Shingles without the rash
Posted , 105 users are following.
For about two weeks I was experiencing pain on my right side, around my rib area to under my breast bone. It was an odd pain, nothing like I've had before, it felt as though someone punched me really hard. I thought it was just a muscle strain from so much coughing as I had pneumonia, but the pain didn't go away when the cough did, the pain got worse, and it was constant and would not respond to over the counter pain meds. It got to the point I was crying from the pain. All I can describe it as if someone beat the s**t out of me and left me there, or a car ran over my side. I had no burning, no tingling, no rash. It is a scary pain.
Nonetheless I was still diagnosed with shingles, and given anti virals and pain meds. Within a week I felt a lot better, now the pain is mostly gone, thank God.
Shingles also makes you feel lightheaded, faint, weak, unwell in yourself, not right. Before I got the pain I had a few days of feeling really weak and not right and thought I was going to pass out. Funny that as I remember a day before I got Chicken Pox, years ago, I felt really off.
Terrible thing to get. Now fearing getting it again so will look into a vaccine.
Just wanted to post this in case there are any of you who are wondering if its possible to have shingles without the rash. Yes, it is. Not common, but possible. It is also possible for the band of pain to shift, rather than just stay in one place. In my case my pain started on my right side, then went to my left side, same area of my rib/breastbone.
Hope this helps some people - if this is you, go to your doctor, the anti virals really work fast and the pain meds make it bearable. Paracetamol is not enough for this. Neither is co-codamol. You need either a med that dulls the nerve endings, or an opiate
9 likes, 281 replies
JWIL44 danielle999
Posted
nicky1982 danielle999
Posted
IVe had an ear infection for a about 4 weeks now and generally feeling unwell. Yesterday I spent all day in bed suffering with a sharp nasty pain in my right side by my breast and rib area.
This morning it had gone into my back area. I went to the Drs and sore the nurse. While listening to my back she sore some red small marks by my rig job side of my back where the pain hadn’t been. She immediately said its shingles. She prescribed anti virals which I’ve started taking. A few hours later I showed my husband the ‘rash’ and he said there was nothing there. IM wondering wether the red marks could have been from where I’d been using a hot water bottle for the pain? Maybe it was to hot and left red marks. Other than the sharp pain which isn’t as bad as some others are describing on here and feeling like crap there’s no itchy rash. Could it have appeared and disappeared in only a couple of hours? Would it matter if I keep taking the anti vitals just in case?
I’ve had my gallbladder removed in 2013, but have always suffered with gastric pain and spent all last year on a strict anti Candida thrush diet as suffered head to toe with overgrowth for Months!! Any advise would be appreciated thanks
Look2thesky danielle999
Posted
Dear Danielle
Your note really helped me... I had the same feeling as you the past 2 nights
I thought it might be my heart.. Cause the pressure and pain on my left breast bone and ribs. Last night I couldn't sleep and barley move without severe pain. When I breath in or exhale it hurts. I had mentioned That I also had a rash on my right side but no blisters. Today I went to Dr. Mikes clinic and the Doc took a look at my rash and said its shingles... I came home with questions in my mind so after doing some reserch I found what you shared. Thank you for the helpful input! Hope your feeling better. Look2thesky.
avey danielle999
Posted
Three momths ago I had a scheduled colon resection with a stoma performed the last minute as the distal end could not be reattached. Off and on I have had burning , tingling in my transverse colon and also along the long incision. Also a sharp fleeting pain on my left side and often constant pain between both rib cages. Only today i have fleeting pain, stinging elsewhere. My GP is more understanding of internal shingles and i have taken Aciclovar for three days although one wek had passed. I am not improving however and my stoma has concerned me as well. (I become worse as my immune system is compromised further)
Since the shingles has appeared to be widespread beneath the skin on my abdomen have you heard of this before and what can I do? Only this GP in the practice appears to know something sbout shingles but I fear not enough. I have been dizzy and nauseous off and on for a week.
I so appreciate all I have learned from these posts and highly commiserate with all of the people who are in such pain. Fortunately I have had a high pain threshold as I had polio when young and fully recovered but now with surgery and back pain ( relieved with Paracetamol) i have coped. But... what can be done now anout the shingles to stop the nerve pain. Thanks so much for all replies from all.
