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Shingles and odd symptoms

Posted , 7 users are following.

Vigilante
Vigilante

Hello all,

I am 35 and developed shingles about two weeks ago on the side of my neck, I had been itching for a few days before developing red raised blotches, I went to the GP believing it was just an exzema or allergic reaction but he diagnosed shingles to my suprise and gave anti virals 800mg

fast forward to now, I still have the red patches on the side of my neck, it randomly goes very itchy while also now going slightly sore/painful when i stretch my neck. I have been feeling strange since a few days after I got diagnosed, like feeling dizzy and tired, pretty sure I also had a slight fever last week.

But I also now feel spaced out, zombie like and my mind feels kind of blank, when I talk I'm tripping over my word's and losing what I'm trying to actually say, also the fatigue has got worst, this morning I feel like I havent even been to sleep.

I do get health anxiety at times so this has set me off worrying a bit about vcjd again, it's a worry I've had now for 18 months because of visual issues but I've had clear brain mri's and seen 2 neuro's and a neuro-opthal in the last 18 months with no issues found.

Is it the shingles making me feel so off?

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • karen81086
    karen81086 Vigilante

    Posted

    Hi Vigilante! I'm no expert.. only a fellow shingles "victim" on my 3 week or so of my first experience with it. And yes! All those weird symptoms are whst had me searching for answers just like you. The pain and rash were bad but honestly for me its the things you described and the fatigue. I honestly dont even remember much of the last couple weeks. Big blur. I've had some pretty good days in the lat well but must have over done it. Now I'm back to laying around not accomplishing much of anything.

    Best to you!

    Karen

  • Merry19451
    Merry19451 Vigilante

    Posted

    Hi Vigilante!

    First, I am sorry you are going through this disease with Herpes Zoster Shingles. The symptoms you have are classic for Herpes Zoster Shingles. The fever, brain fog, fatigue, and exhaustion certainly are part of shingles and can persist for a month or months after the rash is gone.

    Please be assured you do not have VCJD, as you would have died by now if the onset of your visual symptoms were 18 months ago. The patients go downhill rapidly from time of onset of initial symptoms. Sorry to be blunt, but I would prefer you to stop worrying about this horrific disease.

    I am a Nurse Practitioner in the States and have had Herpes Zoster Shingles in my right ear every three to five weeks for the past twentyone years and twice in my right eye.

    Best Wishes

    Merry Juliana

  • Vigilante
    Vigilante

    Posted

    Thank you very much both for the replies, yeah I do realise that is irrational thinking Merry, I do get health anxiety but it hasnt been that bad of late but I guess I'm feeling really off so it's maybe set me off worrying a tad, my visual symptoms I've been told are down to the squint I have by a neuro opthal so I'm just waiting for that to be fixed.

    This is my first experience with shingles, I was really shocked when the dr said that;s what I have, and apart from itching I felt fine in myself at that point but started feeling really off during the first anti-viral course, I've just been given a second course of anti virals. Can quite honestly say I have never felt so strange in my entire life, I slept all last nite and had another 2 hours sleep this afternoon but still feel out of it.

    Sorry to hear you get this nasty that regular Merry

    Thanks

    Martin

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 Vigilante

      Posted

      Martin,

      Do you have a strabismus in which you see double? I certainly do not wish to seem to marginalize your anxiety regarding the vcjd, but to allay your fears. I am not allowed to donate blood as I lived in Europe during the Mad Cow Disease during the 1970s.

      I told the Red Cross that I would be dead by now if I had it... Rules are rules....Really? (You are truly dead within months...)

      I hope you feel better soon. My son had strabismus surgery.

      Best Wishes

      Merry Juliana

    • Vigilante
      Vigilante Merry19451

      Posted

      Yeah, I was born with an alternate strabismus but I also developed Keratoconus the cornea disease in 2012, after that I started losing control of my strabismus, previously I didn't have double vision as I suppressed an eye, but after having surgery on my cornea of my left eye in 2015 I started getting strange visuals like visual snow/static as well as double vision from my strabismus, and like superimposing of my vision.

      I'm under my local hospital for the strabismus currently but had the 2nd opinion from the neuro-opthal as well, I think my next step is botox injection into my eye muscles to see what happens when my eyes are more straight.

      My visual snow is like a static, or a camera using a high iso at night or in the dark, I also thought I had a blind spot (theres an area I cannot see) but both my local opthal and the neuro have told me I'm actually noticing the physiological blind spot as it seems to be the same position as theirs on testing and my visual field tests are within normal range, they think it's a result of my strabismus messing me up and making me hyper awear.

      Did your son get good results from strabismus surgery?

