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Secondary skin infection

Posted , 6 users are following.

lynn28429
lynn28429

Has anyone ever had a secondary infection in one or more of the spots / blisters? I've had this 1 spot that never cleared up and now the dr thinks it's infected. It's red and filled with pus. I thought I was having a recurrence as the pain I was having was that same stinging /burning as with shingles and I've had terrible headache and fatigue this week.

I hate taking antibiotics but we fly away on Xmas day so I decided in this case to take it. I've only had 2 doses and it looks less inflamed but it could've just been healing naturally?

1 like, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • babs99203
    babs99203 lynn28429

    Posted

    If you're on anti-biotics don't stop! An infection like that can be very serious. Any break in the skin can get infected and this sounds like a serious one. It's good that it's looking better, but stopping the medication can cause drug-resisitant bacteria in general. But you DON'T want this to get worse. I agree, I hate taking drugs like that, but talk to your doctor or pharmacist about possible side-effects of the drug and what you can do to alleviate them.

  • margaret89960
    margaret89960 lynn28429

    Posted

    Hi lynn, i have a sppt/blister on the exact place that i had my original flate up. It drives me insane, either hurts like mad every day or itches so much i could scratch my skin off. It is under my skin and the doctor is not in the least bit concerned.

    I had my original diagnosis in august and have been in pain every day since.

    I would complete the course of antibiotics and i hope that you can be completely healed.

    Enjoy your holiday and merry christmas. X

    • lynn28429
      lynn28429 margaret89960

      Posted

      It's weird isn't it this lingering spot or 2? I'm sure I infected it by picking it. I was just thinking I should make sure it wasn't anything else when it really flared.

      Thanks for the advice I will stay on the antibiotics. No ill effects as yet and taking probiotics that are designed to take at the same time.

  • Merry19451
    Merry19451 lynn28429

    Posted

    Lynn,

    When you have a recurrence, the pain does not have to be as severe as the first episode. Also, when you initially have the vesicle-blisters, it can look like pus, rather than clear fluid in the vesicle-blisters. The difference between a bacterial pustule and a viral Herpes Zoster-Shingles vesicle-blister is the following:

    There will be increased heat, swelling, throbbing pain, hardness around the pustule with a bacterial pustule. A vesicle-blister of Herpes Zoster-Shingles will have the burning lancinating pain, but not appear like an abscess. I did have a secondary bacterial infection from my first episode of Herpes Zoster-Shingles. It is very common to have a bacterial infection after a viral infection, btw. I would take the antibiotic, just to be safe, but if you were having burning lancinating pain, and not having the abscess-like sensations I described to you, then it is a Herpes Zoster-Shingles, not a pustule.

    Have fun on your trip!

    Merry Juliana

  • Merry19451
    Merry19451 lynn28429

    Posted

    Lynn,

    Where was the initial rash and pain?

    The stinging, headache, and fatigue are definitely signs of pre Herpes Zoster-Shingles and not a secondary bacterial infection...

    Merry Juliana

    • lynn28429
      lynn28429 Merry19451

      Posted

      Thanks Juliana, when I went to see the dr I definitely felt like I was getting shingles again as it was that same burning, stinging pain that also came and went and I'd had such awful headaches. But the doctor thought it looked infected and I must admit the pain has gone down since I've started the meds. But from your description it doesn't sound like a bacterial infection. I wonder if it's in an old shingle blister would that cause shingle like symptoms too? I've had mild pain and stinging in that area on/ off. But then I don't know if you would get the other shingle symptoms without full blown shingles? I've got my antivirals on hand at the sign of new pain or rash. The original rash was in the same place under my shoulder blade.

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 lynn28429

      Posted

      Lynn,

      As I am not your physician, and I didn't see it to diagnose it, I don't know. Did you have a fever, sweating and chills? Another possibility is that you had a recurrence of shingles at the initial site with a secondary bacterial infection. It would explain the severe headache...

      Merry Christmas, Lynn....

      I hope you continue to feel better....

      Merry Juliana

  • Jane1618
    Jane1618 lynn28429

    Posted

    I had shingles last April and it was on my head, forehead and eye, it got re infected and my forehead went bright red on the right side where the shingles rash  had been , it was much worse than the first rash, which had not noticed very much as a lot was on my head, my eye was affected badly, giving me blurred vision for a while and it kept going pink, I had anti biotics and eventually  the infection cleared up. I still have itching all around my eye every day from this especially in the eye socket, which makes the skin very sore as I have to rub it, or it drives me mad, Nothing helps and there is no cream to prevent this itching , I wish you good luck with your recovery, The only positive thing about the outcome for me is that my vision is still ok,
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