How long does the fatigue last after you've had shingles? I'm still so tired I could cry :(

[Jacksmania]

The rash and blisters have mostly cleared, it looks like there was something there on my back but you wouldn't know what it was. No more pain. Only occasional itching. According to GP, the mildest case of shingles she's ever seen, at least as far as the outside is concerned.

But the fatigue is just crushing. I'm so tired my bones ache. I can function, because I have to, but anything (like yesterdays's three hour visit to A&E for stitches in DS's scalp - he fell over backwards and hit his head, completely fine today though) leaves me feeling like I have nothing left.
I am taking tons of B vitamins, trying to eat well, am sleeping about 9 hours a night, if not more, and I still feel awful.

How long does this last??? My GP just made a sympathetic face and said it's different for everyone.


AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggghhhhh!!!

[Jacksmania]

And why the actual fuck have I posted this in the Christmas topic????


toddles off to report stupid self and get post moved

[OliviaMumsnet]

Have moved for you
Hope you can get some sleep and feel better soon.

[Viperidae]

I have no answer for you but, in case it helps, I once had a similar reaction after a Hep B vaccine and simultaneous inner ear infection. I really struggled and a locum GP advised me to take a good A-Z supplement, Vit B Compound, high dose Vit C (1g) and Co-Enzyme Q10. He explained it as the body's resources being totally depleted and it may have been a coincidence but a couple of weeks later I started to improve.

Good luck, hope you feel better soon.

[Jacksmania]

Thank you - I have a lovely cocktail of vitamin supplements I take, plus injectable B12. It helps a little. I'm sure I'd be a lot worse without it!!

[R2PeePoo]

Several months for me. I also had it relatively mildly; a patch on my back about five by ten cms. The GP didn't give me anything for it but it did get quite painful at times.

Lots of sleep helped. I went to bed at 9pm every night for a while.
I also used spatone to perk me up a bit and give me a little extra energy when I needed it, and I also ate a really boring healthy diet with plenty of fresh food and hardly any fat/sugar/processed foods.

I had several other illnesses/problems at the same time though which may have meant it took longer to recover than normal.

[Jacksmania]

Aw fuuuuuuuuuck. I can't be like this for months :(

[R2PeePoo]

Its shit, but I found it got better as I went along, it was three months until I was completely well but the tiredness lessened over time. It took about three weeks before I stopped going to bed early.

And like I said I also had some additional issues. I got scarlatina around the same time too (and had additional problems) so I had the full peeling body rash at the same time.

Hope you get better soon, sounds like you are doing all the right things though.

[suckerpunch]

Hi Jacksmania - please tell me you feel better. I was diagnosed with shingles on 24 Jan but alas! I left it too late. Thought I had flees in my house! Anyway, the rash in my side is almost gone but the pain is running all around to my belly button. I can deal with the pain but feeling dreadfully tired all the time is really getting to me. I've been taking my vitamins, loads of all the Bs but all I do is sleep and move around in a zombie state.

Please please tell me it goes away!

[Babyiwina001]

Hi all. I got shingles about a week and a half ago and managed to see the docs in time to get the antivirals. It's a very mild case only a few blisters on my face which have already started healing. My only problem is I'm feeling incredibly tired. The pain is not so bad anymore it's mostly itching now. I forgot to ask my doctor about the tiredness and there's nothing on the nhs website. I've been sleeping for about 11-14 hours a day but I'm going back to work soon and I don't know how I'm going to cope. Can someone advise? I'm so tired I can't wen manage to clean the house, exercise or do anything really. All I want is to watch Disney movies and sleep constantly!! :( I'm only 25 and didn't expect to get shingles but I've been so stressed and my health anxiety has been through the roof in the past 6 months to the point where I'm taking anti-depressants. :(

[yvey55]

Hi .. This is my second month recovering from shingles .. I can honestly say the worst thing I have every experienced .. The blisters healed quickly and the pain did lessen , I didn't take any antiviral as I am hypersensitive to any chemical .. So I went down the holistic route eating more food with lysine than arginine , vitimin c and vitimin b12..
I don't think I have fully recovered as I still can feel tired and unwell if I excerpt myself to much .. Anxiety seems to be the thing I suffer from now , but my doctor has been brilliant and very supportive and I am now in treatment for that .
But I think everyone is different in recovering , but lots of rest and not expecting to much from yourself and taking each day as it comes , and have a lot of support really helps ..
My heart goes out to everyone and I wish you all well in your recovery .

