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Shingles without the rash

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danielle999
danielle999

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

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  • june11246
    june11246 danielle999

    Posted

    ty danielle, I don't know what the ER was thinking, but I told them that I am on 10 mgs. of pain killer now for my severe back pain and fibromyalgia.....the shingles make it unbearable.
  • richard20771
    richard20771 danielle999

    Posted

    I sympathize with you. I have been diagnosed with shingles about 3 weeks ago. It is the third time in 3 years this has ocurred. For me I don't really notice anything except maybe a slight difference in the feeling on my side. The feeling increases into a pain over a few days and then I realise it is the shingles. It is too late for some medications that shorten the time and severity of the pain. I can't remember how long the other 2 episodes lasted, but I believe it would be in the vicinity of a month. I do not get a rash or blisters. My doctor has me on pregabalin, (I can't say yet how much it relieves the pain. The pain I get is on one side of the body or the other, (each year it seems to change). This time it is in my right chest and around to under my right arm. It sure would be nice if they could find a cure that was quick. I'm hoping this time I don't go any longer than another week.

     

  • carol27456
    carol27456 danielle999

    Posted

    Hello Danielle,

    i was so relieved to read your description of Shingles with no rash.  I couldn't have described my condition any better than yours, it is exactly the same.  In 2014 was taken to hospital with the unbearable pain in my left side, discharged on a 60mg doze of Steroid (Prednisolone) for diagnosis of Polymyalgia Rheumatica.    The pain eventually disappeared, but an awful year of gaining lots of weight, moon faced and periods of highs and lows. Continued on Steroid dropping doze over the year until March 2015 when I was down to 1 mg. then stopped.  September 2015 presented in hospital again this time with the pain in my right side.  I was given Steroids again a 30 mg doze, Morphine, Gabapentin, Paracetamol, the pain dulls but never goes away.  I did have an ECG, blood tests, x-ray, ultra sound and CT scan to rule out any other causes of the pain.  It was considered I might have shingles but as NO RASH appeared that was dropped.   I was in hospital for seven days and discharge

  • jen00917
    jen00917 danielle999

    Posted

    Hi, Danielle. I have reading these posts and and becoming even more suspicious that I may have Shingles without the rash. Today is Dec 7th and I have been in agony since Nov 1st. I woke up that morning with awful pain from my neck, shoulder and under my shoulder blade, and arm. I have been to my Dr twice, the Emergency Dept twice and currently have an appt with a new Dr on the 17th. So far, I have only been told that I am having muscle spasms. I have been prescribed muscle relaxers, anti- inflamatory meds including Prednisone with no relief. I have one red patch the size of a mosquito bite between my shoulderblades in the area which the pain seems to originate- however I didn't develop this patch intil about a week ago, long after the pain started.

    For the past 13 years, I have had sporatic pain in different areas of my body. For instance, One shoulder will begin to hurt and become excruciating for about a day, I will not be able to even move my arm. Then suddenly, by the next day, feel fine as if it was never in pain at all. It has also happened to my ankles, wrists, etc. But this time the pain isn't going away and I am worried. Also, I am a single mother trying to make ends meet and this pain has caused me to miss some work because I am in misery. I am going to insist my new Dr test me for Shingles. Wondering if anyone here can relate of offer an opinion. Thanks.

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 jen00917

      Posted

      Dear Jen,

      I am so sorry for your suffering. It is difficult to say based on your description. The prior sporadic aches and pains are not caused by shingles.

      What type of pain do you have in your neck, shoulder, arm, and under your shoulder blade? Sharp, dull, aching, knife like, spasmodic, burning, electric, etc? What does the rash look like? Does it have blisters?

      Did you feel sick before you had the pain, like you were coming down with the flu, with aches and pains, headache, fever and chills, and sweating, malaise, fatigue, and weakness?

      I was a single mother and know how difficult it is to be everything to your child (ren).

