On holiday and think I have shingles - is it vital I see a GP?

[PuppyMonkey]

I’m in Skye at the moment, have had bad pain in my back all week and now a v itchy rash - not able to sleep very well. I nipped to a chemist here today who said he thought it looked like shingles. Yay.

He seemed to think there was no point going to a local GP and to just put calomine lotion on and take painkillers. Don’t really fancy spending hours waiting to see a GP here tbh, but not sure if I should actually be doing just that. We leave Skye tomorrow and then will be travelling home over next two days - so I can try and see GP on Monday / Tuesday if necessary.

WWYD?

Have added pic in case anyone can diagnose alternative problem!

The same thing just happened to me!
I did go to the doctor when I got home and he confirmed shingles.
You've actually had it for a few weeks and then the blisters come out.
It's not infectious to anyone unless they have not had chicken pox.
You may have felt a bit crap leading up to this.....I was sleeping at every opportunity on holiday but thought it was just cos I was relaxed.
The pharmacist is correct. Just keep it cool and lightly covered.
As long as you're not in bad main it's manageable.

*pain - not main

The official NHS advice is to contact a GP as soon as you suspect you have Shingles or if not possible then to ring 111 for advice. Antivirals work best if started within 3 days of symptoms.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/shingles/

Yes,and ASAP, you need antivirals within the first 72 hours, to prevent it getting any worse, also dont touch anyone with your hands when you have touched the rash,as until the blisters have gone you will be contagious,
If you have not had shingles before be prepared for it to be painful
I had it in February and had a lot of pain aroung the rash area,
There is something you can get better than calamine lotion, sorry cant remember what its call, its a spray, and used for childrens chickenpox, also shingles, get plenty,you will need it for the itch
Hope this helps,
It can last a few weeks,or even months
My side where i had it is still numb

The GP can give you medicine that will limit the shingles if you are quick enough

The only thing a GP can do is give you antivirals. They made me feel worse than the shingles. My advice would be virasoothe ointmentand rest.

As others have said yes, see a gp ASAP. The sooner you get anti-virals the better the chance of you not getting post-herpetic neuralgia (which is a nasty complication of shingles)

Hello, i have had mild shingles a few times, with no real pain at all.
One time The dr gave me the phone number of the emergency pain clinic as she said it can get really painful very quickly but luckily it didn't.
If it is very painful i think I would go to see the dr. Is it anti viral they give you ? And maybe more pain relief. We were in Skye about a week ago and it seemed really busy, but noticed quite a few little clinics dotted around all over western Scotland . The dr might not be too busy.

Yep... looks like shingles... I had a bad back for a while before I noticed my rash.
I was recommended to go to the Dr's and get antiviral medication which I did, I had no complications but was told to keep it covered up at work... which wasnt hard as it was on my back like yours.
How's Skype. .. always wanted to go there ☺

Skye bloody auto check

Get the antivirals. Shingles can be serious. I wouldn't leave it to chance. I've had shingles twice but not seriously because of getting medication quickly.

Doctors don't always start antivirals, but in some cases they're appropriate. More info (written in medical language) here: cks.nice.org.uk/shingles#!scenario:1

The thing to do is probably to speak to 111 today and see whether you, specifically, would benefit from antivirals. If so 111 can signpost you to a GP. They're usually started within 72 hours of the rash, so I wouldn't wait until Monday.

If it’s more than 72 hours since appearance of symptoms I doubt the GP will prescribe antivirals, mine doesn’t.

Go to a chemistthey can prescribe antivirals you probably need to pay if you are not Scottis. what a shame hope you get something sorted.

Hi, I had shingles. Pain for few days..didn't think anything of it until rash appeared. Went to Gp day after rash and got antivirals. The point of taking the antivirals is to limit the pain/neuralgia you can be left with post shingles. I have been fine since.
My mother in law still suffers from pain in her back where she had shingles years ago. She left it too late to go to Gp. Please go and get the drugs:

Thanks so much everyone. I guess GP might be the best bet just in case then- there is a surgery in town, but didn’t want to have to spend our last day here waiting to be seen.

Off to find the number now.

Skye is wonderful btw - bit rainy but the scenery is so dramatic you don’t really mind.

Virasoothe is the best thing in the spray, also for pain Gabapentin is what my Dr gave me, but beware the strong ones are very strong,i had to go back as was going dizzy,there is a weaker version which is just as good,you need a Drs prescription for antivirals

I wouldn't bother with the GP. Antivirals are likely to knock a day off at most.

When I had shingles I saw the gp very quickly and he prescribed anti viral medication which was a huge help. He could only to that as I'd seen him as soon as possible. He also insisted I didn't go to work due to to risk of passing it on to vulnerable people and signed me off for a week.
I would definitely not wait to see a gp if I were you.

Seeing a GP in town at 4.30.

Think I’d just worry about it all day anyway so might as well see what they say.

Make sure you know where the chemist is in town because if he does prescribe anything you might be running to make it before it closes.

I would, if you can. The sooner you get the antiviral, the less severe it may be.
I had first symptoms just before Easter, had no idea it was shingles thought I had a kidney problem and couldn't see doc till after the holiday. Rash only appeared the day I saw the GP.

However my attack wasn't as bad as some people's - hope you will find the same. BTW GP advised Co-codamol - you can get it without prescription, has to be dished out by a pharmacist. (At least in U.K., may be different elsewhere.)

Thanks nico - Boots is open till 5.30 so should be ok!

Is cocodamol the same as codeine? I can’t take that, i throw it straight back up.

Pharmacist and GP both told me it was important to get the anti-virals asap. The idea is that the drugs help prevent the next shingles outbreak from being severe.

I saw the pharmacist on a Sunday and was told not to wait but to see the out-of-hours GP that day.

Hope you feel better soon.