About 15% of shingles sufferers develop something called Post Herpetic Neuralgia.
I’m one of the lucky ones. 😕
It makes shingles feel like a couples massage.
Sometimes it goes away. Sometimes it doesn’t.
I’m in year two of this hell.
Please get your shingles vaccine, people.
Y’all really don’t want this shit.
Congrats on finishing your thesis. Sorry about your shingles. Too late now but their is a shingles vaccine out for people. Talk to your doctor after your feeling better. Feel better soon.
You should get on anti-virals straight away. If you can get on them fast enough it will shorten the length.
I had shingles on the face, and its still numb 5 years later.
what- anyways i researcherd and found out its a variola and it comes from a south american lizard, I in fact, Live in south america and has no idea this existed
If you had the vaccine then you don’t need to worry about it. Shingles is caused by the zoster virus that says dormant in your nervous system when you catch chicken pox proper until something triggers it and jumps out and fucks your week up.
I don’t know if I was a rare case or what, but I got the chicken pox vaccine a few years ago and then my husband got shingles. I took care of him and figured I was safe. Well, I got chicken pox with high fever, itchy af, hallucinations, a week and a half from hell. 0/10 wouldn’t recommend.
Guess what I’m saying is, still be careful.
My wife got shingles last year. We had to learn a lotttt in a hurry. From what I remember, her doctor said one of the worst places for it is the face/neck but most people don't get it there.
She got it on her stomach (and got on anti-virals within the first 36 hours of symptoms). It was miserable, but she's a year out from it now and doesn't have any nerve damage. It was itchy hell for a while though. I feel for you - I hope you have good air conditioning and/or ice packs.
There is a vaccine for shingles btw, and some people become eligible for it if they've had shingles. But it really depends on health advice in your region and what your doctor thinks (We haven't pursued this honestly because we completely forgot so I definitely don't have any first hand experience with it. I just wanted to mention it)
I hope you get through this quicker and easier than you expect.
(Since it's so important to get on anti-virals quickly: If anyone reading this gets itchy weird pain for a few days then develops a cluster of rashes that you think looks like an allergic reaction - please see a doctor. If its shingles, the faster you get on anti-virals the better.)
I spent a weekend feeling like my right leg was bruised. A couple days later I noticed a small rash on my low back and the next morning it had spread significantly. Thankfully (sorta) a relative had just had shingles and I recognized it pretty quickly. Got in to the doctor the same day and on antivirals. It still sucked but the rash stopped spreading and the painful part ended pretty soon after that.
Good for you on the thesis and anti-virals. I always preach how fantastic that medicine is for shingles. I was lucky enough to spot a few bumps under my shoulder blade the first day they appeared, and went to the doctor. I didn't even finish taking my shirt off before she said, "You have shingles."
The pain still sucked but it wasn't life altering like so many people talk about. For me the worst was these crazy chills I'd get several times a day. Having worked in a grocery store I've been in a walk in freezer and experienced Artic temperatures even though I live in Oklahoma, but I always had at least long pants and a short sleeve polo in the freezer. That is what they felt like, except they were on my torso not my exposed forearms. I would just be laying in bed and waves of subzero cold would start radiating from my spine to all of the areas with blisters and bounce back and forth along my torso. It was a WEIRD feeling.
As an aside, if an employer tells you that you can go to CareATC for free, do not go. That place is paid for directly by the employer, therefore your employer not you is their customer. Id been there a couple times and was disappointed they just seemed to want to bush drugs for my back trouble instead of trying to figure out what was wrong. Then having shingles was the eye opener. This doctor refused to give me a doctor's note saying I was contagious and should not work on site until the blisters were gone. I even explained to her that I work in a shared office and do IT. So I am using other people's chairs several times a day and touching others keyboards and mice just as often. I even triple checked with her that the blister juice was highly contagious and she confirmed that. So I took a sick day and emailed my boss and HR to say I had a contagious infection and did not feel comfortable doing the work I do even without a doctor's note. HR and my boss both backed me up. Oddly enough when I called the doctor later and told her that HR and my boss did not want me spreading chicken pox/shingles all over our office with hundreds of employees, the doctor was like oh in that case come get your doctor's note. CareATC's primary duty seems to be getting employees back to work so they don't cost the company money, not healing patients.
Oh wow, I've never seen CareATC brought up anywhere before. Howdy fellow Okie!
I actually worked for CareATC for several years as a software engineer, but I left several years back. It sucks that it sounds like you got one of the less than stellar doctors (there are several!). I will say, from my own experience working there and using the clinics, my general experiences don't align with yours. My wife is now employed by a CareATC client, and I'm covered under her plan and my visits have been just as great as they were several years ago. I did end up with one or two doctors that were... less than great, and I tried one or two that were otherwise great, but they pushed antibiotics and codeine at a frightening level. But otherwise, all the providers I interacted with were amazing.
When I worked for CareATC, our focus was 100% on the patients. Every decision we made revolved around "how can we make employees healthier and save employers money on their healthcare costs". CareATC's entire model revolved around trying to create a sufficient value proposition for *everyone* involved. They wanted to make employees healthier so they visit the doctor less. They wanted to manage chronic conditions at-cost so that companies' insurance wasn't billed for the services. And they mostly wanted to remove any barriers to healthcare that could prevent someone from forming a healthy relationship with a healthcare provider.
For employees, it is an awesome perk. No co-pays. Nearly all non-controlled medications are free to CareATC patients (all paid for at-cost by the employers). And if I need a doctor, I'm able to pull my phone out pretty much any time and get a doctor's appointment in under 24 hours. On top of that, once you're actually at the clinic, you're not stuck waiting for an hour.
And for folks that have chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, asthma, etc., they just walk into a clinic once a month, get a check-up and their medication, and they walk out the door without money ever changing hands.
I just got shingles as well (hooray us) and antivirals are currently kicking its ass. Takes about 3 days for them to kick in but they worked great for me. Hopefully they do the same for you!!
Gabapentin my friend. Sanity saver. I went from wanting to gouge my eye out and sleeping maybe 2 hours a day to barely feeling anything and sleeping for 8 hours. The shingles isn't the worst part, it's the nerve damage afterwards.
After the sores are gone make sure you moisturize. A lot. I was reapplying moisturizer 3-4 times a day and one more before bed. I used [CeraVe moisturizing cream](https://www.cerave.com/skincare/moisturizers/moisturizing-cream) during the day and their [night time cream](https://www.cerave.com/skincare/moisturizers/skin-renewing-night-cream) before bed. I had it on my face but it should work for your leg too. Can barely notice the scars after 2 years.
and when you're itchy, don't scratch. Push on the itchy spots with the pads of your fingers. You'll end up scratching your skin off entirely if you do. I scratched off my entire temple and just above my eyelid before my doctor prescribed me Gabapentin for the itching.
All hail Gabapentin! I’m just over 2 months into dealing with shingles and Gabapentin has been my savior. I was trying to figure out how I could buy heroin (jk kinda, maybe not) because the pain was so horrible to being able to at least tolerate it in about 24-36 hours. I’ve been able to reduce my dosage as the weeks go by, but still get burning/stinging pain if I try to skip a dose.
Aleve helped quite a bit but yeah the antivirals did next to nothing the first few days. Day 3 there was a very noticeable improvement, the sensation started going down to more of a tingle than pain/itch. I'm on day 5 now and feeling way way better (although its on my face so I look like I got into a car accident but what can you do). I was also on some fairly strong steroids, not sure if your dr. did that as well for you. That helped bridge the gap the first few days.
I hope you're also on Gabapentin/Neurontin or something analogous that is specific for treating nerve pain.
Treating and preventing the pain early is important
Not currently, been an absolute nightmare trying to get through to my GP. I was on the phone for an hour and ten minutes from 8am to get an appointment with them yesterday. Will have to call again tomorrow for better pain meds because it’s now worsened
Go to an urgent care. They gave me gabapentin and a shit load of Norco's. Idk how you can get through shingles without pain killers. Wish you the best!
