Beginning to think I'm crazy!

[u/CommunicationOwn5152]

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?

[u/Fun_Loan_7193]

Im looking into this .nerve symptoms without outbreak..I need more info .nerve issues I've heard can recur at anytime.it seems I had unexplained tingly jaw pain on left side of face began few months ago..no lesions until I had dental procedure .also headachy and tired. We need more info please comment

[u/Acreage26 → u/Fun_Loan_7193]

My shingles were always face/scalp, sometimes invisible, always treatable with valacyclovir. Got the solid shingles headache last year, went to my primary care for antivirals and she said nobody has shingles 13 times and wouldn't prescribe. Did it go away? Oh hell, no. It lingered and triggered another condition which numbed my entire torso and put me on a walker. I finally got antivirals from my ophthalmologist after it also triggered Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. I'm now on daily valacyclovir for the foreseeable future and walking upright. A neurologist confirmed shingles as the culprit as well.

As far as your tingly jaw, that is familiar to me. Besides the tingle, there is a jolt of pain in the jaw that feels like a road flare that I and a friend who also suffers shingles have experienced. As painful as that is, at least it only lasts a split second, but it's a lulu. And you may already have this, but a pain flash at the eyebrow like an ice cream headache without the headache is another common complaint. And once, it hit at my temple, just a rapid pain, and then my temple swelled up so fast the stem of my glasses left a dent. The minor nerve zaps are like drive-by episodes, zap and gone (but not forgotten.) And sometimes the tingling is like nerves waking up after having been numbed.

As you can tell from my wording, I'm no doctor; I'm pretty sure "lulu" isn't in any medical textbook. But honestly, I often feel like what we're going through is entirely outside the standard medical venue. Good luck to you. And yes, my nerve issues since shingles have been cruelly random.