Shingles without the rash

Hello!!!! I doubt you will see this because I see it's an old post. But thank you for taking the time to post it.

I have been scared to death and still am because I can get no doctor to take the time to help me.

My chiropractor finally said he thought I might have shingles.

I have no rash or even a spot on my skin to suggest a shingle.

What I do have is the worst pain I have ever had in my life. I have a history of back and neck pain along with PTSD.

I have suffered pain most of my life, so I just thought I hurt my back again by lifting something heavy. I also have scoliosis so no one thinks that anything else could be the problem.

But we know our own bodies. I look very healthy because I try to take care of myself BECAUSE I have so many problems.

From what I have been reading this virus attacks a weakened immune system and I "assume" also the weakest part of the body. Which in my case would be my poor back. I also have immune disorders because I have no thyroid.

I have been through back surgery, childbirth labor, and severe muscle spasm pain. But this was the worst pain I have ever had in my whole 56 years.

I cannot stand up for more than a minute without going to my knees. Pain meds do not touch the pain.

I am on my second day of the virus med.

I hope and pray it works.

I hope you never had any lasting problems after your incident. Would love to find more posts about this, but it seems it is uncommon. So thank you for posting. I will try to update my posting in case some other poor soul out there is suffering like I have.

I went to 6 different appts. I was in such severe pain I had to drug myself more than I should have just to get where I was going. I even called 911. They also said it was a waste of time for me to even go to the ER because I had no fever, no rash, and I "looked" just fine.

Unreal how people just shrug off pain. Pain is REAL and something causes it!

Everyone just sent me home with muscle relaxers that did nothing The pain reminds you of a bubbly stinging fire trying to bust through your body.

Hi just went to look online about shingles come across this forum well were can I start first of all came down with your normal cold sores but quite bad bout this time felt drained mouth swelled up driving along one day felt like bruise like pain in right rib cage area first thing is muscle strain surely I have physical job this pain gradually got worse spread to hip area pain dull ache worrying sort of pain worse when sitting felt like flu inside but won't come out iv had no rash on body apart from cold sores thinking is it kidney trouble or something worse iv had this 7 weeks now never visit gp iv always been the one to ride things out rather than visit doc I read about lysine tablets been taking them for a week with codeine but Dont suffer go to docs pain slowly going still getting odd throbbing sensation stabb pain but I believed that is nerve it effected it scared me bad and I sympathies for anyone getting there recurring adult chicken pox hope in the next week hopefully gone with out any complications hope this helps people

How did they diagnose the internal shingles?

How did you find out for sure? Blood tests ?

Hi, Danielle! I just wanted to thank you for your post. I suffered a bout of shingles with a rash 6 years ago and just last week seemed to have the same symptoms of shingles so I went online about it because I didn't have any rash. I came across your comment and after reading it went to my doctor. She confirmed that it was indeed shinges! Still no rash but I am taking antiviral med along with Lyrica for the nerve pain. So, thank you for writing this. It helped me tremendously!

Danielle,

I am so sorry you went through this. Herpes Zoster Shingles certainly is a systemic illness, not just a rash and a little bit of pain on one side of your body. Some people need pain medication that dulls the nerve endings such as gabapentin and Lyrica, and SNRIs such as Cymbalta and Venlafaxine.

As I have recurrent episodes of Herpes Zoster Shingles I take Topiramate, Venlafaxine, Benzocaine topically, and an Opioid when I have the episode.

You are so correct with the pain shifting from one side to the other, and also shingles without the rash, called "Zoster Sine Herpete."

The many symptoms that occur with shingles can be disabling for many individuals.

My best to you.

Merry Juliana

Hi danielle,  I had pain in my side six weeks before coming down with the rash.  My doc sent me for an ultrasound of my gallbladder which of course came back negative.  That pain went away so I thought all was well.  Then it came back but this time it was constant for three days so I went back to my doc.  She discovered ten little blisters and said I had shingles which I do.  When I had the pain six weeks ago it was the shingles virus rearing it's head.  Wish I could have started the meds then.  Hope this helps.  And another thing, I had the shingles shot t0 years ago so supposedly this should be a milder case.  We will see.  Right now I am on anti viral meds and gabbapentin which doesn't work that well.  Hang in there.  Glad I am not alone and either are you. 

Thank you so much for this information.  I went to ER with severe pain on my left side. lower back and hip area.  They thought I had a kidney stone.  Took MRI everthing was good. Gave me opaite for three days did help the pain but had to take every four hours.  After reading this I am headed back to ER to get this checked out.  I think I had the same thing on my upper left side about 4 weeks ago but it was a different pain more like needles.  This time it is worse.  I have  never had the rash.

Hi Danielle, I had a whiplash accident in 2009 and after that I went to the dentist for tooth pain, right side of my face. Two fillings made no difference! A while later I started getting excruciating electric shock pain from my teeth up towards my nose and cheek. I realized it wasn't my teeth, thought trigeminal neuralgia. I even had episodes where there were sharp pains in my palate! 

Only in January 2016 did I get what I thought was a cold sore on the edge of my lip - never had one before- which spread in a line from mouth to nose. It dawned on me it could be Shingles! The doctor thought so too. I haven't had a blister tested, not sure how best to find out and confirm if it is in fact Shingles. 

I've had episodes every few weeks or months. Last week Thursday I started coughing and feeling off and very tired, doctor saw red spots on my palate and throat so she swabbed and said I have Strep throat. I also am having electric shock pains on the right  side of my face when brushing teeth etc... and there are a few blisters on the left side of my face. In the past two years I have also had a line of single spots from shoulder blade down to my waist on occasion, either right or left side. It's really strange, I don't always get a rash either. I'm taking Valacyclovir and antibiotics for the Strep. You're not alone! This forum and Merry are very helpful! 

Hi 

New here. Hoping to find some guidance. 

Jan2017- herpetic looking rash around my nose. Painful , itch and red. The Derm thought it was herpes and treated me with one week of herpes meds. Can not recall the name. It didn’t help. I have had this nose rash thing on and off all year. May I developed 2 swollen knees. Dx osteoarthritis. The knees responded to physical therapy but became very swollen and painful 3 weeks ago. Went back to the Ortho. He put me on Celebrex. This past weds I woke up to groin bruising and right flank bruising. And severe itching where the bruising is. Thursday am I was in such pain in my back it was like I got hit by a truck. Nothing helped. Sitting and Laying down made it worse. Went to the internist. He had me go for an abdominal cat scan with contrast to rule out appendix. That came back normal as told to me over the phone by the md. Except when I got report it says I have 4 small to characterize hypoattenuating lesions on the left and right lobes of my liver which I don’t know what that means. But it’s not normal. I went to a spine Ortho today. He took X-rays. Says he sees arthiritis but was more concerned with the 5 light bruise like spots mid back and one red spot.  He said I should watch for shingles. I’m going back to my internist tonight. Any thoughts on what this is and what texts I should ask for or meds to start. The pain is awful. I have not slept.