Please come and tell me about shingles.

[scrooged]

TIA

Can you get it on your face? Do I need to see my GP? Can I get medication? What do I need to look out for?

One sided painful rash, pain, exhaustion. I had it a month ago. It flares up if you are run down.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_zoster

There's no rash, just the pre-cold sore/deep heat overuse feeling in my face. I do feel slightly shite aswell.

Will the GP give me something so I can go to Uni on Monday? Is it an 'emergency' so I will get an appointment tomorrow??

Sadly there's not much in the way of treatment - painkillers if you are in a lot of pain and you can try antivirals but they just made me puke.

What's your temperature like - if it's high it might just be a virus coming in - there is one going round which causes a rash as well as flu like symptoms (sorry to depress you further) but it only lasts a few days!

It's not an emergency but if it is shingles you may not be in to uni for several Mondays!

It's normal. My head feels flu like though, eyes a bit blurred. The numbness/tingling is going across my cheek, in my mouth and on my chin. It's really odd. It doesn't hurt, just tingles like a cold sore tingle only on a bigger scale IYKWIM.

I can take 3 weeks off but will lose my place on the course and the bursary if I have any more then this.

I've been working at a hospital all week. I do hope I've not given anyone anything

Shingles is not contagious. Are you sure you don't have a mouth ulcer coming or an ear infection?

It's too big for this, it's most of the right side of my face and the top of the right side of my palet, this is why I'm thinking shingles.

Doesn't sound like shingles - you don't have a history of mini-strokes do you?

No, I can move it all, it's just tingling like I've gone OTT with the deep heat spray.

You can get this type of thing with a VZV reactivation, without immediately developing the shingles rash. It's called a cranial neuropathy and basically the nerves supplying that side of your face are being mildly irritated by something. Is that side of your face drooping, or perhaps only one side of your mouth moves when you smile?

Actually with your blurred vision I would definitely advise a GP visit as an emergency. They might suggest some antiviral threatment; acyclovir is best if given early like at this stage.

As whomovedmychocolate says, if it does prove to be shingles then it isn't infectious in the same way as chickenpox (ie before the rash starts), but once a rash does come then you would be infectious unless it can be covered up.

PS I see you have another thread on this:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/729298-Sorry-is-there-any-reason-why-my-face-fee ls-like

What is this 'breath liquid' you have started using?

Could be the start of Bell's Palsy-I remember my face feeling very odd beforehand when I had it.

If you develop any weakness on that side of your face do seek medical help as early treatment with steroids can make it run a much less severe course.

Similarly if it develops into shingles seek early treatment as the antiviral drugs have to be started within a very narrow time frame to be effective. If you start them after this time they do not work. Shingles on the face can be particularly unpleasant if it affects the eye area.

antivirals are also used now for Bell's Palsy in addition to oral steroids. It is thought that Bell's Palsy is an attack on the facial nerve by the herpes virus.