      I am an NP Stateside and also have Shingles in my right ear every three to five weeks for the last 19 years. Please let me know the symptoms, and I would be happy to help you further. Also, how old are you?

      Best Wishes

      Merry Juliana

    • jen00917
      jen00917 Merry19451

      Posted

      Hi, Merry. No, I don't remember feeling sick before the pain started. I took my girls trick or treating and came home, went to bed feeling fine. Just woke up in pain, muscles tight and felt like my joints hurt. The pain is sometimes dull, achy or stabbing. My neck does not seem stiff but hurts at the base, but most of the pain is in my shoulder and my arm. If I hold my arm up over my head it seems to alieviate the pain a little bit. The red patch does not have blisters, it is just a bit raised and sore and didn't show up until weeks after the pain. I am 42 yrs old and generally healthy otherwise. I forgot to mention that my Dr did do a neck xray which was negative other than what she called "normal aging." I know that xray will not show a problem with any soft tissue, etc so that did not reassure me at all. She will not order an MRI, claiming it's hard for her to get approved thru my insurance. Thank you for the reply.
    • Ellie1943
      Ellie1943 jen00917

      Posted

      Hi Jen. do you think you could have been bitten by a tick or insect while out with your children? Tick bites can cause this type of symptom as can certain other insect/spider bites.
    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 jen00917

      Posted

      Hi Jen,

      Usually Shingles is a burning or electric pain, but excruciating and constant, and never a dull ache. It affects one to two dermatomes, specifically. If you Google dermatomes and see a body map, you will see what I mean. Most people experience fatigue.

      The shingles blistering rash lasts about two weeks, then scabs over.

      What type of work do you do?

      How old are your kids? I am asking as both certainly can stress your joints. Neck pain with radiation can be severe and debilitating.

      I certainly developed severe neck pain with radiation to my shoulder and arm when I was in my early forties. I just had cervical Laminectomies & Fusion L3L4L5 last January for cervical stenosis. I should have had it done much earlier! My hands had atrophied, I had lost muscle strength in my arms and legs, and I had trouble urinating before I finally had the surgery. I diagnosed what was wrong with me, not the doctors!

      I would ask for an evaluation by physical therapy. They can be much better than physicians in determining if it is a muscle spasm, if you have weakness in your fingers or arms etc, reduced sensation.

      If there is anything wrong with your neck, per physical therapy, you have a basis for an MRI.

      Also, try heat or ice to the area of pain.

      Let me know the answers, please to the questions, as I really do care...

      Best Wishes

      Merry Juliana

    • jen00917
      jen00917 Merry19451

      Posted

      Thank you, Merry- I appreciate that. I work in an office and also do some cleaning. My kids are 12 and 6 so I don't carry them around.

      Sometimes the pain is sort of electrical in my arm. But the pain is constant- sometines more in the neck and shoulder and others more in the arm.

      I am trying to diagnose myself, also, since my Dr seemed to have no interest in doing so. I am hoping for better from my new Dr on the 17th. Supposedly there was no concern with the neck xrays I was given so although it seems like a neck problem, I am confused. The pain is bad enough but not knowing what is wrong with me just compounds the stress. I am really hoping for some answers soon.

      I have been using ice and a heating pad. Also a hot bath seems to help a little. Nothing alieviates the pain very much.

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 jen00917

      Posted

      Jen,

      Also, is the pain strictly one sided, meaning to the right or left of your spinal column?

      When you palate the muscles near your neck by your shoulder, does one side seem in painful spasm or knots more than the other!

      Merry Juliana

    • jen00917
      jen00917 Merry19451

      Posted

      Merry, yes is is only my left side. Left side of my neck has been very tight. In all pain has been tight neck, sore at base of neck in the back where I can feel the vertebrae where my back starts, shoulder ( sometimes front and back, between my shoulder blades a little to the left, arm but so far not my hand. Even my left pec ( spelling?) sometimes feels a little sore.
  • Ellie1943
    Ellie1943 danielle999

    Posted

    Hi Danielle. Could you have been bitten by a tick or insect while you were out trick n treating? Tick bites can cause aches and pains and some other insects too. Did your Dr look at the red mark? All these things ae worth considering as some of your symptoms don't sound like shingles.

