Hey all, pleasure to e-meet you all!

First time experiencing shingles and I have to say this has been hell.

From getting completely dismissed by a doctor at Urgent Care, being on a cocktail of meds, and wanting to take a cheese grater to my face this has made its way to the top of the worst list. 😭

About two months ago, I went to the doctor after developing a small patch of spots around my right waistline, along with sensitive skin and pain on my right thigh. I was diagnosed with shingles and given a 7 day course of aciclovir.

The blisters that appeared around my waistline while I was taking the tablets healed nicely. However, I noticed some more spots developing on the inside of my right thigh. They hadn't blistered at that point, so I assumed the antivirals had caught them early.

I finished the first course and initially thought everything was settling down.

About a week later, the spots on the inside of my thigh became extremely painful and started spreading again.

I went back to the doctor, but they weren't particularly concerned about the spreading and advised me to use paracetamol for the pain and get back in touch if things got worse.

I put up with it for another week, but eventually couldn't take the pain anymore. I saw a different doctor who agreed that it appeared to still be spreading and prescribed me another course of antivirals.

Once again, the antivirals seemed to calm everything down. The redness and inflammation reduced considerably and things appeared to be improving.

Unfortunately, a few days after finishing the second course, the area has become inflamed again and I'm getting new red spots. This time it looks considerably worse than before and is still very painful.

What's confusing me even more is that I've now developed similar spots on the inside of my left thigh, and they're following a similar pattern of pain to what I experienced on the right.

I was under the impression that shingles normally affects one side of the body, so I'm struggling to understand what's happening.

For confirmation, I did have a swab taken early on which confirmed shingles. A later swab was attempted to check for a possible secondary infection, but unfortunately that sample was rejected by the lab because the wrong transport medium was used.

I'm going back to the doctor because I think the current lesions probably need another proper assessment and potentially another swab.

Has anyone else experienced shingles where the symptoms seemed to settle while taking antivirals, only to flare up again shortly after finishing them?

And has anyone had shingles followed by similar painful spots appearing on the opposite side? Would be interested to hear what happened in your case

Hello - I had shingles in my left ear, and it spread basically across the whole left side of my face/head including the left side of mouth/gums/tongue. The shingles itself was the worst pain I have ever gone through.

Now I'm about two weeks post the shingles breakout and dealing with intense nerve pain. I had tried weaning off Gabapentin but it was too painful. Has anyone had any luck with any other methods for managing nerve pain? Specifically I am wondering if Red Light Therapy would help (unsure since the worst pain is in my mouth and not on the exterior skin itself), or potentially HBOT. Has anyone tried these or anything else to help manage nerve pain?

Thanks for any insight and good luck to anyone going through anything similar.

Hi all, I woke up on Thursday with horrible right sided rib pain, didn’t really think anything of it as I do have a number of chronic symptoms which come and go, one being idiopathic pain. Anyways, towards Thursday night it felt different to what my ‘normal’ pain feels like. It felt as if I had been punched multiple times in that area, like a severe bruised feeling with every movement.

On Friday morning I woke up to a rash and so went to the pharmacist that day who has prescribed Aciclovir 800mg 5x a day for 7 days.

It’s now Sunday and this is what my rash is looking like. It’s burning, but I’m mainly struggling with the rib nerve pain. The pharmacist said just to continue with Paracetamol but it isn’t touching the pain so I’m tempted to go back to my GP tomorrow for something stronger.

My question is what painkillers have helped you and additionally has anyone experienced any side effects from Aciclovir?

I wanted to share an update on my [original post](applewebdata://A2DD1175-53AB-40E7-9859-F8B265E52416/PASTE_ORIGINAL_REDDIT_POST_URL_HERE), because when this started, I spent hours searching for people who had experienced something similar and eventually recovered.

Note: Long post. I used AI to help with the wording and proofreading so it’s easy to read.

