Shingles

Just my opinion- but I would go ahead and take the Meds.  Shingles is not fun if it goes full blown with the rash etc.

​Also do some research on what foods to avoid and which vitamins to take to help your body fight the virus. I had shingles on my forehead. Rash spread down into my eye.( It all started with pain and a weird sensation on my head.) The virus then returned three separate times just in my eye. I now have permanent damage to my eye that will never get better. 

Thank you for your advice yes I will take them, sorry that you have had such a bad time with shingles and have eye damage. Thank you for advice.

Thank you for your advice yes I will take them, sorry that you have had such a bad time with shingles and have eye damage. Thank you for advice.

Take the Aciclovir - you don't have to have a rash to have shingles.

In recognising that your doctor is one in a million because many GPs maintIn that you have to have a rash with singles - but you don't. Singles without a rash - zoster sine herpete - definitely exists.

You need to be on antivirals as soon as possible to avoid post herpetic neuralgia - which you most definitely do not want.

Play it safe! Go with your doctor’s advice. Furthermore, be ready to see an experienced MD ophthalmologist just in case you happened to get ophthalmic shingles, the worst type of shingles because your eyesight could be severely compromised! Discuss with your doctor the new Rx Shingrix, which has a 90+% of preventing shingles or preventing the return of shingles. I wish you well. Best of success. Ps. I got hit with ophthalmic shingles in July 2013. Thanks to GOD today I have just a mild case of PHN, i.e., basically no pain a little itching, take an amitriptline 25mg pill at night and use Muro 128 5% 2X a day left eye (cornea slightly scarred). I am blessed with the medical providers (primary doctor, dermatologist, ophthalmologist, pain specialists) that took care of me.

Dear Andrea,

Please take the Acyclovir! The adverse reactions are minimal compared to the full blown case of shingles. Your Physician is probably accurate in his diagnosis and deserves a medal for his diagnosis.

You could be developing shingles in your ear or eye! The excruciating pain starts before the rash appears.

Sometimes, the rash never appears, or waits 3-1/2 weeks to appear as in my case, shingles in the ear.

If your eye feels scratchy, painful, or itchy, or is red or swollen, please see an Ophthalmologist that day! Shingles is that serious!

We are all here for you!

Best wishes

Merry Juliana

Good advice. I am amazed and frustrated at how little many doctors know about Shingles. I've had it twice; the first time I had a tiny rash on my side. It didn't even hurt. The second time, no rash at all but excruciating headaches. Both times I was totally wiped out for 3 months. I'm a morning person and usually bounce out of bed but it took me an hour to get up in the morning. Couldn't lift arms and legs from the bed and I felt for the first time what it must be like to be depressed. So symptoms vary greatly.

 

I had symptoms of numbness in my teeth and jaw, headache tingling around my eye 5 days before my rash appeared. 

Yes definitely take them. I had 2 lots antibiotics 2 lots of eye cream face cream and 3 trips to a eye specialist. Sooner you get stated the better 

wishing you well 

Your welcome 

it certainly knock the wind out of my sails, I have never felt pain like it, iv still got some nerve damage around my left eye. But the after math of it all I think iv got away quite lightly. I didn’t loose my sight. I put a cold compress on mine when it got painful.

also read what to eat and what not too. Lots of fluid and rest. 

I kept a photo diary of each stage. I also joined a shingles group on Facebook. 

Hope you get through this without to much discomfort 

Hi Andrea. Sorry this is happening to you friend. It is likely that you DO have shingles that has developed in your eye. If this is the case, you have had the misfortune to have what is considered the worst type of shingles. It is often misdiagnosed because the rash is not typical to shingles found on the waistline or hip. Most often, it first appears as a mild rash on the cheek close to the nose but most often a minor breakout on the nose itself. This is considered the initial phase and left untreated, it WILL worsen and can lead to nerve damage and damage to your eyesight. Caught in time, it CAN be managed through anti-virals. The pain you are having from your teeth and face are nerves firing. No worries about the Acyclovir, as it is a mild anti-viral and not likely to cause any side effects to worry about, whether you have shingles or not. Best to take the meds without delay because not doing so can cost you greatly. Also, when you are clear of this outbreak, do not delay getting the new shingles vaccine that was approved this past January. It is a two-dose vaccine called Shingrix. It is very new, so ask for it by name. You will find many good people here in this forum that will give you sound advice. Follow their advice...they are your friends and will do you no harm. God bless them all. Take care friend

Bless you for your advice,

i have started the course yesterday so hopefully it will stop it in it’s track, I have a small rash on the left side of my nose that appeared yesterday evening but today it’s not growing. 

It it seems to be mainly in and around my inner mouth and up to the left ear area where it’s numb. But again I can’t see a rash inside but my goodness I have never had pain like it !!! The Gabapentin is helping me with the pain and painkillers. 

The doctor she was wonderful and straight away she said shingles with how I was describing the pain  even though I didn’t have a rash ? So glad I saw her. The doctor said that some people just don’t get a rash it attack’s the nerve in the cheek flesh but doesn’t come out in a rash, well I was confused about that because we are ill informed about shingles and always associated shingles with rashes.

anyway bless you for your kind words 

Andrea.