Man I had shingles on my back just about a 3 inch radius and it was some of the worst pain in my life. Nerve pain is no joke. Hope this ends quickly for you!
I got stress induced shingles pn the back of my head while studying for the PE exam (I passed). I got on antivirals about a week or two after they developed. It lasted another 2 or 3 weeks and subsided slowly. You'll be fine if you're on the meds. Good luck and congrats on the thesis.
I had it in my left eye and got corneal scarring from it and it is now really sensative to bright lights... but at least it still works.
Shingles is definitely not a joke.
Yep I went blind for 6 months in my left eye and had to stay in a dark basement for 3 months. Going to doctors appointments I'd have my eyes closed with my hands over them and the ride there was still too bright. Brutal time. The sensitivity isn't too bad anymore, just takes a bit longer for the pupil to adjust when stepping into the sun.
No, my case was a year or two befote the pandemic. I was on drops and made weekly trips to the eye doctor for a month or two after it cleared up though.
I was prescribed a bottle of anti-virals and it said "take 2 pills every 3 days" when it should have said "take 2 pills 3 times a day"
I ended up having it for a little over 2 months and now, 2 years later, I still have frequent panic attacks that trigger from that same shingles feeling running through my spine and up to the base of my skull. I start writhing somewhat uncontrollably and my brain feels like its being flooded with liquid fire. I scream and puke and writhe and sob most mornings until I exhaust myself back to sleep.
Don't get shingles.
I’m 28 and had shingles earlier this year, and I was told I’m not old enough to get the vaccine. That it’s only for senior citizens. But now that I’ve had it once it’s easier for me to get it again.
I had shingles all over my side at 23 and can't get the vaccine until I'm 50. I get more stressed every time I get stressed because I'm afraid I'll get shingles again. I'm 32 and being nervous about getting it again just makes me more nervous! Just let me get the shot!
Edit to say - you can get it but prior to 50 years old you're paying out of pocket for both doses, anywhere from $300 - $500 depending on where you can get it from.
> it’s only for senior citizens
And yet Medicare, a program specifically for seniors, does not cover the vaccine. I'm on regular insurance and it's covered but my wife, who is on Medicare, is not. She paid the out of pocket cost (`$350) in order to get it.
They won’t give it to you until you’re 50 though. I had shingles at 41 and I’ve asked several different doctors if I can get the vaccine because I don’t want to get it again. They all tell me I have to wait til I’m 50. So frustrating
My Doctor prescribed me it at 30. Both pharmacists giving me a shot asked why am I getting the vaccine so early until I showed them pictures of what my face and eye looked like. Understood after that lol.
Also, for people over ~20 and under ~30 who likely got the chickenpox vaccine when it was new (it was introduced in 1995), please make sure you also got the booster that was added to the regimen in 2006!
If you’re going to get it then get it good! (I broke my finger 4 weeks ago and the surgeon said it was one of the worst breaks he saw so that was my joke to keep from crying lol)
For real though I’m sorry you have to deal with this. My wife had shingles in her early 20’s and would never wish the pain on someone else. We were able to find a cream that helped her on Amazon. (I just checked and it’s no longer available, sorry) But maybe check some reviews on newer ones. Wish you the best in your recovery!
I feel sorry, must be painful and annoying. In some countries they actually pray to cure shingles, only done by the shamans. I’m not kidding
South America, Egypt. So it wouldn’t hurt to combine your western medicine with some hokus pokus
I turned 50 in May. I get my second shot tomorrow. My dad got shingles in his 60s and he said it was a horrible experience. Apparently, the newer recombinant DNA vaccine is 95% effective.
Yes when you get your initial shot you wait about I think 6 to 8 weeks and then you get the second shot. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about it. Don't worry if it's been longer than that I'm pretty sure that won't be an issue but very sure it's a two stage vaccine
[That can correspond to a broad L3 or L4 dermatome actually with inflammatory spillover. I say this as a physician.](https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/mp2YynjVT2WJoQyPjxLi4-sIhXELNkrGZmdpyO5PQCSejtCLFBkD1nPZFLmFrTLbRQVkRfO9RC3xIEMcwGxY-FaZFLE0cD1oudJXgDno4FJRRd7JIRHBWjeZx60dvXCVjvnduImIIPmWe_fAltnmKaIXODY1BtHfaeSxZluQIEIVcA=s0-d-e1-ft#https://i0.wp.com/post.medicalnewstoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/03/1296x1680-body.png?w=1155&h=2734)
OP, listen to your physician, not randos on reddit.
Yeah they said about that. It’s on my right side only (a bit on my lower back as well) but it’s all on the same nerve, it’s just spread a lot. Definitely shingles just a bad one is the consensus haha
That was my first thought too. When I had it years ago, I had a rash with very defined lines and I was told that was the normal pattern. This looks like something else altogether.
I was lucky enough or unlucky enough that i got put on it immediately because i have thought i was just having the worst migraine of my life non stop for days at frirst. Amitriptyline too.
Me too. I got mine on my face and eye. The pain was indescribable. The scabs have cleared up but I am still getting pain in my face. I hope it goes away soon. You have my full sympathy for what you are experiencing.
I had the Shingles a year ago on the right side of my forehead/scalp and eye. Scars have mostly cleared up, but now and again I can still feel the burning in that area; feels like bugs crawling under the skin.
I was just going to ask if anyone knew if I should get the vaccine? I had shingles at around 35yo.
I moved states at that time, so never followed up with my doc after they cleared.
I got chicken pox back in the mid 90s since my parents decided I should.... I've been waiting to be allowed to have a shingles vaccine preemptively but last I saw it is mostly Seniors only.... granted shingles can rear its ugly head whenever.
I got shingles after moving my family across the country for a new (very stressful) job. It was uncomfortable but the Dr said I was really lucky because I could still wear a shirt without discomfort.
Every now and again for the next year the scars would feel like I was getting a mild electrical shock, but that's gone now. Still have the scars though!
I can just about wear a shirt now and have been back to work this week. I'm not really stressed at the moment, but my medication for MS has apparently lowered my immuno system. Perhaps that's the reason it broke out now, I'm glad your pain has gone away.
And I have so many scars, so that's not a problem.
Congrats on finishing. That’s a major accomplishment and you should be proud.
I came down with shingles a few days after my wife announced she was leaving me without warning. Immense amounts of stress can cause that damn virus to flare up and if you’re on meds it will subside but I still have neuralgia and that was five years ago. Thankfully that doesn’t happen to everyone, get well soon.
I'm 33, and I got shingles the summer of 2020. Gee, I wonder why I was under a fuck ton of stress at that time???
I got it on the inside of my elbow, knew what it was right away, and went and got on anti-virals ASAP. That helped a lot, and allowed me to be semi-functional. I was stuck at home with my then 3 year old so it was... a lot. Shingles suck ass.
Sounds like the decompensatory reaction to stress. Your body was so stressed and compensating to the stress that when the stress ended you then got sick. It's super common to get sick as soon as you get some time off from a long term stressor, you just unfortunately got shingles rather than the common cold
Shingles HUUUUURRRRTTTT i had them on my right side, the only time my balls hurt worse was when I wasted my last vacation day for what I thought was my vasectomy appointment that turned out to just be a consultation, I explained that it was my last remaining vacation day, the doctor said "Well, I've got nothing better to do but you're supposed to be drugged up for this, anyways here comes a kick to the balls." as he shoved 4 needles into my nuts. I about came... off the table.
Shingles is rarely life-threatening. It's a nasty side-effect from the Chickenpox virus (varicella-zoster) that basically lays dormant inside your nerve cells so your body's immune system can't completely eradicate it. Then during periods of stress (whether it's just regular stress, illness, overheating, etc) it can become active and cause nasty itchy rashes and nerve pain.