      Thanks

      Martin

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 Vigilante

      Posted

      Martin,

      Actually, he has Duane's Syndrome, a congenital condition, 6th Cranial Nerve Palsy in which the eyeball cannot move from the midline laterally or out. It also retracted inward and the eyelid would close when he looked outward or laterally. He also had strabismus and the ophthalmologist moved the eyeball 8mm and clipped aberrant nerves so that his left eye did not retract inward and close. He still cannot move his left eye laterally, as that is a neurological condition, but he just moves his head.

      He can see quite well now.

      I am sorry you have keratoconus.

      I have had recurrent scleritis in both eyes, autoimmune....so while don't know your particular hell, I understand the anxiety of losing your vision.

      Best Wishes

      Merry Juliana

    • Vigilante
      Vigilante Merry19451

      Posted

      So sorry to hear all that Merry,

      I can imagine how much that would effect him, really glad he's seeing quite well now and sorry you also have issues with vision,

      I think vision has a way of being really upsetting being one of the major sense's and it's a big reason for my anxiety of the past few years, I see pretty well after having corneal ring segments placed in the left eye, although it gets ghosting,  It's probably just a case of getting my eyes to work as a team now some how and stopping the visual confusion and double vision.

      All the best

      Martin

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 Vigilante

      Posted

      Martin,

      This is for your amusement:

      I kept buying better smart phones a few years ago, as I had difficulty reading the text. I would go into the nurses' station in the morning, flick on all the lights, and state, "why are you all working in the dark?"

      When I couldn't read my medical texts at all and had a couple of near misses in auto accidents due to poor peripheral vision, I found out I had severe bilateral cataracts and needed surgery!

      Best Regards

      Merry Juliana

    • Vigilante
      Vigilante Merry19451

      Posted

      Hey Merry,

      Sorry I didn't get back to you quicker, that's quite an incredible story, you didn't even know you had till they was severe. Can only imagine what your vision would have been like, like seeing in a fog I should imagine!

      I just had an appointment with my strabismus specialist yesterday and they are going to try botox into my medial rectus with a view to surgery if my vision is improved when both eyes are aligned, although it's made more complex due to my keratoconus.

      My shingles rash has all but gone again, just dry in that area right now. I am getting a random pain go through the area and around my jaw on that side every now and then but I still feel really odd, I can't seem to think straight at all and very detatched from reality kind of feel if that makes any sense, a bit funny bones feeling too throughout my whole body.

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 Vigilante

      Posted

      Vigilante,

      That outer space feeling is typical of shingles....plus the weird numbness and tingling sensation....and detached from reality and impaired cognition.

      Best Wishes

      Merry Juliana

    • claudette_62139
      claudette_62139 Vigilante

      Posted

       I got over shingles about a month ago and still feel really weird some days I get this hot weird sensation running through my body and I feel strong anxiety sometimes and off-balance ever since I had the shingles I just don’t feel right! I feel like it’s hard to focus some days and still on some days I have no energy! That energy level has improved but when I had the shingles I could sleep 14 hours and still feel tired that virus just has wiped me out and I’m so sorry to read that you have it as well. Stay patient and know that it will go away but it seems it’s takes us longer to get completely over this awful virus especially at an older age. Blessings to you and I really hope you get better soon
  • tiffany60896
    tiffany60896 Vigilante

    Posted

    Hi Vigilante,

    In reference to your shingles symptoms, I acquired shingles in November and it is

    now May, seven months, and I still feel abnormally tired, lethargic and unable to carry out many tasks I used to do with no effort. I also have the nerve pain that sometimes follows shingles which has caused me to develop an anxiety disorder. My doctor told me that anxiety offen is a side effect of shingles and is normal for asome people who get shingles. Having anxiety can cause shingles pain to be worse unfortunately. 

    I seem to be constantly focussed on my health and pain so that it becomes more 

    severe. I even now sometimes get panic attacks which I have never had in my life. 

    I am now practicing ways to relax and ease my mind. Learning natural ways to calm yourself could help some of your symptoms. Also, I have changed my diet to a healthier one. I have changed my life style to force myself to sleep and rest a lot more. I hope you feel better soon. 

  • kristi05609
    kristi05609 Vigilante

    Posted

    Hi Vigilante,

    I had Shingles about a month ago and am still feeling spaced out, can't concentrate, have terrible fatigue and seem to have developed anxiety which I didn't have before the Shingles.

    Are you still suffering from feeling spaced out/feeling out of it and fatigued? Are you taking anything to help it?

    I can't do this much longer! Just want to feel back to normal again!!

    - Kristi

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