I was wondering if anyone had any advice on this. I get eczema on my skin too if that helps.
Last year in October I had a week where I felt utterly dreadful, under the weather, hot and cold and then my back got incredibly itchy. I thought I must have an infected insect bite that I had missed but went to the Gp and was diagnosed with shingles. It took about 6 weeks for them to finally go away.
I went away over Xmas and got v v tired, and lo and behold the shingles appeared again- slightly spread out more in a line and bigger. I went to the doc and was told it was shingles again.
Then a week later I had a follow up appointment and saw a different Gp who told me it couldn't be shingles as it was too close to the last time and I must have herpes. I asked how he knew the difference and he said that shingles doesn't appear in the same spot.
The problem is it stops me getting the shingles vaccine (I'm late 40s) if it is herpes.
Coincidentally, I've been run down this week and started feeling strange on my back and it's started again - different place this time but on the same nerve line (it's v painful this time).
How can I tell the difference? Is there a test they can do?