mention those risk factors to the doctor. If someone is immunocompromised, their sometimes can't produce a rash, but they can become even sicker with Herpes Zoster-Shingles. It is attacking your Central Nervous System.

You need to rest and sleep.

Please let me know how you make out. If the Physician is unwilling to prescribe an Antiviral, ask him to look up Zoster Sine Herpete.

Best Regards

Merry Juliana

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Martin,

How old are you and how old is the baby?

It sounds like a huge amount of stress, the baby can be a positive stressor, your not eating in a balanced pattern, etc.

If you Google "Dermatome,"

you will see dermatome maps and follow your particular map of pain in the thoracic region

Then, I would see another physician, either in an A&E or Urgent Care. Tell the Physician you have Zoster Sine Herpete in the Dermatome T-? (somewhere between T1-12 according to the Dermatome map.)

Then, if they offer you an Antiviral, fine. You can ask them what else would cause the burning pain in the specific Dermatome distribution? ....

Best Wishes

Merry Juliana

Then go to

I’m sorry, but your symptoms sound very similar to what happened months ago. We were on a 3 week vacation and I attributed my pain to various, logical things. Ten days 

later when we got home, it clicked, was it shingles? I had a couple of tiny barely noticeable bumps, but the pain had been gone for several days. The doc said it wasn’t well until it was, a week later as the pain intensified and I got the diagnosis. Sadly I missed the window for the antivirals. I’m slowly getting better, but had to stop working, and am on several medications to deal with the pain.

Maybe it’s not shingles, and/or you’ll be one of the lucky ones who get a light case, but if the pain or symptoms worsen call your doctor ASAP. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone, and Merry’s extremely knowledgeable.

Martin,

As I've stated in the private message, you need to be evaluated ASAP by a knowledgeable physician. It also isn't good for your health to keep fretting about this. Action will help your state of mind.

Best Wishes

Merry Juliana

Martin, I am a 72 year old fit runner for 40 years.In August of this year I developed severe pain in my right lower abdomen and my right side back. I was doing remodeling and do not remember hurting myself. I thought somehow I had pulled muscles. Two weeks after the pain started I discovered a blister rash on my right stomach and lower back. I There was no pain or itching from the rash. I looked on the internet and self diagnosed the rash came from stress. I really screwed up (my wife really scolded me for keeping silent about it). Within days the rash blisters opened up and the pain became worse. I went to immediate care and was diagnosed as shingles. I had the vaccine 4 years prior. I was told I was probably to late for relief from the 7 days of pills prescribed. He was correct. I suffered for three months with the pain. I tried every suggestion other than taking a narcotic without success. I had to stop running and power walking for two months due to fatigue. Now after five months I still have a fair amount of discomfort but most pain is gone. I can do some running an power walking. I do have itching that I will not touch. I definitely have PHN but at 72 I expect this will add to other maladies of aging. Good luck!! 

I'm 64 and currently have shingles. 1 month into it, to be exact. Don't know if it is rare, my pain for the first 4 days was on my right side,then I broke out on my left side trunk lighly with blisters. Back to now,1month. I'm now having headaches and red swollen eyes, and lymph notes on both sides of my neck still hurt. It's confusing...because my face is not the sight of my orignal pain& blisters.

Help? I'm I crazy?

Hi Martin,

I had very odd symptoms before my shingles rash came out. When the rash finally did come out, it was on my forehead and scalp. But I had an odd pain in my abdomen and a searing pain in my temple for 4 or 5 days before the rash appeared. When the doctor saw me there was not a rash to be seen, but after 3 more days the rash appeared on my forehead and scalp. I still have an odd discomfort in my abdomen and have an endoscopy and colonoscopy scheduled. I am convinced the discomfort and burning I feel in my abdomen is post shingle neuralgia. I have been through so much these past couple months that I could write a book. With Covid at the forefront it is difficult for a doctor to take anything else seriously. I am disappointed and struggling on what to do next, who to turn to etc. Hope you feel some relief and were able to enjoy the holiday.