     Best Wishes Ellie UK

    • jen00917
      jen00917 Ellie1943

      Posted

      Thanks, Ellie. I did not have the red spot when I saw the Dr. It just appeared about a week ago. I plan to show it to my new Dr next week, which is the soonest appt I could get.
  • sarah2016
    sarah2016 danielle999

    Posted

    I have to say I am amazed at the number of people writing online about this horrible shingles ordeal! Especially considering I only learned it existed this week when I developed it myself.

    I'll recount my experience so far in case it is helpful to anyone else experiencing the same.

    I am 37 years old and six months pregnant. I had what I thought was muscular pain in my left side of head and neck and tried reiki and a physiotherapy session to relieve it - before reaching excruciating pain and going to my OBYGN to inquire about a month old rash from pregnancy and the neck pain.

    The physiotherapist said it was muscular. The OBYGN thought the lump on my head was a sebaceous gland on my head and recommended a doctor to remove it surgically.

    Luckily, I decided to head over to my dermatologist after that recommendation and he immediately recognized herpes zoster. Nothing he could give me since a small rash already appeared for 72 hours - he said medication is effective before and up to 48 hours after rash appears. Regarding the pain, I can take Tylenol even though it has been ineffective so far in relieving the pain.

    Regarding the pregnancy, he said the shingles shouldn't affect baby as it has already developed and not early stage pregnancy. Hopefully he is right on that one!

    He diagnosed my shingles as cervical 2 which is the left side of the back of my head and left side of my neck. The very small rash is on my left cheek (which I thought was an acne breakout due to pregnancy). Not much of a rash but there are a few bumps on the back of my head.

    The reason I am sharing this here (despite having a small "rash") is because my shingles seems to be more nerve pain. Throbbing, pulsing, shooting pain along with an ache in my neck and head at all times making it very difficult to function normally.

    Good luck to you all!! What a horrible experience.

    • Ellie1943
      Ellie1943 sarah2016

      Posted

      Hi Sarah. I'm sorry to hear you have the dreaded 'shingles' especially aas you're pregnant. It's a truly horrible illness for everyone. You should be resting as much as possible to help it go dormant again. You were probably run down when it started. Were you told that the Zoster virus, (chicken pox) is always in your system once you've had it, usually as a child? It tends to flair up when we're unwell with something else or tired and stressed or have auto immune disease. Not a good idea to take pills when pregnant but if your doc said Tylenol, (Parecetamol in UK), is ok, well try them if they work. Usually much stronger meds are needed for shingles nerve pain. (PHN or Post Herpetic Neuralgia) is the pulsing, throbbing, shooting pain like an electric current passing through the area of the shingles rash.) Only a doctor can prescribe them and give advice if needed. Some practice nurses may be able to help too. Merry usually comes on this forum with good advice, hope she's reading this and maybe she'll join in too. Best wishes, Pollyanna UK
    • sarah2016
      sarah2016 Ellie1943

      Posted

      Thank you Pollyana for your response and kind words! This certainly seems to be a support network smile I have to admit I am prone to stress and as I already have terrible daily sciatica, tailbone pain, itchiness from pregnancy especially at night, insomnia and overall just feel run down trying to work and look after a three year old, this hit me! It was the icing on the cake so to speak!

      I wasn't surprised when the dermatologist said it was dormant virus that lays dormant in all people who contracted the chicken pox virus earlier in life (as you mentioned). He said when you have a weakened immune system or very stressed it triggers the herpes zoster virus.