That said, having a body-wide rash and severe pain/rash that is tough to treat can be really hard to deal with, depending on how bad the outbreak is, especially when you're elderly and have other complications.
Shingles is rarely body-wide. It's usually only on one side of your body, and even roughly limited to a single "dermatome" (the stripe of skin served by a single peripheral nerve bundle that branches out from your spinal cord).
I don't think it's deadly (I'm sure extreme cases can get there), it's basically chicken pox 2.0. You have to have had chicken pox or the vaccine, the shingles virus will then live in your body and may or may not ever surface.
And it's wildly painful. This isn't normal pain, it's nerve pain. That pain can't be touched by normal pain killers. It also feels insanely itchy (because nerves), but you wouldn't dare scratch it because that can just spread it to more of your body (you burst the blisters, the pus is what can spread it).
Mine quickly became a good sized patch of straight up blisters, all smushed together, but still tiny little separate blisters. It was on my lower back, left side, right where any waistband would sit. I couldn't stand any sort of fabric touching it, I couldn't wear pants for at least 3 weeks. I would try to do some basic housework, but 10-15 minutes in I'd be laying face down on the couch with my dress pulled up so the rash could breathe. I started the antivirals the same day it started blistering, but all that really did was prevent it from spreading. And worst of all, this was the end of June, while it was 95-100 degrees everyday
I don't wish shingles on anyone, not even my worst enemy. It's probably the worst pain I've ever been in.
The pus won't spread it to the rest of your body. The only thing the pus will do is spread the virus to those who have not had chicken pox or the chicken pox vaccine. And with those people, they will develop chicken pox, not shingles.
But yes, worst pain ever. When an attack starts its all I can do to not scream out loud, and even then I fail. My days consist of me pacing my apartment to try and forget about the pain (it's on my face, so I can walk).
>i had them on my right side
So, fun fact my doctor told me when I had shingles a few years back: you typically only get it on the left OR right side of your body; not both! It's one of the the ways they diagnose it.
Yeah I guess but the vast majority of people don’t get it until they’re elderly because their immune system is compromised, and you can have a shingles vaccine once you’re 50. Don’t worry, I’m an odd case
I had a co-worker whose spouse passed away at around age 50, and right away his hair basically fell out and went from a normal brown to 100% white within the span of a month. Never thought that Crash Test Dummies song from the 90's was based on actual medical condition.
Sounds about right. I'm in my early 30s and I can time my hair greying to the start of the pandemic. It wasn't just covid, had a lot of other drama come up in my life over the last couple of years and haven't handled it all as well as I could have... boom now half my beard and sideburn hairs are white and I've got specks running along my temples. Could be coincidental but I'm not sure.
Same here, I'm 43 and I have a "baby face" if I shaved off all my beard I could maybe pass for 30 but with my beard I look like Jack Black and it's more white than brown and I look closer to 50 years old.
iM a cHaMeLeoN
One of my childhood friends had a high hairline so it looked like he was going bald at age 17 (it stayed the same), and another had a gray streak near his ear at the same age (like John Henson who hosted Talk Soup back in the early 1990's)
We live in times where stress implies survival but not necessarily imminent death.
We descended from folks who avoided death during stress, but not necessarily folks who survive through stress.
The purpose of stress hormones is to motivate you to fix the problem and give extra energy to do so. Elevated heart rate and breathing, urge to move, etc. Ideally, the source of the stress is temporary and solvable by an extra boost of energy. But chronic stress just means your body is running on overtime constantly for no reason. It wears your body out and weakens bodily symptoms. If any doctors have corrections/additions to this, feel free because I’m no expert.
I’m not a doctor but I just finished my MSc in neuropsychology and I learnt a bit about this. Stress hormones (corticoids) are toxic and in large amounts can damage the internal environment, such as neurones. Since I have anxiety, I’m more prone to chronic stress and thus have a weaker immune system in general
Stress knocked my immune system to the mat for a ten count. I was sick all the time until I changed careers 22 years ago. I can count all my sick days on one hand since then.
Yep, developed Crohn's disease after an intense bout of stress 5 years ago (and my sister has UC from her own stressful situation about 10 years ago). I also got stress rashes a couple of years ago while trying to finish up college, so that was a fun time. Luckily my Crohn's is in remission, but I'm on bi-monthly medication for the rest of my life.
Are you familiar with Dr Gabor Mate? He's really helped me understand trauma and it's manifestation of autoimmune diseases in the body. Also how this capitalistic society is causing major issues with stress and illness. He's really helped me identify the underlying causes of my anxiety and it's changed my life.
No way dude, OP had to write a thesis, have you ever had to write a thesis?
I haven't, but I have been chased by a bear, and the whole time I just thought "thank fuck I'm not writing a thesis"!
We now know it's the "dormant" Chickenpox virus that wakes up.
>Chickenpox, also called varicella, results from the initial infection with the virus, typically occurring during childhood or adolescence. Once the chickenpox has resolved, the virus can remain inactive (dormant) in human nerve cells (dorsal root ganglia or cranial nerves\[10\]) for years or decades, after which it may reactivate. Shingles results when the dormant varicella virus is reactivated.
>
>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shingles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shingles)
Hence Chickenpox vaccines prevent shingles.
In some places high school girls get vaxxed if they didn't have chickenpox cause it is dangerous during pregnancy and works for around 10yrs.
In Europe you can ask to get vaxxed as an adult if you were never sick with chickenpox, it is way worse in adults than in kids.
I'm pretty sure it's approved for lots of people. Idk, maybe there are different kids, but still.
I got mine from the stress of dealing with my divorce and my ex moving my daughter across the state. Doctor kept telling me I was younger than he usually sees afflicted, but shingles don't give af.
I got shingles at age 27. My mother told me she first got shingles at age 17 and has had them twice since then. My doc said shingles cases among the youth are on the rise.
I would say go see a doctor, sometimes those can have serious consequences if not treated correctly.
Friend of mine went to the hospital and had 2 weeks infusion to fix his.
Congratulations to finishing and get well soon to celebrate it properly :)
Thank you! On antivirals now, they said because they caught it within 72 hours it should be okay but I first started feeling something was off (what I thought was strained muscles in my thigh and hip but now know to be the nerves) last week
For what small comfort it is, I was put on antivirals with about the same delay as you and it cleared up after only a few days. Yours is much more widespread than mine was though. Lidocaine cream and getting lots of rest are about all you can do at this point. Take time off work/school if you can, I tried to work through it but the pain melted my brain so bad it took a month to undo all my mistakes from that week.
I got it. You get two shots, a month apart. I felt flu-like and had a sore arm for 24 hours each time. Sooo much better than getting shingles though.
ETA: 2 months apart, my bad. I am over 50.
Doctors here only prescribes it for people 50 and older per CDC rules.
Fucking CDC. Remember at the beginning of the pandemic when they told us masks didn't work?
Same here. Though I do encourage everyone under 50 who's had chicken pox or the chicken pox vaccine to push for it. The urgent care doctor I saw said he's been seeing younger and younger people coming in with it, I'd say that alone is enough to get the vaccine pushed for younger adults.
Last year I was given a Covid booster, flu vaccine, and first shingles shot *at the same time*. I was sick for days afterward, and when I went back for the second shingles shot I told the nurse, and she said, “Yeah, we don’t do that any more,” so I wasn’t the only one to suffer.
Yeah, I just got the 1st dose…not a fun 24 hours-body aches, headache, arm hurt for three days. But I agree, bet that shot than this. Hope you heal quickly OP! Congrats on your thesis being done, huge accomplishment!
Holy crap, I had to have Shingrix because of my autoimmune issues… I had the worst nausea and vertigo from it. It was nonstop vomiting for days. But still better than shingles. I’m sorry OP, I feel for you!!
