Lingering health issues after shingles
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I apologize as this might be a long post, but I need some advice and comments on my situation. Approximately six weeks ago, it all started with a dull earache, which also felt like I had to pop it every so often, a "full" feeling. I have to preface this with I was going through hell at work and my stress was through the roof. A few days after that, I had to travel half way around the world for a one day work trip. On my return trip, I didn't sleep for 24 hours and further wore myself down. A few days later, I had a wave of nausea hit me at work. I went home and threw up, a lot, and had the worst chills I have ever had. The chills and nausea subsided later that day, and did not return, but the dull ache and plugged ear problem persisted. A couple days later I got blisters on my right hand (about 10-15). Unfortunately, I waited a few days as the rash grew, and then went to a GP who said it was dermatitis. I knew it was probably shingles since I previously had shingles, ten years ago, under my left arm on the rib cage when I was 32. The blisters looked similar. I went to another GP who looked across the room and said "you have shingles". He put me on antivirals even though I was about a week into the blisters. A day or two later, I had blisters on both forearms, and base of neck/torso. I went back to the GP as I now had a sore throat, the lingering ear ache, sometimes with a dull headache, and now shingles blisters on both sides. He said he has patients with shingles on both sides, and my situation did not alarm him at all. He figured all of this stemmed from I was fighting a viral infection to begin with (and figured my sore throat/ear ache was from this as the eustachian tubes might be blocked) which weakened my immune system and shingles developed. I went to see yet another GP, who also agreed that the patch on my right hand was shingles, and confirmed that he too does see patients with shingles on both sides, and was not concerned. To make sure all my neck lymph nodes were OK, I had an ultrasound done, and everything was good. I also had blood work done. Everything was fine except my WBC is 4.0 but both GP's were not worried in the slightest. From what I read, your WBC can be low from fighting an infection.
After a few weeks, the blisters healed, no scars, and I have to stress they were itchy, but not painful. My outbreak ten years ago, which was much more textbook in appearance, was not painful, only itchy. Despite the blisters healing, my sore throat and earache persisted and after reading about how people with bilateral shingles might have some sort of underlying disease, I booked a flight and went to see an ENT in the USA. I had a nasal endoscopy done. Everything in my throat is ok, but I do have post nasal drip.
While in the US, I also went to a Dermatologist. Since the blisters healed, I only had photos to show. She agreed that the blisters on my hand were shingles, but wasn't too sure about both sides of my neck (unfortunately I only took photos after I started applying cortisone cream and they were healing).
It is now about six weeks after my right ear ache started, and five weeks since the sore throat and blisters started. My throat and ears (now my left ear sometimes is involved) still hurt but I have to stress it is dull. I can tell the post nasal drip is there, as I can feel fluid moving down, and likely aggravating my throat. My energy levels are decent. I went for a hour bike ride the other day, i typically work out 30 min/day, but some days I do feel fatigued. I am eating a diet of fruit and vegetables, and taking lysine. I have a high metabolism and the new diet has caused me to lose weight.
My anxiety is through the roof!! I cannot stop wondering why I still have the ear ache, which sometimes comes with a headache, and the sore throat/ post nasal drip. I cannot stop wondering if there is more to all of this. I do read that post nasal drip/sinusitis can last for a long time, and perhaps with my immune system being in a bad state, this is the case, but it's only a guess trying to reassure myself. No one has told me otherwise so i do self diagnosis.
A bit of health background. I have been healthy until six months ago. I had a ruptured appendix. I had very few symptoms other than some right side tenderness. Nonetheless, I had a major infection but somehow my body was able to encapsulate the infection. The surgeons decided that since I did not have symptoms that were affecting me, they would not remove my appendix as it usually comes with major complications after it ruptures. I was in the hospital for four days and given extremely strong IV antibiotics and then sent home with a ten day course of amoxiclav. My WBC count leaving the hospital was below normal at 3.5, but the infection was under control. For months after, I had pain the lower right side, but as of now, I have no pain there and everything appears to have healed. The Dermatologist I recently saw in the US said that my body would have went through a lot of stress due to the infection and strong antibiotics. But does this, plus work stress, weaken your immune system five months later to make you get shingles on both sides??
