Sharing my experience - recurring shingles

Are you on Valtrex daily? I have had my 3rd bought of shingles in 1month. Mine moves around as well but always on my right side.

I have them internally normally only on my leg but last two times I've just discovered that I have them on my cervix too. And yes very painful, a but like a water infection....

wow, under the nails. I'm sorry. I get mine probably 6-8x a year on my right thoracic spine. Very painful and the post herpetic neuralgia is just awful! I feel your pain hun. Hang in there!

Hi, is this forum still live? I am 26, female, otherwise very healthy, but have suffered form recurrent shingles since 2010 (7 years!). I would like to talk to you about your experience with this but the above comment doesn't provide any contact details?

Hi Charlotte,

I have been having recurring shingles for something like 14 years.

The symptoms are, feeling very tired and lethargic followed a day or so later by a cluster of painful 'spots' on my right buttock.

I find that taking lysine tablets,1 each day, which I buy from a health store helps. I also try to avoid peanut products such as peanut butter, which incidentally I absolutely love.

Let me know how you manage with your problem.

I experience extreme tiredess, slight headache and general flu-like symptoms. These usually resolve when the rash appears (base of my spine on the right hand side), usually only a tiny rash - the size of a thumb print. I am slightly concerned as i had a bad flare up at Christmas just passed, with which my lymph nodes in my groin and armpit became swollen. I have been taking my low dose of Acyclovir since Christmas but my lymph nodes are still swollen. I am going back to the doctors tomorrow. If you google "swollen lymph nodes" it's horrifying! Has anyone else experienced swollen lymph nodes as a result of shingles?

I am also looking for some information! It's so very frustrating. The Dermatologist said mild shingles, 10 months ago. I still have the red splotches, (not bumps or oozing ever). I went to pcp and they had no idea if it's shingles or not and referred me back to derm. If it's not shingles, what is it? My outer hip is very sore with this 1.5 inch splotch and a few smaller splotches around it. It occasionally itches, but not bad. It hurt much worse before but is still sore and hard to sleep on. Sometimes it tingles for no reason. There are two small circles at each end that almost look like some kind of fungus. I am currently using betamethasone cream. I also have some small circular red areas, (no bumps or oozing) under my butt cheek.

My shingles has appeared in a "hive like" form may times. The Dr always looks at it and says, this not stereotypical shingles and doubts my other symptoms like severe pain, tingling, fatigue, headache, flu like symptoms. Every body is unique and handles the virus differently. There are also way more strains of the shingles virus than the dr's seem to have any knowledge of. Some people do not get any kind of rash, and they still have shingles!!!

I am so sorry for your suffering.

Thank you..I appreciate your kindness. How long have you had this? Dermatoloigst tells me to follow up with pcp and pcp tells me go back to Derm. I apparently have a unique case too.  I am attaching a pic from 10 months ago. Today, it's not quite as red, (but still red) and still sore..(not horribly as it was).. and has changed form although in the same area. Can you upload a photo of yours? Curious to see. Thanks.

Hi Charlotte,

I feel your pain! (Literally).

I'm twenty eight years old and had shingles for the second time in June, 2017. My first time was about fifteen years ago when I was thirteen.

I found this forum today because I just noticed a rash similar to my shingles from June near the same spot on my neck where they occured. In the past few days have experienced extreme exhaustion and itching/pain near the site.

My doctor told me that recurring shingles is extremely rare (especially more than once for people under 30 years). They were unable to retrieve enough fluid from the rash in June to confirm in the lab, but the blood work was positive (the rash is much smaller this time round in comparison to what I experienced when I was thirteen).

At this point I feel like there is something very wrong with me but no solutions offered to help. We have the vaccine here in Canada but it isn't offered to anyone under 50 years old.

They've referred me to some specialist (6 month wait) whom I see in December. 

For the record, my lymph nodes in my neck (closest to the rash area on my neck) were extremely large and painful when I had the shingles again in June. This is, apparently, a common symptom of shingles.