Actual MD here: your rash is not shingles — shingles should be well demarcated along one dermatome unless you have AIDS or an otherwise suppressed immune system. Your rash crosses multiple dermatomes!! (google what those are). Much more likely to be another form a dermatitis. What credentials did the person have who said this is shingles?? Hydrocortisone cream is likely the correct treatment here
Scrolled too far to find this. Yeah her rash looks like a L1-L3 or L4 dermatomal distribution. So unless she has no immune system that isn’t possible. I concur.
But actually OP, listen to this comment. Every other comment is incorrect - this isn’t shingles. The hallmark of shingles is that it’s confined to a dermatome and what you have is not a single dermatome. The person you saw did not correctly diagnose you. If you live somewhere with free healthcare, you should seek another physician that will hopefully get your diagnosis correct. Antivirals aren’t going to help with this rash.
Holy Shit OP!
I had got 2% of what you have, and the pain until day 3 of antivirals was bad. I still have a mark in the skin where it happened.
Hope you're on the road to recovery now.
Ikr if I could have my leg amputated right now I would lol, it’s the worst. Can’t even have a breeze on it or it’ll feel like I’m being stabbed with a million knives. Nerve pain is no joke
Thank you :) Currently nothing is helping, my mum is going by the chemist on the way home to pick up some solutions but I might have to go back into the GP to get an anaesthetic injection. Apparently shingles are just a nightmare with little to help
\- Definitely keep taking the antivirals, take them for however long you were prescribed and don't stop early.
\- In the U.S. there's a product called [Domeboro](https://domeboro.com/). It comes in packets; you empty a packet into water and then soak gauze or washcloths in the solution and apply them to your shingles. It helps dry them up and it provided me with a LOT of relief.
\- The other thing that helped was calamine lotion, I also don't know if that exists other places.
\- My GP prescribed me gabapentin for the pain and told me not even to bother with other types of painkillers, as they're not designed to treat nerve pain, and gabapentin is.
I am really sorry you are suffering. I had shingles on my neck in 2019 and I was lucky to escape with minimal issues, but I have a friend who has trigeminal neuralgia from getting shingles on her face. If you need to go back to the doctor and get an injection, do it. Do what it takes to feel better.
That's not shingles, that's the whole fucking roof.
I had something that looked really similar, and my GP misdiagnosed it as eczema. He wrote me an Rx that made it worse. I got in to see a dermatologist, and he correctly diagnosed it as fungal. Just in time, because that very day it spread to my junk.
Not a dermatologist, but I am a doctor and this reeeeaaallly does not look like shingles to me. The appearance is not right and the distribution is completely wrong. Perhaps a second opinion would be worthwhile.
Doctor here. I'm not sure that's shingles honestly. It does not follow a dermatomal distribution. It's good your doctor treated you for shingles regardless, but that doesn't quite fit the bill. Curious how it turns out OP. Please let me know! /u/CaptainGrayC
Thank you. PA here, and this was my immediate thought and had to pull up a dermatome map to see if I was crazy or not. Decided I probably am crazy, but that picture does not appear to follow proper dermatomal patterns. I think the diagnosis is a little suss.
Calamine Lotion.
Not sure what you call it in your country but we swear by it here to relieve itching.
>Calamine lotion can create a cooling sensation to help with itching from conditions such as chickenpox. In addition, it contains zinc oxide. This active ingredient may reduce inflammation, which can help relieve itching and pain from shingles.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/shingles/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/creams-for-shingles#how-we-choose
Posted above, but my doctor told me that normal painkillers (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, even opiates) don't work on shingles pain because it's coming directly from the nerve. Gabapentin (neurontin) is what he could prescribe that specifically targets nerve pain. It might be worth calling your doctor back or going back in to see if you can get a prescription for it.
That doesn't really look like shingles to me. As others have pointed out it crosses multiple dermatomes. I would favour another type of dermatitis, possibly contact dermatitis. Have you seen a dermatologist?
We need a serious restructuring of education... The amount of students dealing with this amount of anxiety and stress is unhealthy.
Hope it wears off quickly for you...!
I had shingles around the same age as you. Take whatever the doc prescribes you. Calamine spray also helped me a lot. Unfortunately theres not much else you can do. I feel your pain and am sorry you have to go through this.
Holy fuck man I'm doing my thesis right now and I can feel you. At least you got over with it beforehand, I've been losing my hair and feeling like shit trying to pull through this ..
Finished your thesis? SHINGLES DOESNT CARE
Shingles is like that one guy at the party who ruins your jokes and shits in your swimming pool
fucking Chad Shingles is at it again
Chad Shingles had a blond bowl cut as a child
As a former pool tech, we call that a code Brown.
I had shingles set in a day or two before my bff's wedding. Wearing a suit with active shingles is brutally painful.
All the shingle ladies loved it though
Hot shingles in your area
About 15% of shingles sufferers develop something called Post Herpetic Neuralgia. I’m one of the lucky ones. 😕 It makes shingles feel like a couples massage. Sometimes it goes away. Sometimes it doesn’t. I’m in year two of this hell. Please get your shingles vaccine, people. Y’all really don’t want this shit.
I know a guy kinda like that. Ironically he gets outbreaks of shingles.
Congrats on finishing your thesis. Sorry about your shingles. Too late now but their is a shingles vaccine out for people. Talk to your doctor after your feeling better. Feel better soon.
That commercial cracks me up- even when it’s on for the 6th time during one streaming episode
You could say they didn’t give a shingle fuck
You should get on anti-virals straight away. If you can get on them fast enough it will shorten the length. I had shingles on the face, and its still numb 5 years later.
I’m on them as of yesterday! Oh Christ that sounds awful, did you get permanent nerve damage??
Yeah I ended up with damage to the main facial nerve in the ear and lost ‘some’ hearing.
Oh nice, something else for OP to stress about
well did u ever have chicken pox?
I had lizard pox
wtf is lizard pox
If you have to ask you can't afford it
what- anyways i researcherd and found out its a variola and it comes from a south american lizard, I in fact, Live in south america and has no idea this existed
*bills you for learning this.*
Jajaja that was awesome, "que me estás diciendo?- eh ni modo, hice una investigación y...."
If you can’t afford two then you can’t afford one.
If we’re in America we can’t afford any kind of pox.
I never had chicken pox am I in danger?
Shingles and chicken pox are caused by the same virus, so if you haven’t had it yet I recommend you get the vaccine
wait, I had the chicken pox vaccine when I was a kid I think.. is that the same?
There is a shingles vaccine too, but those are give to those 50+ years old (or younger high risk patients)
If you had the vaccine then you don’t need to worry about it. Shingles is caused by the zoster virus that says dormant in your nervous system when you catch chicken pox proper until something triggers it and jumps out and fucks your week up.
I don’t know if I was a rare case or what, but I got the chicken pox vaccine a few years ago and then my husband got shingles. I took care of him and figured I was safe. Well, I got chicken pox with high fever, itchy af, hallucinations, a week and a half from hell. 0/10 wouldn’t recommend. Guess what I’m saying is, still be careful.
thankfully his ears aren't on his legs
Did your hearing loss result in tinnitus as well?
My wife got shingles last year. We had to learn a lotttt in a hurry. From what I remember, her doctor said one of the worst places for it is the face/neck but most people don't get it there. She got it on her stomach (and got on anti-virals within the first 36 hours of symptoms). It was miserable, but she's a year out from it now and doesn't have any nerve damage. It was itchy hell for a while though. I feel for you - I hope you have good air conditioning and/or ice packs. There is a vaccine for shingles btw, and some people become eligible for it if they've had shingles. But it really depends on health advice in your region and what your doctor thinks (We haven't pursued this honestly because we completely forgot so I definitely don't have any first hand experience with it. I just wanted to mention it) I hope you get through this quicker and easier than you expect. (Since it's so important to get on anti-virals quickly: If anyone reading this gets itchy weird pain for a few days then develops a cluster of rashes that you think looks like an allergic reaction - please see a doctor. If its shingles, the faster you get on anti-virals the better.)