Avis
Merry19451 avey
Posted
I am sorry I have not responded sooner. You are the most complicated case, and require a good deal of thought. I have not forgotten you. Unfortunately, I cannot find your old post to review.
May I ask why you had the original colostomy and what your dwindling immunity issues are, if known?
Sometimes, especially after abdominal surgery, which I have had, it is difficult to ascertain the cause of the various aches and pains. The pain of Shingles, once you have had it, however, is
never forgotten.
Are your kidneys, liver, heart, and lungs in good health?
I would ask to be changed to Famciclovir, from Acyclovir, as it is a more effective drug. (Valcyclovir is larger to swallow than Famciclovir)
Has the surgeon evaluated you since you have had these symptoms? Have you had a CBC and metabolic panel checking your electrolytes, liver and kidney function within the last few days? You want to be certain there is not a complication going on.
If it is a fleeting pain, I would not worry about it.
Incisions, as the nerve endings regrow, tend to tingle (and burn slightly,) but this should be mild.
As you have pain between your ribs, is it similar to Shingles pain? Is it in the location of the bowel surgery? Midline incision? Is the pain increasing?
You should not be nauseated and dizzy, even off and on. I strongly suggest you be evaluated. Usually, individuals are not nauseated with Shingles, nor dizzy, unless their ear is affected.
Do you have a fever, chills, sweating?
I have ideas for pain control, but I am worried something other than Shingles is occurring. You need a thorough history and physical exam by an excellent physician.
Please let me know what happens.
Best regards, Avis.
Merry Juliana
dan4760 danielle999
Posted
I've had the shingles pain in my left hip and stomach area for 5 months. No rash. I asked my new (old one retired due to new Obama regs) young Dr. if it was possible to have shingles and no rash and he flat told me that's impossible and if no rash, no shingles. He knew he probably had mis-stepped and said, if I have shingles, so what? Said there wasn't much he could do for it. He was going to give me Gabapentin, but I already take it for neuropathy in my feet. Anyway, I'm looking for a new Dr:). I started taking +CBD in a dropper form until it ran out and I'm sure it helped but have been using the same in a salve form and I think it also has helped some and is cheaper. Long story short, the pain is less severe but still present. When I first got the pain it was, as you say, excruciating. At least at this point if it never goes away I can live with it but its certainly uncomfortable. I recommend trying the CBD. There are different strengths and I may bump mine next time to see if I can eliminate the pain.
Merry19451 dan4760
Posted
Dear Dan,
**It is a sad statement when a doctor says "shingles, so what?" He sounds like an ignorant and arrogant .Yes, you certainly can have shingles without the rash. It is called Zoster Sin Herpete.
As you are in the States, you are eligible for Shingrex. If you are under 50 years of age, you would need a physician's note prescription for it, stating you have had shingles. It may help the Post Herpetic Neuralgia PHN.
I get Shingles in my right ear every 3-5 weeks for the past 22 years, but the vesicles also are in my right mouth, throat, and entire right scalp. Sorry for the bold text. My phone is fighting with me!
I use FLONASE nasal spray, a corticosteroid, plus Bactine, which contains Lidocaine on my Scalp. These two topicals in combination helped tremendously with the pain and burning.
May I ask why you have peripheral neuropathy? I have it, for an unknown cause, and am on Topamax (topiramate) for it. It is also an anticonvulsant, but with a much cleaner, ie less adverse reactions than either gabapentin or Lyrica. I also take it for migraine prophylaxis and Post Herpetic Neuralgia PHN. It has helped tremendously, but I don't have any side effects. There is no weight gain. I don't have the cognitive brain fog that occurs with gabapentin.
I have now had the two Shingrex injections, and while I can't speak for the long term efficacy of prevention of recurrent episodes, it is helping reduce the Post Herpetic Neuralgia PHN. It seems to have stopped the episodes of Herpes Zoster-Shingles.
I am sorry you are struggling with this disease. I am a Nurse Practitioner in the States.
Best Wishes
Merry Juliana