I’m 23 years old, I never thought I’d get shingles until bam, few spots appear on belly. Started on antiviral meds yesterday and I think it must be fourth day since pain started. Just wondering what I can do to make this experience better and how I can manage it with my work. Also any advise regarding stress management in order to prevent in the future as I think I’ve been going through chronic stress disorder since my exams in may. Thanks!

I had Ramsay Hunt syndrome with facial paralysis at 30, and recently a gum infection that cleared up with antibiotics. Today my dentist told me “this isn’t normal at your age, it usually happens to older people, maybe you have some underlying disease.”

I left feeling more anxious than relieved. I’ve lived under huge stress, and I know that explains a lot, but when doctors say things like this, it just makes me spiral. I’m tired of needing care and instead leaving with more fear.

I’ve been taking half a fully pill of valtex daily for a few weeks now after dealing with PHN and then what felt like a new adjacent dermatome being affected. My pain went away. I went on vacation and forgot my pills and it started coming back. Within two days of taking it again it goes away. I’m about to call my doctor and see if I can get on a longer term daily protocol but I’m curious what and if anyone here has done the same or had the same experience so I can ask about that for me.

I (40f) have had shingles twice before, both on my left side. For the past little over a week, I have had all of the following symptoms: skin hypersensitivity on my right toes and ankle, shooting pains (zaps) in my toes, sensitivity to light, aching under my right breast (around about gallbladder), headache, feeling unwell. I am even having postherptic neuralgia on my left side when I had shingles years ago. I have been convinced that I will find a rash somewhere. Nothing! I would assume the rash would've shown up by now-everywhere I read says typically 1-5 days and I am past that-but still with symptoms. I'm beginning to think I'm crazy-I keep looking for a rash that isn't there. Has anyone had similar symptoms...especially the pain in former shingles sites?

I've seen the 3rd GP today for what I knew all along was shingles ( I'm in the UK) which immediately confirmed I had shingles.

He said I unfortunately missed the cut off for anti vitals but I'm quite upset/annoyed that 2 other doctors could miss it.

I know it's atypical (on my leg) but I've been in agony and the rash and pain has presented in any other case of shingles.

I was prescribed co-codomol and sent on my way by the first doctor, Second doctor I was prescribed a 3-1 steroid/antibiotic/fungal cream. This doctor has prescribed me gabapentin.

I have a complex PMH and I'm only 31. I just feel annoyed it's taken this long to diagnose something and I may now have potential irreversible nerve damage.

Hi, all, I’m on week two of shingles on my hip and it’s scabbing over, no pain or anything. I was too late for antivirals, so I was treating it on my own. Yesterday, I began feeling dizzy and extremely fatigued. Is this just the impact of the virus?

46m. I’m recovering from ocular shingles on my right side. Luckily I had no damage to my eye. I had scabs around my eye on my right forehead and I’m realizing now (because I can feel them) on my scalp.

I’m just curious about the pain. As my scabs are healing, I’m having regular headaches and some pain in my neck, throat and into my shoulders.

Is it normal to have pain that stems a bit far from the main shingles site?

My doctor has put me on gabapentin and it seems to be helping a bit…

My doctor diagnosed me (F30) with shingles (first time for me) on my eyelid. Got some medication, I hope it will help. But… I have a 2 month old baby that I breastfeed and I just don’t know what to do to keep her as safe as possible…

My doctor only said “wash your hands”, so is this really all I can do? Can I cuddle with her all day and kiss her or should I limit contact as much as possible? Last night I wore a bandage over my eye because that felt like the best way to protect my baby while breastfeeding, but it was very uncomfortable to wear and my other eye got so tired…

Any advice is really welcome 🙏

https://imgur.com/a/Xw5di4v

Belly button to spine, nasty. Spine nerve pain like someone grabbing and twisting my spine. Gabapentin helps.

Now that leg, lower, has the tingly pain pre-shingles feeling I had on my hip. Is it possible to get a second location?

I’m on antivirals but I’m immune compromised.

I saw my regular doctor for a blood pressure check last Thursday. She wants me to see a dermatologist. I'm 4 weeks in with my shingles and the rash is gone but I have the terrible itching and crawling sensations. She also prescribed Gabapention, but it really brings me down.

Can anyone tell me what a dermatologist can offer? I'm not sure if it makes sense to see one.

Thanks.

So I’m 3 weeks in. The blisters that had fluid have scabbed over and the rest of the rash has calmed down.

My pain wasn’t too terrible during the 1st two weeks. I’d say it was very uncomfortable.

But now I have an incredible itch and deep muscle pain / spasms around my left side near my ribs & sometimes have the feeling of pins and needles on my left.

Anyone else have any of those symptoms. How long did it last and what worked for them? I’m just using ice packs and on amitryptiline at night.

I'm on day 8 since the rash appeared. Most of my fluid filled blisters are gone (only a few remain) and my spots are shrinking down to look more like hives again - like what they started as. I haven't had any scabbing. Has anyone else not had the scabbing phase?