I’m 36, otherwise healthy, and this is my first time having shingles. My case seems a little unusual, and even after seeing several doctors, I still don’t have a clear explanation for everything that happened. I’m sharing the timeline in case someone else is going through something similar.

October 1–3: The pain started before the rash
It began around 1 AM with right lower back pain and extreme sensitivity over my right thigh. Even my clothes touching my skin felt like something sharp was scratching me.
Within a day, the pain spread to my right hip, waist, groin, pubic area, and part of my scrotum. I also developed deep pelvic and groin pain, followed by absolutely brutal electric-shock-like attacks radiating down my inner thigh to below my knee.
Each attack lasted seconds, but at one point they were happening every 30 seconds. I genuinely thought I had a pinched nerve in my back.
On October 3, a small cluster of tiny blisters appeared on my inner thigh/groin. I started valacyclovir that day, and because my presentation was unusually complicated, the course was extended to 10 days.

October 4–10: The worst pain started improving
I briefly took oral steroids but stopped following specialist advice. I also tried Lyrica for three days, then stopped because my first neurologist felt it wasn’t necessary during the acute stage unless I developed long-term nerve pain.
I saw both a neurologist and an infectious disease specialist. A lumbar MRI showed bulging discs at L4–L5 and L5–S1, but those findings couldn’t explain all my symptoms.
Thankfully, around October 7–10, the horrible stabbing attacks gradually disappeared, and by October 10–11, the blisters had dried up.
I thought I was almost done. Unfortunately, something else happened.

The strangest part: burning skin sensitivity across my right side
Although the rash was limited to my right thigh/groin and buttock, the burning sensitivity spread across much of the right side of my body, including my shoulder, arm, chest, abdomen, waist, back, and parts of my leg.
The left side was completely normal.
Even a soft cotton shirt brushing against my skin felt like rubbing something against a fresh scald burn. Sometimes I could lie still without pain, but the slightest movement of my clothes would immediately trigger it.
Sometimes the pain even felt deeper than the skin, especially around my abdomen and waist.
Apparently, this is called allodynia, meaning that something normally painless, like clothing touching your skin, becomes painful.
The extent of it was frightening, especially because it spread so far beyond the rash.

October 13–18: Where things stand now
I saw a second neurologist, who recommended restarting Lyrica regularly and using lidocaine patches. My first neurologist still didn’t think Lyrica was necessary and suggested amitriptyline 10 mg instead, which I haven’t started because of possible interactions with my other medications.
I’m currently taking Lyrica 75 mg twice daily and using lidocaine patches for 12 hours a day.
The burning sensitivity is still present, mainly around my right abdomen and waist, with milder symptoms across the right side of my trunk, front and back. Thankfully, my arm and lower leg no longer seem affected.
I still have back pain, but the terrible electric shocks are essentially gone. I’m hoping the smaller affected area means things are gradually improving.
Both hot and cold compresses seem to help a little, although they might just distract me from the pain.
And as if shingles wasn’t enough, I also developed a flu-like respiratory infection with a nasty cough, fever, and fatigue during the second week.

The reason I’m sharing this
Two weeks ago, I was experiencing some of the worst pain of my life. Today, the stabbing attacks are gone, the rash has healed considerably, and some of the burning sensitivity seems to be improving.
I’m definitely not fully recovered, and I still worry about long-term nerve pain and whether shingles might come back. I’m even considering the shingles vaccine once I’ve recovered.
But I’m trying to focus on the progress rather than the worst-case scenarios I’ve read online.
If you’re newly diagnosed and terrified by what you’re reading here, please remember that recovery stories may be underrepresented because people who get better often move on and stop posting.
I’m still recovering myself, but I’ve already improved significantly in just over two weeks. Hopefully that gives someone a little reassurance.

I’d love to hear from anyone who experienced burning skin sensitivity beyond their rash, took Lyrica or used lidocaine patches, or had similar deep back, pelvic, or abdominal pain.

Most importantly, if you had shingles in your 20s, 30s, or 40s and eventually recovered completely, please share your story. How long did the remaining nerve pain take to disappear?
Hopefully my next update will be about feeling completely normal again.