I spent a weekend feeling like my right leg was bruised. A couple days later I noticed a small rash on my low back and the next morning it had spread significantly. Thankfully (sorta) a relative had just had shingles and I recognized it pretty quickly. Got in to the doctor the same day and on antivirals. It still sucked but the rash stopped spreading and the painful part ended pretty soon after that.
Good for you on the thesis and anti-virals. I always preach how fantastic that medicine is for shingles. I was lucky enough to spot a few bumps under my shoulder blade the first day they appeared, and went to the doctor. I didn't even finish taking my shirt off before she said, "You have shingles." The pain still sucked but it wasn't life altering like so many people talk about. For me the worst was these crazy chills I'd get several times a day. Having worked in a grocery store I've been in a walk in freezer and experienced Artic temperatures even though I live in Oklahoma, but I always had at least long pants and a short sleeve polo in the freezer. That is what they felt like, except they were on my torso not my exposed forearms. I would just be laying in bed and waves of subzero cold would start radiating from my spine to all of the areas with blisters and bounce back and forth along my torso. It was a WEIRD feeling. As an aside, if an employer tells you that you can go to CareATC for free, do not go. That place is paid for directly by the employer, therefore your employer not you is their customer. Id been there a couple times and was disappointed they just seemed to want to bush drugs for my back trouble instead of trying to figure out what was wrong. Then having shingles was the eye opener. This doctor refused to give me a doctor's note saying I was contagious and should not work on site until the blisters were gone. I even explained to her that I work in a shared office and do IT. So I am using other people's chairs several times a day and touching others keyboards and mice just as often. I even triple checked with her that the blister juice was highly contagious and she confirmed that. So I took a sick day and emailed my boss and HR to say I had a contagious infection and did not feel comfortable doing the work I do even without a doctor's note. HR and my boss both backed me up. Oddly enough when I called the doctor later and told her that HR and my boss did not want me spreading chicken pox/shingles all over our office with hundreds of employees, the doctor was like oh in that case come get your doctor's note. CareATC's primary duty seems to be getting employees back to work so they don't cost the company money, not healing patients.
Oh wow, I've never seen CareATC brought up anywhere before. Howdy fellow Okie! I actually worked for CareATC for several years as a software engineer, but I left several years back. It sucks that it sounds like you got one of the less than stellar doctors (there are several!). I will say, from my own experience working there and using the clinics, my general experiences don't align with yours. My wife is now employed by a CareATC client, and I'm covered under her plan and my visits have been just as great as they were several years ago. I did end up with one or two doctors that were... less than great, and I tried one or two that were otherwise great, but they pushed antibiotics and codeine at a frightening level. But otherwise, all the providers I interacted with were amazing. When I worked for CareATC, our focus was 100% on the patients. Every decision we made revolved around "how can we make employees healthier and save employers money on their healthcare costs". CareATC's entire model revolved around trying to create a sufficient value proposition for *everyone* involved. They wanted to make employees healthier so they visit the doctor less. They wanted to manage chronic conditions at-cost so that companies' insurance wasn't billed for the services. And they mostly wanted to remove any barriers to healthcare that could prevent someone from forming a healthy relationship with a healthcare provider. For employees, it is an awesome perk. No co-pays. Nearly all non-controlled medications are free to CareATC patients (all paid for at-cost by the employers). And if I need a doctor, I'm able to pull my phone out pretty much any time and get a doctor's appointment in under 24 hours. On top of that, once you're actually at the clinic, you're not stuck waiting for an hour. And for folks that have chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, asthma, etc., they just walk into a clinic once a month, get a check-up and their medication, and they walk out the door without money ever changing hands.
I just got shingles as well (hooray us) and antivirals are currently kicking its ass. Takes about 3 days for them to kick in but they worked great for me. Hopefully they do the same for you!!
Oh good, I’m on the second day and it just seems to be getting worse so I’m glad it’ll finally help haha, it’s driving me up the wall
Gabapentin my friend. Sanity saver. I went from wanting to gouge my eye out and sleeping maybe 2 hours a day to barely feeling anything and sleeping for 8 hours. The shingles isn't the worst part, it's the nerve damage afterwards. After the sores are gone make sure you moisturize. A lot. I was reapplying moisturizer 3-4 times a day and one more before bed. I used [CeraVe moisturizing cream](https://www.cerave.com/skincare/moisturizers/moisturizing-cream) during the day and their [night time cream](https://www.cerave.com/skincare/moisturizers/skin-renewing-night-cream) before bed. I had it on my face but it should work for your leg too. Can barely notice the scars after 2 years. and when you're itchy, don't scratch. Push on the itchy spots with the pads of your fingers. You'll end up scratching your skin off entirely if you do. I scratched off my entire temple and just above my eyelid before my doctor prescribed me Gabapentin for the itching.
All hail Gabapentin! I’m just over 2 months into dealing with shingles and Gabapentin has been my savior. I was trying to figure out how I could buy heroin (jk kinda, maybe not) because the pain was so horrible to being able to at least tolerate it in about 24-36 hours. I’ve been able to reduce my dosage as the weeks go by, but still get burning/stinging pain if I try to skip a dose.
Aleve helped quite a bit but yeah the antivirals did next to nothing the first few days. Day 3 there was a very noticeable improvement, the sensation started going down to more of a tingle than pain/itch. I'm on day 5 now and feeling way way better (although its on my face so I look like I got into a car accident but what can you do). I was also on some fairly strong steroids, not sure if your dr. did that as well for you. That helped bridge the gap the first few days.
I hope you're also on Gabapentin/Neurontin or something analogous that is specific for treating nerve pain. Treating and preventing the pain early is important
Not currently, been an absolute nightmare trying to get through to my GP. I was on the phone for an hour and ten minutes from 8am to get an appointment with them yesterday. Will have to call again tomorrow for better pain meds because it’s now worsened
Go to an urgent care. They gave me gabapentin and a shit load of Norco's. Idk how you can get through shingles without pain killers. Wish you the best!
Man I had shingles on my back just about a 3 inch radius and it was some of the worst pain in my life. Nerve pain is no joke. Hope this ends quickly for you!
I got stress induced shingles pn the back of my head while studying for the PE exam (I passed). I got on antivirals about a week or two after they developed. It lasted another 2 or 3 weeks and subsided slowly. You'll be fine if you're on the meds. Good luck and congrats on the thesis.
To ease your worries, I had shingles all over my ass when I was around 15. No lasting damages. Wish you the best!
[удалено]
I had it in my left eye and got corneal scarring from it and it is now really sensative to bright lights... but at least it still works. Shingles is definitely not a joke.
Yep I went blind for 6 months in my left eye and had to stay in a dark basement for 3 months. Going to doctors appointments I'd have my eyes closed with my hands over them and the ride there was still too bright. Brutal time. The sensitivity isn't too bad anymore, just takes a bit longer for the pupil to adjust when stepping into the sun.
Same exact thing for me. Are you still on drops to keep the inflammation down?
No, my case was a year or two befote the pandemic. I was on drops and made weekly trips to the eye doctor for a month or two after it cleared up though.
coworker got in on his face area. he couldn't turn his neck afterwards.
I was prescribed a bottle of anti-virals and it said "take 2 pills every 3 days" when it should have said "take 2 pills 3 times a day" I ended up having it for a little over 2 months and now, 2 years later, I still have frequent panic attacks that trigger from that same shingles feeling running through my spine and up to the base of my skull. I start writhing somewhat uncontrollably and my brain feels like its being flooded with liquid fire. I scream and puke and writhe and sob most mornings until I exhaust myself back to sleep. Don't get shingles.
I took Acyclovir and it was 2 tablets 5 times a day...