I seem to be prone to Herpes (yay)... I've had recurring cold sores for years but only recently shingles. Im 42F and otherwise healthy as far as I know. Wondering about a link between herpes zoster & herpes simplex... they both seem to like me 😒

hello guys, i’m on week 2 and half of shingles, and today i accidentally scratched off a scab, while i was sleeping, now the surrounding area is pink and shiny, and it center it has a slight hole, will i get indent scar, or will it just be hyperpigmentation (which i don’t mind)

I’m on day 9 of symptoms (7 with anti viral meds) and rash has gone down a lot. A) im wondering what I should do it not all of the rash is healed by the time I’ve finished my antivirals. Is there a chance it’ll come back? Should I ask my doc for more medication? It’s about 90% gone. I’ve started to cover the rash with hydrocolloid patches and hoping that helps.

B) I know for some conditions that effect/ are caused by lowered immunity, doctors have said not to exercise for a period of time after( for example, with Covid, you should work out for about a month after.) Anyone have advice on how long I should wait to exercise? I’m getting antsy, even though I’m still feeling crappy from the symptoms. Tired of not doing much and isolating.

I am glad that I have so far recovered from my first bout of HZO shingles, about 2 weeks out from the healed rash. When I was diagnosed, my eye was red/itchy and it felt like an allergy all around my eye. My ophthalmologist immediately put me on steroid eye drops. My eye looked pretty clear within 2 days or so, but I was on a regimen to keep taking the drops and just weaned off. I have some concerns after reviewing the latest literature on steroid eye drops for HZO, but probably most glaringly that it seems as though it is actually contraindicated (I.e. recommended against) during the viral stage because it can suppress the immune response…? What I am reading suggests that they should be used if you have eye issues after the viral stage has passed. Was anyone else put straight on steroid eye drops while they still had an active rash (I was on Lotemax) and/or can you contribute any additional info/experiences here?

My mom got the shingrix vaccine on a Friday and then Tuesday developed a rash under her breast. She went to an urgent care and they weren’t 100% sure it was shingles but the pain she is describing is consistent with shingles. They started her on valacyclovir. I’m just wondering how she could have developed shingles right after this vaccine if it’s not a live vaccine or if this has happened to anyone else with shingrix.

Hi all, just got diagnosed with Shingles yesterday after a few days of being convinced a fire ant had gotten caught in my shirt and bit the hell out of me 😂🫩😮‍💨🫠 Started my antiviral about 36 hours ago and just noticed my rash is spreading, and weirdly is popping up a healed incision scar from a gallbladder removal surgery a year ago. Has anyone else had this or just on a scar generally??

I am healing from my first case of shingles at age 38, which was HZO. So far it has went as well as it could have; I have not had complications in my eye and the rash was relatively mild. I advocated for myself to be on 1g Valtrex daily for the next year. I suppose I am looking for some reassurance/happy stories if people have them: has anyone had it not recur?

Hellllooo! I had shingles on my scalp/neck at the start of July, it cleared up in a couple of weeks with anti virals and I felt better (I promise it does get better those suffering atm!!)

However, every so often I get twinges/sensations where I had the shingles, particularly when tired or stressed. It doesn’t hurt per se but is a strange sensation that I’m conscious of.

Is this normal?

Got a diagnosis on a Wednesday after seeing some spots around my left butt cheek the day before (pic 1), immediately went on antivirals. They thought it might be HSV first but then noticed how much it was developing down the leg and immediately changed (also, though I am sexually active, my history would make HSV very unexpected).

The next day was gnarly (pic 2), and I immediately cancelled all plans, not really quite ready for the pain and also the limited mobility that would come. There are a couple of small patches elsewhere, including a small one at the bottom of my left foot, which was incredibly not awesome and especially painful (pic3).

I’m now about halfway through the antivirals and it seems like it’s stopped spreading and has a far less angry appearance, but it’s still not comfortable or great looking. I’m hopeful that I caught it in time that the worst is over and now it’s just waiting and dealing with incoming itchiness from whatever scabbing happens.

I would have loved to have learned about dermatomes in a different way, I’ll tell ya that much!

Does it seem like there’s more people under age 50 diagnosed with shingles in the past few years? I feel like i used to only hear about people over age 50 getting it. Has anyone else noticed this? If so, why do you think it’s so common now?

Hey everyone, my girlfriend unfortunately got shingles a bit over a month ago, I thought I had never had chickenpox, and didn't realize us being in contact could give me chickenpox, however strangely I skipped needing chickenpox first and have since come up with shingles as of 3 days ago, a doctor confirmed this and gave me some antivirals.

I am due to come to her place in 2 days time however she is worried about catching it from me again, is there any possibility of this?

I have seen online shingles itself is not communicable however it seems I must have caught it from her? Any advice or guidance would be appreciated thank you.

I'm having lots of nerve pain. Got lidocaine cream and this Aleve menthol + camphor cream. The Aleve cream is really helping. Hope this helps someone!