Hi Charlotte. I am 31 and have been getting them several time a year up to 10or more a year for 4 years now.  I get so paranoid I even have taken 4HIV tests now. All negative. I get them on my left high buttock near the center. My first were on my forearm then my chest but have seem to have settled in my rear.  When they are bad my groin and armpit lympnodes swell and can be tender.  I haven't had the vaccine. (No health care in the states) I make a paste of aspirin and rubbing alcohol and then a large bandaids over it.  I have a follow up question  have had our break three times back to back in one month and during this past month changed careers where I went from desk job to walking about 5 miles during Dinner shift. Has anyone experienced a flare up from exercise if it's near apart of the body that moves a lot? It's miserable.  

To answer your question, shingles is more related to stress than exercise. Moderate exercise is actually good for your health. BUT, with shingles and the after effects, it is best to practice moderation in all things. Living a balanced life style is mandatory if one has had shingles or has recurring shingles. 

Is your job particularly stressful? I wish you luck in your struggle with this difficult disease. You are not alone. 

Hi Tiffany, 

My job isn't particularly stressful but I am wondering if the constant walking and rubbing of cloth right on my buttock underwear line may be irritating it. I also am a very anxious person prone to anxiety. I do not take anything for this and do my best to pull myself out of the extra stress. I guess this is just something I have to live with. Hoping in time I can afford health insurance here in the states and I can get the vaccine. I would be happy even if it was less frequent. Since getting them the longest I have gone without an outbreak was 4 months. I just started taking Lycine and have had three back to back.  My worst symptom would be the mental. It just breaks me down ever time I discover a new one and effects my personal relationships. 

Oh wow. I'm not sure where to even begin. I'm so glad I found this site! Thank you for sharing. So many people do not believe that you can have shingles more than once. I thought it was just me. I have had it so many times I stopped counting at 19. I usually get it in the same place. I can always tell when an outbreak is coming. A few days before the rash appears I get so tired and ache all over like the flu. That's my worst symptoms. The fatigue is debilitating! Even the smallest tasks are draining! Everybody tells me that those arent symptoms of shingles and nobody believes me so I don't even tell people now when I have an outbreak. I just stay to myself. I am so sorry for all of you out there that have reoccurring shingles. It's horrible but I'm glad there are people here that understand and care about one another !

Hi Charlotte,

I'm 38 and have had my 3rd bought of shingles within a month. I had my 3rd child  3.5 months ago so needless I'm not getting much rest. Have you had any bloodwork done to test for other conditions?

Hi Katie, I had my first shingles episode at 30 on my back. And since then, I've had maybe 5 total episodes in 9 years which occur in the same spot on my lower right back. My last one occurred 2 years ago during my first pregnancy. I am now having one which is by far my worst. I am a regular jogger, but haven't been jogging for about 3 months. However, interestingly, I did go for a jog a week ago prior to my latest episode. There are other stress factors related though to my outbreak (work, family), but I was exercising. I've never had the vaccine.  This disease is a terrible burden, but trying to be positive!

Try working on your immune system. It can only help . I drink 4 oz. of beet juice , about 2 oz. of carrot juice , mixed with 2 oz. of Apple juice every morning. I drink with 2 cloves of garlic . I chew the garlic and drink my mirical drink . Also I make at least 3 smoothies a week with Granabana & tamarind  mixed , about 7 oz. each mixed with carrot , apple juice ( organic) . Any juice will work . Both of these fruit pulp are full of anti viral.  Don’t use much tamarind if your on blood thinner. I’m 57 with more energy than when I was thirty. I’ll probably never have shingles again. And I am immune. from the flu . Nov. 2016 I was diagnosed with stage 4 CLL / NHD  a non cureable cancer. Told I had probably about 5 years.  Did my own research  & completely cured my self. 100% cured by Dec. 9 2017 .  I’m a firm believer in finding the cause. Don’t treat the symptoms, Stop the cause. There is a lot of natural fruits and vegetables that really cures.