On Tuesday morning I woke up with a sore spot that looked like an insect bite just above my hip, within 10 minutes another one appeared following a line and then a third on my ribs to form a triangle. I have had shingles before and thought the spots looked suspicious and was due to see someone I knew had a problem with a lack of immunity to chicken pox. I rang the surgery and the nurse practitioner saw me and said she didn't think it was shingles but I should go and see her again the next day if I had more spots.
On Wednesday morning I woke up with a line of spots along where my bra goes and 2 small patches of red skin with little spots one on my shoulder and one on the inner side of my breast. These were all on my left side not crossing the midline and having spoken to the nurse practitioner on the phone she said it did sound like shingles and she wanted me to come in again.
I went down to the surgery and she said because of the two patches she ddin't think it could be shingles and called the doctor to have a look. The doctor said if it was just the two lines she would have said it was shingles, but she said it could be an allergic reaction. When I asked how it could be an allergic reaction on just one side of my body during the night and not on the side I usually sleep on, she said "We don't have all the answers". I was prescribed some Timodine cream which has reduced the swelling, but the spots are still there though there seem to be no more this morning.
Confusingly the nurse practitioner has told me to avoid people who are immuno suppressed in case this is an infectious disease, I work with young children and although I don't feel unwell am now doubtful if I should go in tomorrow. Any advice or thoughts on my mystery ailment? Thanks in advance.
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One Sided Rash Not Shingles, Any Ideas?
Evenstar · 24/03/2011 06:39
I've had something similar but on my head/upper body, saw 3 different GPs in the end, as it became quite painful, sort of sunburn like & I was struggling with it
first said possible shingles, but was puzzled as it didn't follow an expected pattern - apparently shingles follows nerve pathways so is easy to spot because of the area the rash/blisters cove
2nd insisted it was n't shingles & maybe chickenpox 
- which I'd had already as a child & wasn't around anyone with it at the time
last 1 also thought it was shingles, she seemed a lot more knowledgeable & explained that were as there are set patterns shingle follows, there are several different types of shinges & the herpes virus (cause of all) in general shows up as a blistery rash in some form - she did give me a shingles treatment drug, which did help.
Do you have other health problems?? I ask because I've now had this flare up a few times, other times I've managed it with antihistamines as thankfully not as painful & I've since read that for some, it can come be a symptom of M.E./CFS - which I do have a diagnosis of
Definitely go back, check which GP at your surgery has the most experience & make an appointment with them
good luck
Interesting Evenstar
I suspect my M.E. may actually be down to undiagnosed Thyroid problems, lot of it in my family & my tests have shown borderline/positive & negative, though my GP just doesn't take it that seriously & has refused an endo referral
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