Shingles

[ButryMashPot]

I was diagnosed with shingles yesterday and am on a course of aciclovir. The rash starts under my right armpit, goes round where the band of my bra sits and it’s on the skin under my breast. The pain is excruciating and I’ve been applying a gel that the pharmacist suggested. For those that have had shingles before, how long can I expect the pain to last? If feels likes the worst kind in sunburn and I’m in agony.

The dr has rung and is going to give me some
amitriptyline to help with the pain. I found an old silk scarf in my wardrobe so I’ve gently wrapped around my torso to stop my skin sticking together an I’ve had an ice pack wrapped in a tea towel to sooth the pain

Lidocaine patch from GP

In case it helps, I had a better experience than many here. I had about a week of severe pain, in exactly the same band of nerves as you, and then the odd twinge for another week or so. I doused myself in calamine lotion practically hourly which seemed to help, along with regular iced cloths. I had about four days off work (I worked from home, and my first day of symptoms was a Saturday), no post-viral effects, and have, touch wood, had no long term effects.

I hope yours is similar.

I'm glad you haven’t suffered too badly, I just hope I won’t have too many lasting effects

I suffered very badly last time I had it and found putting a large handful of oats in a sock and then putting it under a tap or shower and holding it to the rash helped to soothe the pain. I also read about oatmeal baths but thought that would be too messy. I hope you feel better soon.

I had shingles earlier this year on my face and head. I took codeine for the pain. My main learning from it was to rest as much as possible to aide recovery. Easier said than done, especially at this time of year! Don’t underestimate how serious shingles can be. I did and I definitely extended the length of it. It was a really difficult time (physically and emotionally). Sending lots of healing vibes, OP.

Thank you everyone for your advice and good wishes, I’m just going to rest up as much as I can. We don’t have any children to run after so even though my in laws will be coming next week it should be ok. H is cooking the Xmas dinner, the food shop was delivered yesterday and H only has to go out to pick up drink tomorrow and collect the turkey on Monday night. I don’t think I’ll be going back to work on Monday and then I’m off until after the new year so a good few weeks to try and get over the worst of it I hope.

How are you now @ButryMashPot?

I thought and so did the doctor that I had sciatica. I still might have. Two weeks ago today my back started aching and it progressed to numbness and shooting pain so I was howling. I'd had pinched nerve before so I thought it was that. It still might be but after trying naproxen and diazepam that made me sick and then diclofenac and codeine, with some but not much effect, a week and a half later, last Wednesday four days ago I thought I'd get brick dust in my jeans and knickers as I've been having work done on the house.

This progressed on to feeling like mini electric shocks and nettles in my knickers on the right side of my groin. It was my friend who said it might be shingles but I thought it was just a trapped nerve. As it got worse, but no rash, I went to the late night pharmacy on Friday but they made me come back yesterday, Saturday, and gave me antiviral tablets for a week. Still no rash but very sore skin where my knickers line is and on my thigh, deep groin pain and pulling pain on the right side of my hip. It's bloody horrible.

Question is was it even sciatica at all but shingles all the time or have I got both? The sciatica like pain started almost two weeks ago but the stinging only four or so days back. And I still have sciatica symptoms?

I've had some very challenging and stressful situations at work for over a year followed by an at risk of redundancy notice, clashes with my line manager and being sick with worry plus running a small business and a house that's a constant building site.

Just to add I didn't think I had it as I always thought it was a pensioner ailment.

Luckily my shingles wasn’t long lasting and I only really suffered for about a week, it took a long time for the weird numbness on my stomach to completely go. I still get itchy under my bra strap which is where it 1st flared up and I do get a bit worried that it’s coming back but fingers crossed I’ve been ok.
It does sound like you have the symptoms of shingles, especially the nettle/ electric shock type feelings, rest is definitely the best thing to do.