Shingles?

[Gingernaut]

Last Tuesday, I woke up with what felt like itchy insect bites on the outer part of my right breast.

I went mad searching for the little beggars, but could find no evidence of insects and there were no further 'bites'.

Over the past few days, the itching has driven me nuts, but when I do scratch, it feels like I driving needles into myself. That's not how insect bites usually work with me.

There's a red rash immediately around the 'spots' and the pain and itching has spread around my chest to my back.

It's got to the point where I can't wear underwired bras, as the pain becomes increasingly worse until I have to go to the toilet, to take the bra off for a couple of minutes.

I've ruled out latex and metal allergies and I'm currently wearing sports bras which are only marginally more comfortable.

I've looked at shingles as a diagnosis, but Dr Google keeps showing me worst case scenarios which look nothing like my little collection of 'spots'.

Can anyone who's had some experience of shingles, take a look and say whether my self diagnosis has any merit?

Sorry. I meant to say please.

Looks like it to me. Is it on one side of your body only?

Yes. My right.

Looks similar to the rash I had when I had it. Doctors should be able to diagnose and give you antivirals to help

Yay! Just what I always wanted!

Do I need to avoid anyone? Am I contagious? Can it wait 'til Thursday?

You can get chickenpox from someone with shingles so there are people you would need to avoid if you have it i.e pregnant. The only way to be sure if you have it is by a GP diagnosis. I've had it and it wasn't fun! If you have it Poxclin could bring some relief! Hope you feel better soon.

Rash is ok as long as it's covered as you can only pass on chicken pox with contact with the fluid from the blisters

The world is safe. I'm an admin assistant not a lapdancer. I won't be motorboating anyone at work.

Thanks everyone.

I had it over the summer, it's less contagious than chicken pox but if you scratch I think you can pass it on if you don't immediately wash your hands.
I didn't have it too badly and it was under clothes but I still managed to pass CP to both kids who passed it to others and eventually pretty much all round school. Oops.

I'll bear that in mind, ICantDecideOnAUsername.

I've got to get ready for bed.

Night, night.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGH!!

My itchy right tit is driving me nuts!

Looks like shingles.

You're too late for the anti virals, they need to be started within 72hrs of rash.

If I hadn't thought it was insect bites, I might have done.....

I was the same with Dd, thought she'd got flea bites in a dodgy hotel. Only took her to the doctors a few days later because she woke up unable to walk with a lump in her groin. She couldn't walk for nearly six weeks!

My son had it (7 years old) while in holiday, he was a bit grumpy but apart from that we wouldn't have known he was ill, I found the weird rash and husband told me it looks like shingles! I was gobsmacked as my son was perfectly normal except the rash, no itching, no tears just a tiny bit grumpy!

I've been to the doctor and she confirmed it was shingles.

She prescribed 800mg aciclovir tablets which have to be taken 1 x 5 times daily.

So one tablet every 4 hours and 48 minutes. I have the timer on my phone going.

I am wrecked.

I feel tired, cold, lethargic and have done nothing all 4 days of the weekend.

Waking up once or twice a night to take a tablet and reset the timer isn't helping.

It is crap. You can feel really unwell. I have had singles several times and different places on my body.
Lots of rest and you can also get cream if they scab badly to stop infection.
I ended up signed off for 2 weeks last time...

Thanks.

The feelings of lethargy and cold are out of all proportion of the rash which doesn't cover 2 square inches.

I'm sitting here in a vest, polo neck, jumper and cardigan contemplating a warm coat to wear in front of a DVD.

dh had them a while back...also thought it was an insect bite, I packed him off to Minor Injuries via the NHS helpline and he got the antivirals, he was off work a good while though...terrible headaches/exhaustion/nerve pain. His was on his head, so not really possible to cover.

Sorry to hear about your DH, TondelayaDellaVentamiglia.

I'm waiting for pain. Everyone I speak to talks about the pain, but apart from what felt like muscle strain and pain on touching the rash early on, there's not much discomfort. I thought I was going to be lucky...