[Elibean]

You poor loves, I wish all of you better soon

I had shingles on the side of my face. I took antivirals, because of the threat to my eyesight, and escaped with a couple of weeks of pain/itching and only a few blisters - but the tiredness was just as you all describe. It lasted at least 4 weeks, I'm afraid.

Expecting little of oneself, reminding yourself that you're convalescing every day, cancelling anything extra, and getting plenty of sleep....all good. And if you feel low/depressed/as though its not going to get better, thats all normal too for a few weeks.

Do come back and get reassured and reminded that it gets better, I found that the most helpful thing of all (and have MN to thank!) x

[Burntoutstarr]

I just got over the shingles that were on the left side if head, my eyebrow and eye. I am just left over with such exhaustion and lack of enthusiasm. For pete sake I live on the beach and it is all i can do to leave my bed. Does anyone have suggestions.

[Downhill]

I too am getting over shingles. I had the vaccination last year and got shingles anyway. I did not have a severe case, however I am so fatigued I want to just sleep or just stay in bed. Was wondering if anyone could tell me the magic number of weeks before I am back to normal. Just need a little hope

[lajones21]

glad to find this thread. The blisters have been gone for about 2 months but the fatigue after is so bad I am basically homebound. I could deal with the physical fatigue if my brain still was working but I have found a have a limited amount of thinking per day then I hit a wall. I great support thru family and friends but am finding this hard to live with. A full work up from my doctors does not show any reason for this, so I guess it is this post viral fatigue. The best I can offer anyone else at the moment is you have to live within the limits of your body. I have not found anything else that seems to help.

[pumpkinbutter]

DD2 had it 5 weeks ago and is still absolutely shattered by 5pm. She is doing 1/2 days at school until half term because they keep finding her asleep in random places.

[lajones21]

has anyone found ANYTHING that seemed to help?

[redannie118]

Ive just had a bout of shingles on my foot of all places,last of the blisters dried out a few days ago,but I have the most incredibly sore mouth very swollen and painfull gums and hard lumps in the roof of my mouth,does anyone know if this is shingles in my mouth ?(no visable blisters btw)I also have a auto immune disease,thanks

[oldermum12]

Also glad to find this. I started with shingles on my forehead and in my hair about 6 weeks ago too late for antivirals as I was misdiagnosed . Blisters are gone now and only the occasional pain but I still feel so poorly and wiped out most days. Had lots of other stuff going on which gets in the way of complete rest but so desperate to get back to normal. Doc says this is par for the course but like others on here just longing for it to go.

[onlyoranges]

I just wanted to say how very sorry I am. I have not had shingles but have a horrible illness which early on caused chronic fatigue. Now I have been tired (have 4 dcs) but this was something else. It was prob worst than the actually disease and that was trying to kill me!! It's like no other tiredness and is terribly misunderstood. What I would say is don't try and fight it. I did that and it won hands down and prob stayed around longer that way. Listen to your body it's telling you rest. I had warning signs before my diagnosis that I just didn't listen to. Our bodies try to communicate with us but somewhere in the madness of our busy busy lives we disconnect from it. Prioritise your health it's so important. I won't ever get fully better but in time you will. Treat yourself like you would treat your best friend with kindness and compassion. Sending you a gentle hug.

[oldermum12]

Thanks onlyoranges sending you a hug too.

[Thewebstir1923]

I to have had Shingles and have been left totally exhausted I am also feeling scared by the experience I feel totally tired by 8:oo pm and just crawl into bed I was thinking maybe it was mental thing but I see from this form other people have been left feeling the same way I still have a small flat rash that is very itchy how long does this last 😐

[Thewebstir1923]

I am totally exhausted. From my bout with shingles it has left me so tired I actually have to crawl into bed at 8:00 pm I feel tired and unwell and very worried about what has happened to me

[Kathryn54]

Glad I found this thread. Am almost at 3 weeks with shingles which is getting better. The fatique is incredible. At least I know now this is part of it!

[Nuggy2013]

I had shingles approx 2 months ago and am pregnant with DC2 and totally feel your pain. I'm not generally an alternative health person but friend recommended wheatgrass and it has helped slightly but hasn't eradicated the problem IYSWIM. Afternoons in work are an absolute killer!!! Hope you feel better soon

[Jabari220]

My shingles rash was right smack on the middle of my spine which is not supposed to happen. Anyone else have this happen?