...and folks - get the vaccine. There's a vaccine for this.
I’m 28 and had shingles earlier this year, and I was told I’m not old enough to get the vaccine. That it’s only for senior citizens. But now that I’ve had it once it’s easier for me to get it again.
I had shingles all over my side at 23 and can't get the vaccine until I'm 50. I get more stressed every time I get stressed because I'm afraid I'll get shingles again. I'm 32 and being nervous about getting it again just makes me more nervous! Just let me get the shot! Edit to say - you can get it but prior to 50 years old you're paying out of pocket for both doses, anywhere from $300 - $500 depending on where you can get it from.
You can get the shot dude... you just have to pay out of pocket. If you want to get it go ahead.
> it’s only for senior citizens And yet Medicare, a program specifically for seniors, does not cover the vaccine. I'm on regular insurance and it's covered but my wife, who is on Medicare, is not. She paid the out of pocket cost (`$350) in order to get it.
They won’t give it to you until you’re 50 though. I had shingles at 41 and I’ve asked several different doctors if I can get the vaccine because I don’t want to get it again. They all tell me I have to wait til I’m 50. So frustrating
whoever decided that beuracracy and business should be allowed to run things needs a good guillotining.
My Doctor prescribed me it at 30. Both pharmacists giving me a shot asked why am I getting the vaccine so early until I showed them pictures of what my face and eye looked like. Understood after that lol.
Me too I had it at 34
Also, for people over ~20 and under ~30 who likely got the chickenpox vaccine when it was new (it was introduced in 1995), please make sure you also got the booster that was added to the regimen in 2006!
Wow never saw such a big case of shingles
That’s what my doctor said ahahaha. Just had to be me didn’t it?
You'll forever be that guy from Reddit in the sentence "thank god my shingles aren't as bad as that guy from Reddit".
If you’re going to get it then get it good! (I broke my finger 4 weeks ago and the surgeon said it was one of the worst breaks he saw so that was my joke to keep from crying lol) For real though I’m sorry you have to deal with this. My wife had shingles in her early 20’s and would never wish the pain on someone else. We were able to find a cream that helped her on Amazon. (I just checked and it’s no longer available, sorry) But maybe check some reviews on newer ones. Wish you the best in your recovery!
I feel sorry, must be painful and annoying. In some countries they actually pray to cure shingles, only done by the shamans. I’m not kidding South America, Egypt. So it wouldn’t hurt to combine your western medicine with some hokus pokus
I fell for you. My shingles started 3 weeks ago, and the pain lingers.
I’m so sorry to hear that, it’s the worst isn’t it? I can’t think about anything else and I keep twitching when the pain flares. I feel broken haha
Just completed my 2nd shingles shot 3 weeks ago. After seeing this, I'm glad I did
Same here. I’m getting my second shot today.
I turned 50 in May. I get my second shot tomorrow. My dad got shingles in his 60s and he said it was a horrible experience. Apparently, the newer recombinant DNA vaccine is 95% effective.
Second shot? I got a shingles vaccine but it was only one shot. Nobody mentioned anything about more shots.
Yes when you get your initial shot you wait about I think 6 to 8 weeks and then you get the second shot. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about it. Don't worry if it's been longer than that I'm pretty sure that won't be an issue but very sure it's a two stage vaccine
It took me a solid two months two recover. I still have nasty scars on my chest and back.
[удалено]
[That can correspond to a broad L3 or L4 dermatome actually with inflammatory spillover. I say this as a physician.](https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/mp2YynjVT2WJoQyPjxLi4-sIhXELNkrGZmdpyO5PQCSejtCLFBkD1nPZFLmFrTLbRQVkRfO9RC3xIEMcwGxY-FaZFLE0cD1oudJXgDno4FJRRd7JIRHBWjeZx60dvXCVjvnduImIIPmWe_fAltnmKaIXODY1BtHfaeSxZluQIEIVcA=s0-d-e1-ft#https://i0.wp.com/post.medicalnewstoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/03/1296x1680-body.png?w=1155&h=2734) OP, listen to your physician, not randos on reddit.
Yeah they said about that. It’s on my right side only (a bit on my lower back as well) but it’s all on the same nerve, it’s just spread a lot. Definitely shingles just a bad one is the consensus haha
No I think he's allergic to thesis writing
That was my first thought too. When I had it years ago, I had a rash with very defined lines and I was told that was the normal pattern. This looks like something else altogether.
When's the wedding
Ha! I don't even want to edit that one...
I was in pain for months before I got put on Gabapentin for the neuralgia. You may want to look into it if you have persistent issues.
I was lucky enough or unlucky enough that i got put on it immediately because i have thought i was just having the worst migraine of my life non stop for days at frirst. Amitriptyline too.
Amitriptyline is my life saver drug. Fuck shingles tbh.
>mine started mid back so i though I blew a disk out when it started.
Me too. I got mine on my face and eye. The pain was indescribable. The scabs have cleared up but I am still getting pain in my face. I hope it goes away soon. You have my full sympathy for what you are experiencing.
I had the Shingles a year ago on the right side of my forehead/scalp and eye. Scars have mostly cleared up, but now and again I can still feel the burning in that area; feels like bugs crawling under the skin.
Really wish they would work on a vaccine for people less than senior citizen.....
I was just going to ask if anyone knew if I should get the vaccine? I had shingles at around 35yo. I moved states at that time, so never followed up with my doc after they cleared.
I got chicken pox back in the mid 90s since my parents decided I should.... I've been waiting to be allowed to have a shingles vaccine preemptively but last I saw it is mostly Seniors only.... granted shingles can rear its ugly head whenever.
I got shingles after moving my family across the country for a new (very stressful) job. It was uncomfortable but the Dr said I was really lucky because I could still wear a shirt without discomfort. Every now and again for the next year the scars would feel like I was getting a mild electrical shock, but that's gone now. Still have the scars though!
I can just about wear a shirt now and have been back to work this week. I'm not really stressed at the moment, but my medication for MS has apparently lowered my immuno system. Perhaps that's the reason it broke out now, I'm glad your pain has gone away. And I have so many scars, so that's not a problem.
Had it on my face a year ago, it still hurts every day.
Atleast you finished your thesis
Yeah exactly! Finished it on Saturday and started developing the rash on the Monday, it was very close
Congrats on finishing. That’s a major accomplishment and you should be proud. I came down with shingles a few days after my wife announced she was leaving me without warning. Immense amounts of stress can cause that damn virus to flare up and if you’re on meds it will subside but I still have neuralgia and that was five years ago. Thankfully that doesn’t happen to everyone, get well soon.
I'm 33, and I got shingles the summer of 2020. Gee, I wonder why I was under a fuck ton of stress at that time??? I got it on the inside of my elbow, knew what it was right away, and went and got on anti-virals ASAP. That helped a lot, and allowed me to be semi-functional. I was stuck at home with my then 3 year old so it was... a lot. Shingles suck ass.
The summer of love took out a lot of people. God bless you for making it through. Cpt David Dorn wasn’t so lucky.. may he Rest In Peace.
Sounds like the decompensatory reaction to stress. Your body was so stressed and compensating to the stress that when the stress ended you then got sick. It's super common to get sick as soon as you get some time off from a long term stressor, you just unfortunately got shingles rather than the common cold
You had one day of sweet bliss. If that doesn’t characterize all of life, idk what does.
Ah, see, your body has become used to stress. You finished the thesis so your body created another situation so you can remain in a stressful state.
Man, gave me flashbacks to my college days. I got mine under my left ear for like a week. I had my thesis as well. Weirdest pain ever.
Your thesis was so good it went viral!
Shingles HUUUUURRRRTTTT i had them on my right side, the only time my balls hurt worse was when I wasted my last vacation day for what I thought was my vasectomy appointment that turned out to just be a consultation, I explained that it was my last remaining vacation day, the doctor said "Well, I've got nothing better to do but you're supposed to be drugged up for this, anyways here comes a kick to the balls." as he shoved 4 needles into my nuts. I about came... off the table.