Thanks to everyone who commented on my original post. Your experiences and reassurance have genuinely helped.

I saw my doctor this week and was told i have post shingles pain . I got shingle around last week of august early september . i went in the viral meds etc . I was given the slow release med palexia 50mg. has anybody else had post shingles pain and if so how long did it take to subside. ? only got a month worth of the palexia .

Are my chicken pox really unimpresssive?(Deleted this post . Posted again rn)

I was diagnosed today with shingles. Honestly didn't even notice rash bc it was on my back until I was searching for a reason for random pain in my armpit area. Googled and shingles came up, panicked. When to urgent care and diagnosed. Started meds today.

I have one spot that is contained to maybe three inches. I felt weirdly sick earlier in the week but I'm also battling another health issue.

My question is - it dumb for me to attend a camping music festival next week. 🫣

Obviously I'd cover the one rash and monitor how or if it spreads and my pain level. It has been noticeable today but not terrible yet. It's the only vacation I've had all year after a terrible year and a lot of money has already been spent.

So I had singles a few years ago and like 2 weeks ago I got really sick I thought it was a headcold well I had fever and I was so tried. Few days letter my hands are hurting bad my feet are hurting I have no energy and I got fever. Friday I wake up to my face burning I look at face see small rash under eye not typical blisters just a small red rash along the vein. So I was like shoot it’s on my face well apparently the virus itself is spread all over my muscles, which is possible too. From my right foot all the way down to my testicles all the way up to my face I can almost feel it as it travels because the pain will be at random spots. Kind of work in the area, but it just kind of goes back-and-forth. Pain was the worse on my balls I couldn’t take it anymore I almost passed out. But just ranging in my body I am 36 second time with shingles so that’s not good but happy it’s not swollen up my face, but the burning is intense. I felt burning in my nose. Just random and travels so praying it just goes away soon nothing I can do

Past 18 months i had recurring shingles 4 times. Diagnosed, swabbed, treated.

I stopped going to the gym and started swimming instead and I have not had an outbreak since

What do you think was causing the outbreaks ?

I see many posts here about people getting shingles a second and sometimes even a third time. It made me think that if you have it once, the risk of getting it again is increases, but when I read about, it seems to actually be a lowered risk, if you are otherwise healthy:

Large population-based studies show that for a healthy individual, the risk of getting shingles a second time is roughly the same as (or slightly lower than) getting it for the very first time.

Have you gotten shingles again while being 100% healthy, or was it because you have a weakened immune system, or did you perhaps discover an underlying cause? I am curious about this, since I am terrified of getting it again. I am 4 weeks in now, and most symtpoms except for the weird night itch is gone

Thursday and Friday: extreme leg pain in the left thigh. Like really bad leg pain!

Saturday: went for massage therapy and the masseuse said it was just a muscle pain.

Tuesday: blisters appeared

Wednesday: went to the ER and the doctor said it was bug bites.

Friday (today): went to see the family doctor and he said it’s shingles!

Question;
1. My daughter is 8 weeks old and not yet vaccinated. Should I move out of the house until I’m healed?? Will she be ok?

1. Should I inform the massage therapist about this situation?

Thank you.

First time, M39y.

Started with a rash on top of my head, not painful. I thought its from the hat I wore and at that time I was a little sick

I went to the UC day 2 evening since I noticed that i start to get more rash. I was immediately diagnosed with shingles and given antivirals.

The rash went around my eye (eyebrow and on the nose alas small one)

The UC didnt have opthomologist, they only referred me within the hospital. The wait is ridiculous, but they should squeeze me next week.

I went to optometrist instead, they did the retina scan, slit lamp etc. Everything looks healthy.

Now its the 5th day - the rash is not spreading it actually died down. My eye redness is also going back (I had both eyes red so maybe that was caused by infection)

What’s interesting is that I don’t feel any pain with the rash.

