Shingles

[imaginethat]

Just one side, right side and center of my chest.

You've probably got a case of shingles.

.
Those blisters won't pass on shingles, but you can pass along the chicken pox virus to someone who's never had chicken pox.


Stress often is a trigger, as is taking steroids. The rash may appear in other areas, but it's not because you spread it there.


The "reactivation" sites, where the Herpes Zoster that's been dormant in your body, have been in nerves associated with your spine, with the affected areas being the dermatomes, specific parts of your body. Here's a chart:






If you were to take anti-viral drugs the sooner the better. My case was associated with the C-2 vertebrae, on the left side, and my eye was in danger. My doc sent me to the ER, where I was on IV anti-virals for several days.



My pain was bloody well off the chart. Opioids helped but they are constipating. Next they gave me Gabapentin which more or less handled the pain, but on the fourth day of taking it, I woke up and saw the world through a thick fog, and on that day it didn't work as well for pain.



CBD handled the pain pretty well. A cannabis edible with the CBG cannabinoid worked the best for pain. Other than feeling a little high, the cannabis had no side effects.


The severity of shingles varies quite a bit. I hope you have a light case.

[LadyMoonlight]

I've had this longer than 24 hours, probably about a week.

Does Shingles also cause you to feel ill? Like you have something, but can't put your finger on it?

It lasts for longer than 24 hours, but, according to both the chemist and the doctor, should be treated within 24 hours of the rash appearing. I was crook for a couple of weeks.

[teeceetx]

I had shingles 2 years ago.

The rash forms along the nerves, usually on one side travelling toward the middle of your chest.

It's VERY painful, and you can spread it - be careful you don't let anyone touch it or touch anything that has touched your rash (towels, sheets, clothing, etc.).

It will go away within a week or so, and you won't get it for another 5+ years, if at all.

SEE YOUR DOCTOR!! Your doctor will give you a cream that really helps!

[ruthless terrier]

hope i never have have it. I know it is nasty stuff

[Physics Hunter]

I've had this longer than 24 hours, probably about a week.

Does Shingles also cause you to feel ill? Like you have something, but can't put your finger on it?

This is me with Shingles...

Shingles300 - Copy.jpg

That was like day 3, then it got worse. Then the pain started, it is not the pain of the rash, the pimples happen in pain sensors and tell the sensor that there is pain. So there is nothing that relieves it.

Some people get a patch as big as their palm, I got it from my left Pectoral to the middle of my left back.

It starts like a rash, then pimples, then they pop and bleed, then the pain begins, intense for 2-6 weeks. Five weeks for me.
You know it because it is uniplanar, it is either on your left or right side of your body, but not across.
They call this the suicide disease, the pain gets so intense in some people that they don't sleep for days, and they don't even get tired, just pain. I got less than 1 hour of sleep per days for 5 days...

My mother and cousin both admit they contemplated suicide, the thought crossed my mind but I defeated that problem years ago.
I went fishing every day that I couldn't sleep, it helped take my mind off the pain. God entertained me with lots of fish catches.

So, 5 weeks later, this abates and I get better with just a few pimples popping up now and then for 3 months.
Next winter, I get about 20-30pimples on the same area. Now, 8 years later, I am sitting here with maybe 4 active little red pimples on my shoulder. We call it Shingles Echo. Some people also experience lasting sensitivity in the area that had shingles. If someone slaps me on that shoulder, to this day, it is like being lashed with a whip.

I am not a wimp about pain. I have chronic injuries, and played sports with pain and injuries.
It really was that bad!

Get to the Doctor for a diagnosis. If you have it line up people that will just talk to you day or night if you need support.

[Abbey]

This is me with Shingles...

Shingles300 - Copy.jpg

That was like day 3, then it got worse. Then the pain started, it is not the pain of the rash, the pimples happen in pain sensors and tell the sensor that there is pain. So there is nothing that relieves it.

Some people get a patch as big as their palm, I got it from my left Pectoral to the middle of my left back.

It starts like a rash, then pimples, then they pop and bleed, then the pain begins, intense for 2-6 weeks. Five weeks for me.
You know it because it is uniplanar, it is either on your left or right side of your body, but not across.
They call this the suicide disease, the pain gets so intense in some people that they don't sleep for days, and they don't even get tired, just pain. I got less than 1 hour of sleep per days for 5 days...

My mother and cousin both admit they contemplated suicide, the thought crossed my mind but I defeated that problem years ago.
I went fishing every day that I couldn't sleep, it helped take my mind off the pain. God entertained me with lots of fish catches.

So, 5 weeks later, this abates and I get better with just a few pimples popping up now and then for 3 months.
Next winter, I get about 20-30pimples on the same area. Now, 8 years later, I am sitting here with maybe 4 active little red pimples on my shoulder. We call it Shingles Echo. Some people also experience lasting sensitivity in the area that had shingles. If someone slaps me on that shoulder, to this day, it is like being lashed with a whip.

I am not a wimp about pain. I have chronic injuries, and played sports with pain and injuries.
It really was that bad!

Get to the Doctor for a diagnosis. If you have it line up people that will just talk to you day or night if you need support.

Oh, wow! Mine looks nothing like that.....not on that big a scale, I have one patch about the size of a quarter, that now is just red, as are the surrounding areas, with scabbed over 'sores'.

The other, is probably 4 inches long, red looking and, the same, scabbed over......although I do see a couple of new bumps that weren't there yesterday....they don't hurt.

[Abbey]

You've probably got a case of shingles.

.
Those blisters won't pass on shingles, but you can pass along the chicken pox virus to someone who's never had chicken pox.


Stress often is a trigger, as is taking steroids. The rash may appear in other areas, but it's not because you spread it there.


The "reactivation" sites, where the Herpes Zoster that's been dormant in your body, have been in nerves associated with your spine, with the affected areas being the dermatomes, specific parts of your body. Here's a chart:






If you were to take anti-viral drugs the sooner the better. My case was associated with the C-2 vertebrae, on the left side, and my eye was in danger. My doc sent me to the ER, where I was on IV anti-virals for several days.



My pain was bloody well off the chart. Opioids helped but they are constipating. Next they gave me Gabapentin which more or less handled the pain, but on the fourth day of taking it, I woke up and saw the world through a thick fog, and on that day it didn't work as well for pain.



CBD handled the pain pretty well. A cannabis edible with the CBG cannabinoid worked the best for pain. Other than feeling a little high, the cannabis had no side effects.


The severity of shingles varies quite a bit. I hope you have a light case.

Thanks for this, it's very informative and, helpful.

[Abbey]

If this is shingles, I do appear to have a light case, because I'm not feeling anything like is being described.

My appointment is 9am tomorrow......I chose the earliest appointment they had, because they're doing bloodwork and, it's fasting.

[imaginethat]

If this is shingles, I do appear to have a light case, because I'm not feeling anything like is being described.

My appointment is 9am tomorrow......I chose the earliest appointment they had, because they're doing bloodwork and, it's fasting.

Sometimes people have little to no pain. I hope that's you. smiley20.gif

[Lone Gunman]

i had them on my face (craniel nerve) back in the 80's; it nearly got into one of my eyes.

very painful, took lots of drugs and stayed druke and mostly passed out while it ran its course.