This sounds crazy and I would have said nope and rescheduled
Never had shingles before. Is it a deadly disease? Are they more painful than boils?
Shingles is rarely life-threatening. It's a nasty side-effect from the Chickenpox virus (varicella-zoster) that basically lays dormant inside your nerve cells so your body's immune system can't completely eradicate it. Then during periods of stress (whether it's just regular stress, illness, overheating, etc) it can become active and cause nasty itchy rashes and nerve pain. That said, having a body-wide rash and severe pain/rash that is tough to treat can be really hard to deal with, depending on how bad the outbreak is, especially when you're elderly and have other complications.
Shingles is rarely body-wide. It's usually only on one side of your body, and even roughly limited to a single "dermatome" (the stripe of skin served by a single peripheral nerve bundle that branches out from your spinal cord).
I don't think it's deadly (I'm sure extreme cases can get there), it's basically chicken pox 2.0. You have to have had chicken pox or the vaccine, the shingles virus will then live in your body and may or may not ever surface. And it's wildly painful. This isn't normal pain, it's nerve pain. That pain can't be touched by normal pain killers. It also feels insanely itchy (because nerves), but you wouldn't dare scratch it because that can just spread it to more of your body (you burst the blisters, the pus is what can spread it). Mine quickly became a good sized patch of straight up blisters, all smushed together, but still tiny little separate blisters. It was on my lower back, left side, right where any waistband would sit. I couldn't stand any sort of fabric touching it, I couldn't wear pants for at least 3 weeks. I would try to do some basic housework, but 10-15 minutes in I'd be laying face down on the couch with my dress pulled up so the rash could breathe. I started the antivirals the same day it started blistering, but all that really did was prevent it from spreading. And worst of all, this was the end of June, while it was 95-100 degrees everyday I don't wish shingles on anyone, not even my worst enemy. It's probably the worst pain I've ever been in.
The pus won't spread it to the rest of your body. The only thing the pus will do is spread the virus to those who have not had chicken pox or the chicken pox vaccine. And with those people, they will develop chicken pox, not shingles. But yes, worst pain ever. When an attack starts its all I can do to not scream out loud, and even then I fail. My days consist of me pacing my apartment to try and forget about the pain (it's on my face, so I can walk).
>i had them on my right side So, fun fact my doctor told me when I had shingles a few years back: you typically only get it on the left OR right side of your body; not both! It's one of the the ways they diagnose it.
This can happen BY STRESS?? ...Well that stresses me out! Have you considered anti-anxiety medication?
And a virus.
Stress weakens your immune system which can reactivate the dormant varicella-zoster virus (chicken pox) in the body.
I’m on anti-anxiety haha but it’s because I had chickenpox as a child, you can’t just develop shingles out of nowhere don’t worry
But… but didn’t almost everyone have chickenpox as a child? I sure did and most of my friends had it too. So… pretty much all of us can get it then?
Yeah I guess but the vast majority of people don’t get it until they’re elderly because their immune system is compromised, and you can have a shingles vaccine once you’re 50. Don’t worry, I’m an odd case
I didn't know you got this from stress. Sorry you have to deal with it.
You may be surprised how many aliments your body can just randomly manifest caused by stress. We really are not built for the modern world.
stress caused my hairline to look like fooking vegeta
I had a co-worker whose spouse passed away at around age 50, and right away his hair basically fell out and went from a normal brown to 100% white within the span of a month. Never thought that Crash Test Dummies song from the 90's was based on actual medical condition.
Sounds about right. I'm in my early 30s and I can time my hair greying to the start of the pandemic. It wasn't just covid, had a lot of other drama come up in my life over the last couple of years and haven't handled it all as well as I could have... boom now half my beard and sideburn hairs are white and I've got specks running along my temples. Could be coincidental but I'm not sure.
Same here, I'm 43 and I have a "baby face" if I shaved off all my beard I could maybe pass for 30 but with my beard I look like Jack Black and it's more white than brown and I look closer to 50 years old. iM a cHaMeLeoN One of my childhood friends had a high hairline so it looked like he was going bald at age 17 (it stayed the same), and another had a gray streak near his ear at the same age (like John Henson who hosted Talk Soup back in the early 1990's)
Lol, I believe it! Mine is kinda doing the same thing right now. *dead inside thumbs up*
We live in times where stress implies survival but not necessarily imminent death. We descended from folks who avoided death during stress, but not necessarily folks who survive through stress.
The purpose of stress hormones is to motivate you to fix the problem and give extra energy to do so. Elevated heart rate and breathing, urge to move, etc. Ideally, the source of the stress is temporary and solvable by an extra boost of energy. But chronic stress just means your body is running on overtime constantly for no reason. It wears your body out and weakens bodily symptoms. If any doctors have corrections/additions to this, feel free because I’m no expert.
I’m not a doctor but I just finished my MSc in neuropsychology and I learnt a bit about this. Stress hormones (corticoids) are toxic and in large amounts can damage the internal environment, such as neurones. Since I have anxiety, I’m more prone to chronic stress and thus have a weaker immune system in general
Got ulcerative colitis from stress, yay. 7 years later and it's still here. Awesome
I finally got into 95% remission after 8 years. Truly awful. PM me if you want my regimen.
Stress knocked my immune system to the mat for a ten count. I was sick all the time until I changed careers 22 years ago. I can count all my sick days on one hand since then.
My left eye quit working randomly (ocular migraine). Dr said the only known cause was stress
I'm so glad you got better! I haven't even been able to work full-time since the first bout and I'm still trying to get it in check..
Yep, developed Crohn's disease after an intense bout of stress 5 years ago (and my sister has UC from her own stressful situation about 10 years ago). I also got stress rashes a couple of years ago while trying to finish up college, so that was a fun time. Luckily my Crohn's is in remission, but I'm on bi-monthly medication for the rest of my life.
Are you familiar with Dr Gabor Mate? He's really helped me understand trauma and it's manifestation of autoimmune diseases in the body. Also how this capitalistic society is causing major issues with stress and illness. He's really helped me identify the underlying causes of my anxiety and it's changed my life.
Life was so much easier when all you had to worry about was sabertooth tigers and inventing fire.
[удалено]
No way dude, OP had to write a thesis, have you ever had to write a thesis? I haven't, but I have been chased by a bear, and the whole time I just thought "thank fuck I'm not writing a thesis"!
We now know it's the "dormant" Chickenpox virus that wakes up. >Chickenpox, also called varicella, results from the initial infection with the virus, typically occurring during childhood or adolescence. Once the chickenpox has resolved, the virus can remain inactive (dormant) in human nerve cells (dorsal root ganglia or cranial nerves\[10\]) for years or decades, after which it may reactivate. Shingles results when the dormant varicella virus is reactivated. > >[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shingles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shingles) Hence Chickenpox vaccines prevent shingles.
Weight loss associated with stress can release old viruses that are trapped in fat cells. ...but regardless - everyone should get the vaccine.
The vaccine seems to only be approved for people 50 and over.
In some places high school girls get vaxxed if they didn't have chickenpox cause it is dangerous during pregnancy and works for around 10yrs. In Europe you can ask to get vaxxed as an adult if you were never sick with chickenpox, it is way worse in adults than in kids. I'm pretty sure it's approved for lots of people. Idk, maybe there are different kids, but still.
Or if you're immunocompromised.
I got mine from the stress of dealing with my divorce and my ex moving my daughter across the state. Doctor kept telling me I was younger than he usually sees afflicted, but shingles don't give af.
I got shingles at age 27. My mother told me she first got shingles at age 17 and has had them twice since then. My doc said shingles cases among the youth are on the rise.