I ocassionally do get some zaps of pain with the ear and also the top of my head is a little sensitive to touch. Also a little numbness on my cheek so monitoring that as well. And my resting pulse is higher than usual by 20bpm.

Just wanted to share, and hopefully this will be a mild case.

This hurts worse than post-surgery. I had a lapo in February for endometriosis, adenomyosis and PCOS.
I’ve got shingles now, going over two of my lapo scars. I’m in so much pain. I had shingles 13 years ago when I was 13, on my neck and arm, this is worse.
Of ALL the places to catch it!

First off - this sub has been a godsend!
Mine started off with shooting pain on either Sunday or Monday evening (all days are blurred at the moment) in my back and leg, thigh and lower back felt tender to the touch like they should be bruised but weren’t - managed to get a GP appointment who asked during his checks if I had a rash, nothing at the time so said it was likely sciatica and sent off with a scrip for codeine.

Wednesday evening - noticed a small rash appearing top of the thigh near the fold with my groin. Had a constant stabbing pain in my side that I truly thought was appendicitis at one point.

Thursday morning the rash had spread further down the leg and a small amount had appeared on my lower back where the pain had originated. Googled sciatica and rash and found this sub where so many of my symptoms finally lined up and got a lift to the pharmacy where I really had to advocate for myself that I thought it was shingles. She was just reading off the same NHS screen that had confirmed for me it was probably shingles but seemed unsure as I only had small patches rather than a big strip it was only when she shone on a torch on and saw all the little blisters that she finally agreed.

Started on antivirals as soon as I got home last night rash is still already and feeling more fiery but hoping this will slow soon.

I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. It causes me constant extreme agony to even sit or lay let alone move. Have a spot on my side/hip that is 24/7 shooting pains and I spend a good chunk of my day swearing loudly or crying out in pain 🥲 this evening is the worst, got up to answer the door and once it was done immediately had to lay down as I was about to pass out. I nap more than sleep properly if I can get an hour or two reprieve from the pain and often wake up trying not to scream from the pain.

Living by yourself during something like this is very humbling and isolating 🥲 would love to have someone who could just make me a tea rather than me having to crawl or limp 🤣

I've been on Gabapentin for two weeks now because of severe pain with facial shingles. Thankfully, the medication kicked in after the first week to take the edge off the pain. However, the side effects of Gabapentin have been difficult at times. One day, I was so lightheaded and woozy, and my legs like spaghetti, that my husband had to help me out of bed to the bathroom and kitchen. Other times I'm very weak and sleepy, but some days I'm okay. I've had a few episodes of high heart rate, twice my arm felt like electrical shots going through it (opposite side of my shingles), and one night my throat felt like it was starting to close in. But, there are days I feel relatively fine. Is anyone else experiencing fine/not fine days while on this? Thanks!

36F, otherwise healthy. Currently day 8 of shingles. Just throwing my story out there in case anyone else is experiencing something similar.

Days 1-2 had left sided skin sensitivity. Thought I maybe irritated a nerve.
Day 3 a small patch appeared on my left abdomen. I was immediately concerned and got started on valtrex.

Days 4-5 i was uncomfortable and tired. my muscles under the rash really ached and I would get sharp pains occasionally.
Day 6 I developed a really awful headache. I went to bed but was repeatedly woken from the pain

Day 7 at like 3am I was woken bc the headache was so bad and i had the chills. I took my temp and was 101f. As the day progressed the headache worsened (generalized throbbing that worsened when i would change position or bend forward, better laying down) and I developed nausea, neck stiffness, and jolt accentuation (where every step I took caused a sharp pain in my spine and head). At this point we went to the ER worried I had meningitis. My labs all returned normal as did my head CT. They deci against a lumbar puncture given how good my labs looked. I was diagnosed with essentially pseudomeningitis or meningeal irritation but not infection. Was told to continue my valtrex and hydrate like crazy. I was given a migraine cocktail in the hospital and a bag of normal saline.
Day 8 the headache is still there but improved. I still have neck stiffness and the jolt accentuation but they are much improved.

