I am experiencing recurring bouts of shingles. I would say in the last two years I've had at least eight or nine episodes, and in the last six months at least four.
They always appear on my face, in my eyebrows and near my eyes. Doctors have always been really concerned about this as it's very dangerous for the virus to get into eyes, apparently.
They used to appear as blisters but painless, now they're actually quite painful.
I have them again right now (last outbreak in May). The blisters are in my eyebrow, on my eyelid and under my eye. It feels like constant pins and needles in the area, with the odd stab of what feels like an electric shock.
Relatedly, I get cold sores (same virus) every month when I'm due or on my period.
The doc has done bloods and they've come back normal. I have a standing prescription for a lower dose of antivirals I take every month, in a bid to keep the cold sores at bay (it doesn't really work). Whenever I get an outbreak of shingles I get a prescription of a much higher dose to get rid quickly.
We're essentially in a place where the outbreaks are treated, but there's no further investigation of WHY I'm getting them so often.
Perhaps relatedly, my skin is very slow to heal and I'm very prone to allergic reactions.
I guess I'm wondering if anyone else has been in this position... And did it get better? Is there any hope for it receding? Is it worth pursuing privately?
To have these big outbreaks of blisters on my face so regularly is really getting me down. I hate leaving the house looking like this.