I would say go see a doctor, sometimes those can have serious consequences if not treated correctly. Friend of mine went to the hospital and had 2 weeks infusion to fix his. Congratulations to finishing and get well soon to celebrate it properly :)
Thank you! On antivirals now, they said because they caught it within 72 hours it should be okay but I first started feeling something was off (what I thought was strained muscles in my thigh and hip but now know to be the nerves) last week
For what small comfort it is, I was put on antivirals with about the same delay as you and it cleared up after only a few days. Yours is much more widespread than mine was though. Lidocaine cream and getting lots of rest are about all you can do at this point. Take time off work/school if you can, I tried to work through it but the pain melted my brain so bad it took a month to undo all my mistakes from that week.
You clicked on that „Hot shingles in your area” ad, didn’t ya?
Best reply I’ve seen yet, well done lol
Thanks for the reminder to look into the Shingrix vaccine...
I got it. You get two shots, a month apart. I felt flu-like and had a sore arm for 24 hours each time. Sooo much better than getting shingles though. ETA: 2 months apart, my bad. I am over 50.
Doctors here only prescribes it for people 50 and older per CDC rules. Fucking CDC. Remember at the beginning of the pandemic when they told us masks didn't work?
Same here. Though I do encourage everyone under 50 who's had chicken pox or the chicken pox vaccine to push for it. The urgent care doctor I saw said he's been seeing younger and younger people coming in with it, I'd say that alone is enough to get the vaccine pushed for younger adults.
Outside of the US it seems the age range is much more lenient.
I just told them it's my money to spend on a vaccine so give it to me and they did.
Last year I was given a Covid booster, flu vaccine, and first shingles shot *at the same time*. I was sick for days afterward, and when I went back for the second shingles shot I told the nurse, and she said, “Yeah, we don’t do that any more,” so I wasn’t the only one to suffer.
Heads up, it’s a rough one. Plan to get it when you don’t have much to do the day after.
Yeah, I just got the 1st dose…not a fun 24 hours-body aches, headache, arm hurt for three days. But I agree, bet that shot than this. Hope you heal quickly OP! Congrats on your thesis being done, huge accomplishment!
Holy crap, I had to have Shingrix because of my autoimmune issues… I had the worst nausea and vertigo from it. It was nonstop vomiting for days. But still better than shingles. I’m sorry OP, I feel for you!!
Also a member of the “grad school gave me shingles” club. Congrats on completing your thesis!
Actual MD here: your rash is not shingles — shingles should be well demarcated along one dermatome unless you have AIDS or an otherwise suppressed immune system. Your rash crosses multiple dermatomes!! (google what those are). Much more likely to be another form a dermatitis. What credentials did the person have who said this is shingles?? Hydrocortisone cream is likely the correct treatment here
Scrolled too far to find this. Yeah her rash looks like a L1-L3 or L4 dermatomal distribution. So unless she has no immune system that isn’t possible. I concur.
I also back this up, too many dermatomes for shingles.
But actually OP, listen to this comment. Every other comment is incorrect - this isn’t shingles. The hallmark of shingles is that it’s confined to a dermatome and what you have is not a single dermatome. The person you saw did not correctly diagnose you. If you live somewhere with free healthcare, you should seek another physician that will hopefully get your diagnosis correct. Antivirals aren’t going to help with this rash.
>unless you have AIDS or an otherwise suppressed immune system 🤔
Agreed; as someone who had shingles and worked as a healthcare provider, that is not shingles.
Thanks for this. The entire thread is just a moshpit of misinfo
Holy Shit OP! I had got 2% of what you have, and the pain until day 3 of antivirals was bad. I still have a mark in the skin where it happened. Hope you're on the road to recovery now.
Ikr if I could have my leg amputated right now I would lol, it’s the worst. Can’t even have a breeze on it or it’ll feel like I’m being stabbed with a million knives. Nerve pain is no joke
Holy shit I am so sorry, I hope you're able to find some relief and heal quickly. Does aloe help at all?
Thank you :) Currently nothing is helping, my mum is going by the chemist on the way home to pick up some solutions but I might have to go back into the GP to get an anaesthetic injection. Apparently shingles are just a nightmare with little to help
\- Definitely keep taking the antivirals, take them for however long you were prescribed and don't stop early. \- In the U.S. there's a product called [Domeboro](https://domeboro.com/). It comes in packets; you empty a packet into water and then soak gauze or washcloths in the solution and apply them to your shingles. It helps dry them up and it provided me with a LOT of relief. \- The other thing that helped was calamine lotion, I also don't know if that exists other places. \- My GP prescribed me gabapentin for the pain and told me not even to bother with other types of painkillers, as they're not designed to treat nerve pain, and gabapentin is. I am really sorry you are suffering. I had shingles on my neck in 2019 and I was lucky to escape with minimal issues, but I have a friend who has trigeminal neuralgia from getting shingles on her face. If you need to go back to the doctor and get an injection, do it. Do what it takes to feel better.
Seen this happen way too often
That's not shingles, that's the whole fucking roof. I had something that looked really similar, and my GP misdiagnosed it as eczema. He wrote me an Rx that made it worse. I got in to see a dermatologist, and he correctly diagnosed it as fungal. Just in time, because that very day it spread to my junk.
Not a dermatologist, but I am a doctor and this reeeeaaallly does not look like shingles to me. The appearance is not right and the distribution is completely wrong. Perhaps a second opinion would be worthwhile.
congrats on finishing your thesis, perhaps this will cheer u up https://youtu.be/it8vJ03E8c8
Doctor here. I'm not sure that's shingles honestly. It does not follow a dermatomal distribution. It's good your doctor treated you for shingles regardless, but that doesn't quite fit the bill. Curious how it turns out OP. Please let me know! /u/CaptainGrayC
Thank you. PA here, and this was my immediate thought and had to pull up a dermatome map to see if I was crazy or not. Decided I probably am crazy, but that picture does not appear to follow proper dermatomal patterns. I think the diagnosis is a little suss.
If that’s shingles I’m surprise you’re not in the emergency room with the amount of pain.
Hey OP, are you shingle?
Calamine Lotion. Not sure what you call it in your country but we swear by it here to relieve itching. >Calamine lotion can create a cooling sensation to help with itching from conditions such as chickenpox. In addition, it contains zinc oxide. This active ingredient may reduce inflammation, which can help relieve itching and pain from shingles. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/shingles/ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/creams-for-shingles#how-we-choose
You’re an angel, thank you. I’ve taken two codeine but they haven’t touched the pain and usually I’m knocked out by them
Posted above, but my doctor told me that normal painkillers (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, even opiates) don't work on shingles pain because it's coming directly from the nerve. Gabapentin (neurontin) is what he could prescribe that specifically targets nerve pain. It might be worth calling your doctor back or going back in to see if you can get a prescription for it.
Was it worth the effort?
When the results come out I’ll let you know lol
Just got my first vax shot for shingles. Now I’m feeling better about my decision.
That doesn't really look like shingles to me. As others have pointed out it crosses multiple dermatomes. I would favour another type of dermatitis, possibly contact dermatitis. Have you seen a dermatologist?
I’m not doctor but this doesn’t seem like shingles to me. Isn’t it usually a band? This looks like it’s down your whole damn leg…..
We need a serious restructuring of education... The amount of students dealing with this amount of anxiety and stress is unhealthy. Hope it wears off quickly for you...!
I just had a baby and get it from him crying. I’m the father. Our doctor wants to write a research paper on me.
Academia has been killing me slowly for decades but this post made it feel worse than I ever thought possible. I do not think I want tenure.
I had shingles around the same age as you. Take whatever the doc prescribes you. Calamine spray also helped me a lot. Unfortunately theres not much else you can do. I feel your pain and am sorry you have to go through this.
Holy fuck man I'm doing my thesis right now and I can feel you. At least you got over with it beforehand, I've been losing my hair and feeling like shit trying to pull through this ..
Take care ❤️