      Trying to rest and take it easy, thanks Pollyana! Could definitely use some pain relief suggestions. The pain just started radiating down to my shoulder yesterday but is very dull compared to my neck head and my left ear. Hope it doesn't spread.

      All the best,

      Sarah

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 sarah2016

      Posted

      Dear Sarah,

      This is my third try posting to you. I am so sorry for your suffering from this excruciating disease. Your obstretrician is absolutely correct that your baby cannot

      be affected by the Herpes Zoster virus infection that you have.

      Unfortunately, it does not make it any less painful for you. I know that Tylenol really doesn't touch the pain of shingles. Please ask your obstretrician if you can use a topical ointment such as dibucaine. It contains a numbing medication to help deaden the superficial nerve endings.

      While it certainly won't alleviate all of the pain, it might help stop the severe spasms of pain when a light breeze brushes by the affected area.

      I have Herpes Zoster Oticus in my right ear every three to five weeks for the last 20 years. I use Auralgon ear drops which has Benzocaine. I use the Auralgon ear drops which helps me reduce the amount of pain medication I need.

      You may have experienced certain symptoms such as headache, joint pain, aches, fever, chills, sweating, and malaise. You probably are having more fatigue than usual. These are part of the viremia circulating in your body. The fatigue can last for 1-2 months. Younger individuals often don't have as bad cases as the older individuals.

      The lancinating pain you are experiencing is neurological pain, but is not post herpetic neuralgia (PHN.) PHN by definition is pain continuing months after the rash has dissipated.

      I suggest you ask your husband to help you somewhat with the care of the three year old and household chores. Perhaps, you can lie down in a dark room and rest for a couple of hours each day. I am aware of the severity of the pain.

      Please keep me posted on how you are doing. I truly care about you. I know that you are suffering greatly.

      Best Wishes

      Merry Juliana

    • sarah2016
      sarah2016 Merry19451

      Posted

      Dear Merry Juliana,

      Thanks for taking the time to respond to me and for your previous attempts at responding. Very kind of you to take the time to write and help people out especially with what I can imagine must be a busy life as a nurse. Not to mention the awful shingles you are suffering with yourself. It's only been a week and a half, I just can't imagine how recurring episodes and the recurring pain affect you in your daily life. Feel for you dear!

      Thank you for your pain relief suggestions, I will discuss with my doctor and see what he says and the name they are sold under here in Amman, Jordan. Thankfully my husband has been a real help and my parents who lives close by are taking my son off me in the afternoons. Grateful for the support network at home and online. I really feel for all the super mums and dads managing without the extra pair of hands. Thinking of you all. We all need a village especially during such times.

      Thanks so much!

      Sarah

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 sarah2016

      Posted

      Dear Sarah,

      It is indeed a pleasure to help you. I was pregnant with my only child at 37 years...I am glad your parents live close by to help you and that your husband is sweet and helpful.

      You sound very much in touch with your body and proactive regarding your health, always a great way to be for yourself and your family.

      Again,

      All the Best.

      Merry Juliana

    • Ellie1943
      Ellie1943 sarah2016

      Posted

      Hi again Sarah. Glad to see Merry came on to help out with advice. I'm just a fellow sufferer not a professional so her advice is good. Some medications have different names in other countries so I hope you find what you need. Keep in touch!

       Best wishes for a speedy recovery ans safe delivery. Pollyanna UK smile

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 Ellie1943

      Posted

      Dear Pollyanna,

      Please never say, you are just a fellow sufferer. The patient is the most important person and I only mean to inform and support people, so they can make the best decisions in their health care. You seem like such a warm and caring soul, and I certainly hope that I have not offended you.

      Herpes Zoster-Shingles is such a difficult disease to manage, and as you are aware, many practitioners are not up to date regarding current practices, etc. I hope you do not suffer from recurrent Herpes Zoster or post herpetic neuralgia.

      Please let me know if I may be of any help. The people on this site are truly kind and wonderful.

      Best Wishes

      Merry Juliana

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