Long story short:
-six months ago I had a major infection from appendicitis. I received serious IV antibiotics for it but no surgery.
-six weeks ago I got an ear ache, followed by shingles on both sides of my body, and post nasal drip/ sore throat.
-two GPs and Dermatologist did not seem concerned that I had blisters on both sides.
-the blisters have healed after a few weeks. the ear ache and post nasal drip persist. An ENT cleared me of any physical throat problems.
-my anxiety is overwhelming as the viral/ear problems have not healed
My questions:
Do the symptoms that come prior/with shingles continue for weeks after the blisters have healed? I am losing my mind due to anxiety that since I had shingles on two sides, there is more to all of this. I keep reading that bilateral shingles is red flag, but yet two GPs and a Dermatologist didn't seemed concerned at all. I am going to see a second Dermatologist soon for yet another opinion as I can't function properly due to the anxiety I am placing on myself.
Has anyone else had an ear ache, and post nasal drip, or sore throat from shingles that kept lingering after the blisters healed? It is basically a viral infection that wont heal, but if you read, sinusitis/post nasal drip can take months to heal. Again, only trying to reassure myself.
Thank you to everyone who has read all this, and especially might have some insight to my situation. This is a great forum and it sure helps someone like myself.
1 like, 1 reply
Tpar09 rkmd
Posted
HI,
I am so sorry you are going through this. Having shingles is awful! i started having various issues going on prior to shingles diagnosis, and then have continued with various issues afterward. STRESS plays a huge role in getting shingles! And the worse thing you can do is be stressed and let your anxiety get the best of you. i had been having major stress at work, as well as because if other issues going on in my life. I started feeling fatigued so much that i was really concerned that I might have cancer or something. i was a wreck because of all the anxiety I was going through and putting on myself! I ended up in the urgent care clinic due to a severe migraine (my head literally felt like it was going to explode!) What was weird, was that just a week prior I had gotten the PRP knee injection in one of my knees (where they use your own blood and platelets/plazma and inject into the joint. With each knee injection I had some sort of issue. A couple of weeks after the migraine i started having a pain on my right side and upper back (nerve pain) and then about a week later I noticed 5 small red dots on my right side/waist as well as feeling sick to my stomach and diarrhea. Then 2 days later a full blown rash. It looked like shingles to me, so back to the urgent care clinic i went, who confirmed it was shingles. That was the end of June. The DR gave me an antiviral and Gabapinton which did nothing for the pain, so two days later he gave me one prescription of Tramadol which helped the pain significantly, but I really didnt like taking it for fear that I might have a seizure, which is a side effect to that medicine. I still get headaches often, which scares the crap outta me that I may have a brain tumor or cancer or something, thinking that the shingles was just like a warning of something else that was coming, as I have heard that some people do get cancer after having had shingles, and I even work with a psychologist that did get cancer 2-3 years after having shingles, and thankfully he survived two different cancers! I also have bouts of diarrhea fairly often, and still sometimes feel sluggish. I had always been very active until i started having knee issues (I have osteoarthritis in both knees, which is very painful even to walk most every day. ) My work does cause me a lot of stress, mostly the people I work with.... SO, I've been trying really hard to de-stress my life and realize that no amount of worrying is going to fix a problem. I've been going to bed earlier, and listen to the aura app on my phone every night to help me fall asleep, which works. I do deep breathing exercises often, and try to eat healthy when i can. I am also taking the L-lysine now as well to help with my immune system. Here it is almost mid August and my rash is almost gone. I am 58 years old and would have never imagined I'd be getting shingles!! But Ive heard if much younger people getting it, and getting it many times also. From what ive been reading in this forum is that it seems many people tend to get them again once they have had them. Just my experience is that REST and trying to stay as stress free as possible is the best cure. Best of luck to you!