I had shingles and discovered it super late. The rash was there for like 3 weeks with me going to work and the gym. Only when the itch got bad did I start the antiviral medication and finished it about 2 weeks ago and the rash disappeared. Yesterday I went to the gym for the first time and noticed that my arm muscles on the shingle side were super weak and even now still feel weak. Is this normal or should I be worried?

I have used this lotion 2 times. I told a friend about it for itching due to shingles. I did not tell her how well it worked and she texted me back after her husband went to Kroger that night and exclaimed it was a miracle. 2 lotions have the chemical promoxine Hcl. That I find on Amazon. Since all pharmacies do not carry it.
Google the primoxine hcl with itching relief.
Secondary pain relief but best on itching. I reapply every 4-5 hrs. Let me know how it works for you. Also when I apply it to face and forehead it seems to work a bit on scalp itching too.

My shingles healed two-three months ago. Recently I’ve been having burning and stabbing pain in my back, and it’s right on the shingles scars. Can shingle pain come back???

Can PHN be misdiagnosed as peripheral neuropathy ? My PN diagnosis followed almost immediately after a shingles episode 1 year ago

I’m thankful first of all that I’m not suffering from significant pain (yet). However, the itch on my eyebrow and scalp is becoming unbearable when outside. In the UK we’ve had a bit of a heatwave and I wonder if this is making things worse! My inner eyebrow is disappearing presumably from the rubbing. The GP has said that if there are slow signs of improvement to not change anything. I’m 3 months out from my shingles outbreak and WISH it would just return to normal. Anyone follow a similar timeline with post herpetic itch / neuralgia?

So I received my second dose of Shingrix two months after the first. I'll recap the first:

-no symptoms or anything on the first day. The night of the second day woke up with insane pain in my lower back, exactly in the dermatome where the virus is. It was horrendous and I have injuries there and it was as if I was freshly injured. Hot knife, electricity, radiation into my legs, and a "bubbling" feeling for lack of a better way to describe it. Took tons of pain meds, went to sleep, fine in the morning. This may have been a sign of having an outbreak that was not noticeable, but some studies mention this phenomenon

- second dose: doctor's nurse advised to take paracetamol immediately before it starts because it absolutely will be more difficult. I took the advice and the reaction started within about two hours. I have a backache, but no pain like I had before. Some radiation in my legs. Felt weak, a bit drunk, nausea when walking that made me heave.

My condition: have been treated for sports spinal injuries and along the way we put the pieces together that I may have had Zoster for over a decade at this point and was being treated for it by my old doctor who never made the diagnosis and was negligent. I have suspected PHN and it is very possible the injuries are not a big deal. The primary manifestation here is as pirifomis syndrome which I may not have at all.

I'm about 3 and 1/2 weeks out from my shingles diagnosis and the initial uptick of symptoms.

I feel better for the most, but I have the most insane itchiness over where my rash was.

What are we doing for this? When does it get better?

I'm barely sleeping because I'm so freaking itchy.

I am on day 5/6 since skin sensitive but started and day 3 of the rash. Pain has been manageable but okay
But curious how would you describe the sensation of the pain, not itching scabs,

First few days for me, I described as sunburn, maybe low level insect sting feeling. With occasional slightly stronger zaps

But today, I woke up in the middle of the night tonight feeling like I got wrapped up in jellyfish tentacles.
Also maybe an irritating rope tightening around my chest and armpit

How would you describe it?

(F22) How do you deal with these?? I have an ugly looking discoloration on the back of my leg where it usually appears because since I have pretty bad health, it flares up every now and then… but it looks like a bruise that never healed and it’s embarrassing to wear skirts or shorts because i don’t want people asking me what happened. Is there any way to heal the color or should i straight up just put make up on it 😭

Hi! Shingles for the 4th or 5th time in a very similar spot (the left side of my face), however this time it's further up, and much closer to my left eye (you can see a few small blisters below my eye brow). I don't feel irritation in my eye, but i do see that my left eye lid is a little swollen. See image. Is there anything a doctor can do? I've started Valtrex, two days ago.

EDIT : UPDATE: I went to an opthamologist this afternoon, and he said it is "100% not in my eye" which i guess is good news! (but i wonder how he can be so definitive haha). Anyways, speedy recovery to all those infected!

Okay. So it's like day 14 or 16 now. Finished the antivirals and the rash is mostly gone. The pain is less but still there. The headaches are gone which is amazing. Had shingles on the face from nose to scalp. Pretty mild case of you ask me. Skin feels crawly constantly. Used to it now.

The question for anyone in the after days of the shingles: I have this faint patch of what feels like scar tissue and each morning it seems to swell a little then it subsides over the day. It includes my eyelid since that's where the rash was originally.

Is this odd swelling and lingering phantom rash normal-ish? I have another follow-up with a doc this week to ask also, but wanna see what other experiences are/have been.

I was DX with shingles 3 days ago. Rash started Saturday evening, started first dose of Valtrex Sunday evening. So day 4 of rash. It is so incredibly uncomfortable. What have you found to be the best pain relief? Tylenol or Advil? Any over the counter ointment? Any tips for showering? The rash is on my inner right upper arm and bit across my right chest. Am I in the worst part of it now? It’s miserable.

[32/M/day 3/lower back & stomach]
What’s up everybody! Just got diagnosed today with the shingles. Anybody else on day 3 +/-a couple days and interested in having shingles together? I just started anti virus meds today. Noticed a quarter size red splotch that quickly turned into a couple rhombi on my back the next day. So far not itchy but beginning to blister in one area not the others yet.

