Has anyone ever had shingles?

[friendlydisneyface]

Just wondered if anyone here had ever had extremely painful shingles?
I'm particularly wondering if those aged 50+, any ethnicity would be happy to tell me about their experience as part of a campaign.
I'm currently researching just how painful shingles is.
Thank you x

[Namaste6]

Hi - yes, I've had shingles. It was (no exaggeration) one of the most painful things I've ever been through - including labour. It feels like someone is inside hacking with a sharp knife to get out. I still shudder when I think about it. Horrid.

White - had it when I was circa mid 40s.

[justsoembarrassing]

Yes.

Some people can get a really bad case that lasts ages.

Sadly I did.

The worst pain I've ever experienced. Worse than a broken limb or childbirth.

I'm still suffering from nerve damage a couple of years on!

[Redminionpenguin]

I was early thirties when I had shingles I still suffer from chronic pain 13 years later. I'm white and female. I've had nerve blocks, tramadol, pregabalin, amitryptiline and Acupuncture to name but a few with limited effects. I think the hard bit is because its never ending pain. If I knew it was going to end I think I would find that a bit easier (like child birth pain).

[rwalker]

I had shingles in late 20’s didn’t even know thou rash was some kind of eczema
very little pain only realised when changing at work and woman who used to be a nurse saw it and told me
also had chickenpox 3 times once as kid and twice as adult
mum said when is was a kid covered in it but not ill had more than my sister but she was really ill
when I had chickenpox as adult not ill with it

[endofthelinefinally]

Yes. It is terrifying if you are immunosuppressed. Post herpetic neuralgia is torture and lasts for months.
It is so important to get antiviral medication early and I wish pharmacists could supply this, now that it is impossible to get GP appointments.
It isn't just painful, the first time I had it the rash was round my trunk and over my liver. I was so sick and ill with it.
There needs to be a much better publicised campaign around the causes and dangers of shingles and the risk of catching chicken pox from people with shingles.

[Ttwinkletoes]

I had pain in my side. I lifted my top to look in the mirror for a bruise or something and saw the red marks tracking the shape of my ribs and realised it must be shingles.
Not too uncomfortable. I was 63.

[AceofPentacles]

I had them at 29, thankfully a mild case although I did give chicken pox to my co worker who was really ill with it

[Tralahlah]

I have them right now at 50! I confirm it's extremely painful. It started last weekend. I woke up with a really stiff neck and pain on my scalp and in my eye - all on the left hand side. I also felt nauseous. I had no clue what it was, thought I'd had an allergic reaction to something. As the day went on, the burning, stabbing, horrendous pain got worse. My glands behind my ears were throbbing and I had loads of hard, painful lumps forming. My eye was in agony. Thankfully I got to see the on-call doctor who directed me straight to the A&E Ophthalmo'. The eye doctor looked at my eye, face and scalp and saw these tiny bumps/blisters forming. Got a prescription for 10 days of anti-virals and started them that night. Several days in and the pain has subsided and the swelling on my head, face and eye has reduced. Some painful blisters on my eyelid remain and my eye is still sore and half closed. My scalp is still tender to touch and when I walk about, I feel these weird electro shocks on my head. I feel really tired and a bit spaced out. Can't wait to be off the meds and hopefully the nerve pain won't linger.

[girlmumsince2021]

@Tralahlah this sounds exactly what I had back in february. I was covered down one side of my head/face/neck. The pain behind my ears and scalp was horrendous.. so i know how you feel. I was on the meds for 10 days too. Hard lumps right behind my ear. Lympnodes swollen. Omg it was an awful few weeks with mine. I hope you get better soon. Rest rest rest.

[RaisinforBeing]

I had it as a teenager. It was a sore painful shoulder rash that didn’t respond to any cream. My best friend had it at the same time. It took a few trips to the Dr to figure out it was actually shingles.

[friendlydisneyface]

Thank you everyone sounds like some painful experiences of shingles. If anyone would be interested in talking to me as part of an awareness campaign(paid) please could you direct message me so I can send an application link x

[GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut]

I'm not 50+, I'm late 30s. Had shingles a couple of years ago. It was genuinely one of the most painful things I've felt. Like someone holding a hot poker to my skin.

I still have post hepatic neuralgia that feels like bugs crawling under my skin constantly.

[Yorkshiredolls]

Capsaicin cream can be helping for post herpetic neuralgia, can be prescribed by the GP. Can also be given as a parch designed to provide pain relief for upto 3 months “qutenza”. The patch is quite specialist though and expensive and has to be done in a hospital outpatient setting by a specialist pain service, as long as its not on the face. there are a few dotted around the Uk. Hope thats helpful for anyone struggling with post herpetic neuralgia

[Orangesandlemons77]

I have had it twice, I am 46. The first time was in my mid 30s, think it was triggered by stress of recovery from an emergency surgery. That was on my back / side. I had ongoing flare ups of pain after but no rash.

Then recently it came back on my face, mainly in the nerve to my ear, so had some vertigo, deafness, also in nerve on my cheek and numbness there, rash still there months later although less painful. Thankfully not so much in the eye.

I now have pregabalin for the neuralgia and my life is quite affected, still very tired and low.

[Creepycrawler]

I was late 30s.Only had a small patch on my upper back. Not much pain at all.