All this to say that shingles sucks. It essentially is in my spinal canal irritating the lining of my brain and spinal cord but isn’t causing a full blow infection.

Anyone experience anything similar?

These photos are from Saturday thru Wednesday. I first noticed the spot Saturday morning, Sunday morning went of urgent care, and started antivirals Sunday afternoon. I’ve also been to my PCP and an optometrist and everything was good.

I thought I was turning a corner but now my eye is getting so itch and I have a small spot near my inner corner - you can see it a bit in the last photo. When did you start feeling like things were tapering off?

Can anybody share with me their personal stories if they developed allodynia with the shingles or afterwards and how long after the shingles started clearing up, did you have the allodynia? I i’m struggling to even walk the slightest jiggle of any part of my body feels like someone dragging fingernails across a sunburn that you can’t even see it’s everywhere my boobs, my thighs, my arms, my back, my calves. I can’t stand the feeling of any clothes, touching my body. I can’t sleep. The fucking herpes are going away, but this shit showed up instead. Even taking a deep breath, expanding my chest, makes my shirt slightly move across my skin and putting lidocaine patches all over my body.

Diagnosed with shingles first of July, took an antiviral and on gabapentin for pain. Rash cleared up but the pain has been unrelenting and excruciating and the gabapentin has helped very little. Now I notice what looks like a developing rash in the same area. Can it be happening all over again? Don’t think I can take a double whammy of this stuff.

Mid 40s F. Oh dear god so this my shingles story. I came down with back pain quite suddenly which was only on my left shoulder blade then wrapped around the front of my chest. I also started to get some wierd shooting sensations in other places. I was advised to go to A&E because of the chest pain. While I was there they gave me cocodomal and I immediately came out in hives on my chest. They were just about to discharge me and I said is it shingles and they said no that's definitely only one sided. The rash got worse over 4 days but I was just focused on managing the pain. I stopped the cocodamol on day 3 to see if the rash went. It didn't so I went to the pharmacy and they said take an antihistamine and see the GP tomorrow if it hasn't gone. It was even worse and I went to GP. I don't she was even convinced what it was or what to do with me but because I was now in such a state on just paracetomol, could not sit up due to back pain, she got the supervisor. They said pretty quickly that it was shingles. They were also concerned about meningitis but I didn't have stiff neck so we agreed I would go home and if headache worsened go to A&E for a brain scan.

I have aciclovir and the rash is going down. I am exhausted from writing this so I will come back and update later.

So quick story,I'm a 24 yr old male and I had shingles last june and I think im about to get shingles again. Im experiencing under the weather and I have 1 bump in my right side of my scalp where i had my previous shingle and slight itch in my neck. So far I have no other symptoms. Is it possible to have another shingles after just a few months? Im scared i dont want to have shingles again, shits hurts.

Hi everyone,

My wife has shingles close to her eye, thankfully she has no shingles in around the eye itself and no vision loss.

She also has redness in her ear (no blistering currently) with some mild tinnitus.

Is it worth escalating to an opthamologist at this stage or give the anti-virals more time to work?

Thanks

I’m one month into when the rash first appeared. I didn’t know to start antivirals until two weeks in. I’ve finished the antiviral oral meds, but my rash is still here and I have so much nerve pain. My doctor gave me topical antiviral cream and gabapentin, but truly this is the worst I’ve ever felt and I’ve given birth without an epidural. 😅🙃

What was everyone else’s recovery timeline like? I’m 29 and otherwise healthy.

Facial Shingles Advice

Hi all,

My wife (31) has developed shingles along her mouth, chin, cheek, ear and scalp and is in absolute agony all the time.

The doctor has prescribed her 9 different medicine to help including codeine and anti-virals.

What else can I do to help her with the agonising pain?

Does anyone know a rough timeline of when symptoms start to improve? She first developed jaw and ear pain last Wednesday, over the weekend her face started blistering and the pain has ramped up.

Thank you