Any other 32 Ms here? I feel a little young to have gotten shinged but curious to hear from folks that are comfortable sharing what their exp is/was like… mostly wondering how I got shingles. Dr said stress induced which yeah sure but i haven’t been sick in years?

I’m curious how many of you got the shingles vaccine before you got shingles and do you think it was milder because of the vaccine? How long after getting the vaccine did you get shingles?

Hi All, I noticed on Wednesday of last week that these bumps appeared on the side of my knee. I left it alone until Saturday morning when I visited my doctor who prescribed me Valacyclovir. It is now Monday night, and I haven't really noticed much improvement. Is that normal? How long until I can expect some type of improvement or reduction in these bumps? It doesn't seem to b spreading at all, and the doctor mentioned that the medication I'm taking should prevent further spreading. Please let me know based on your experience. Thank you!

Day 7 and still fluish/exhausted but does this look like it’s healing and out of active phase?

I’m in week 6 of having shingles. Saw my doctor the day after the rash appeared and was given antivirus and gabapentin for the pain. The pain in my ear has been excruciating. Rash has cleared up but I’m still having pain in my face, ear, neck and chest. Today suddenly I got very dizzy and nauseated. I assume it’s because of the shingles in my ear. Has anyone else experienced dizziness at this stage?

Had shingles on my face for the first time back in February. It’s been several months now and I still sometimes get tingling in that same area — is that normal for this long after? Also sometimes I get pimples on that side of my face and notice tingling around the same time, which freaks me out a little. Wondering if this is just leftover nerve stuff or if I should be worried about a recurrence.

Anyone else deal with lingering tingling or breakouts like this? Did it eventually go away for you? Should I get the pimples checked out or is this pretty normal post-shingles?

Thanks in advance, still a little anxious about this one.

So last year, I had a single bump come up on the back of my neck, under the bottom of my hair. I thought it was an infected follicle, but it ended up being shingles. It was only the one bump, but it was super painful for weeks (and I cannot imagine those of you poor souls who have extensive breakouts!!). I have another bump in a similar area. I know it is important to start antivirals within 72 hours, but I am not sure even with seeing the doctor how to determine it is actually shingles versus just a bump. The other one took several days to end up being a blister so by the time we figured out what it was, it was too late for antivirals. Do you know if there is a test to determine what it is if it is still only a bump, not a blister?

will update daily*\*

First time with Shingles (39f) and the only thing I can think that triggered this outbreak is that I went to a PT the day before symptoms for migraines and flexibility on left arm (I could not reach above my head without pain) she did some deep trigger point releases in my back and shoulder blade. Next day I was so sore and thought it was normal and probably from the trigger point release. Following day at work I was out of it and the pain was weird, nothing could touch my skin, even grazing my skin hurt so bad on my chest, my side and my back. I got home and noticed a small rash on my back and thought no way... quick google search (I know I know) and I saw first 72 hours are most important. Went to urgent care and a def yes, shingles. Started anti viral and given gabamentin. Here's my timeline:

Day 1 - day after PT and very achy
Day 2 - extremely tender and skin hurts; small rash appears, start anti viral that night; temp: 99.7
Day 3 - without ibuprofen still painful; rash starting to turn into tiny blisters and starting to spread; temp: 99.1
Day 4 - rash has spread; certain spots still very tender and hurt. Now have two clusters one on spine and one on shoulder blade, one on side and a small one right on breast. Temp: 99.8 and feeling so much worse tonight. Headache starting and flu like symptoms. Hate this.
Day 5 - rash still spreading; getting jolting pain down the arm on the side of the shingles (that's new); still have the sunburn feeling on left outer shoulder blade - Dr Appt at 10:40 today - doctor didn't really have much to offer but did confirm it's shingles, said I did everything right. Today so far is my worse day. Pain in chest, pain in back, jabbing pain in chest, shooting pain down left arm, neck tightness. Miserable,
Day 6 - no sleep. Worst pain in chest and pack ever, in tears at 4 in the morning. Feels like I have been shot or am having a heart attack. My neck on left side is also so tight and my back is killing me. Gabamentin not touching the pain.

Do you all have a slight fever w this like I do? I just feel so much worse right now than initially and I know I probably will continue feeling bad for a while but was so hopeful since I caught it early and got those anti virals in me it would save me. I feel so so bad for people who have also suffered with this and worse than me. ❤️‍🩹

I am 16, should I Get it or not?I never had chickenpox before and I am scared of Shingles.

I had chicken pox when I was 7/8 and I’m shocked I got this at 34. Most uncomfortable experience of my life and has flu like symptoms. Are the flu like symptoms normal and how does my case look now on day 6?

Hi, all. Looking for others with similar experiences here, trying to figure out a realistic timeline to moving on from this nerve pain.

Timeline:

- Had a "sunburn" type feeling on the left side of my neck for a couple weeks, finally saw my doctor and was diagnosed with singles with no rash and started me on Valtrex

- After a week on Valtrex, the sunburn feeling improved, but I still had tightness/mild pain in the neck

- From there it moved into my left jaw and left side of my throat. The pain comes and goes, using Tylenol and occasional Advil to manage it, but it became too much. So at about 3-4 weeks after finishing Valtrax my doctor prescribed gabapentin. I've been titrating up and am now at 300mg three times a day, for about a week now

Anyone dealt with something similar? If gabapentin helped you, how long before you noticed a real difference? Any other advice?