What the jeff is this? Bites? Rash?

[Pootles2010]

Really stupid question I'm afraid - I have what I guess is probably bites on my waise - there's 5 of them. I've never been bitten before so not sure what's normal, and I tried googling and couldn't look at horrific pictures!

They're in a cluster, had them since Thursday, and I had assumed they'd be gone by now... They're very red, at first raised white spots with red area around them, then they went purply colour, now scabbing over a bit.

But they really hurt! The spots themselves, and the area sort of underneath them if that makes sense - and every now and then I get a stabbing pain in that area. Is that normal for bites!?

I wasn't aware of being bitten, we've no pets so can't imagine its fleas.

Could it be shingles?

my first thought was shingles too.

Do they look anything like this?? DS16 had shingles a while ago and gp said his were so classic looking that he took a pic for his records!!

Agree shingles try aloe vera and don't scratch

It took us about 5 days to realise it wasn't an AstroTurf friction burn!! The smaller set at the bottom
left are the "fresh" ones, the larger patch is scabbing over. It was very painful to touch-even clothing /blankets was too much for him.

I had them at about that age too. Bloody painful and looked exactly like that Turd

Oh thank you for replying! I don't think they're shingles - they're more independent, separate spots iyswim? Not scratching - hurts way too much for that

Its starting to hurt to bend/twist round on that side as well - think dr's if its not getting better by weekend. Feel pathetic going to drs with bites though!

Well obviously MN knows all - they are indeed Shingles. Nowt they can do now either - too late for anti-virals. Think I've gotten off very lightly by sounds of things though - touch wood!

Thank you for all your advice.

Take it easy then. Hope you feel better soon.

Take care pootles. I hope that you are through the worst of it-but be careful as if might have a "sting"yet?? My son couldn't have the anti vitals either. He did show me the rash as soon as it appeared but "mother of the year" told him it was a burn from falling in AstroTurf!!! He showed me it on Monday I think, then Wed. And again on the Friday!!! He was playing hockey in Dublin (2 hrs away!!)on the Saturday so I told him if it was no better I'd take him to chemist on Sunday!!!! I'm ashamed!!! When I looked again on Sunday -and he really wasn't well by then-I remember phoning my mum and saying "if I didn't know better, I'd say it's shingles!" Took him to out of hours gp-and it was shingles!!! The second week was the worst. He had about 3 days of misery. Lay on sofa -nude!! With a "tray on legs" contraption holding a sheet off the worst of the rash!! Had to get decent pain killers for him-kapake??? That might be the name?! He was very funny when he'd taken them!! Made him very "stupid"!!! Like a very spaced out, docile, drunk toddler -whose speech was almost understandable!!!!