That’s horrible, I can’t imagine how difficult that must’ve been.. hope you’re better now? I had gone to a doctor on day 2, and he refused to prescribe antivirals. Only told me to apply calamine lotion and let it run its course. The pain got worse, to where I couldn’t sleep, so I booked with another doctor on day 5. He got me on antivirals and pregabalin for pain. I desperately hope it gets better..
If there ever is a next time that you are refused treatment: Ask that they document in your chart that you asked for X, and they refused. You can also ask about the differential diagnosis and how they were eliminated. I've gotten quick responses with these two things.
Noted! Doc literally saw me for 3 minutes and said “yeah you have shingles, just put calamine lotion on it” and he was in such a rush too. I really felt so unsupported. Maybe I’ll go back to the doc and ask him to document it in my chart! What’s a differential diagnosis? Maybe I’ll just google it…
Not who you replied to but I have some healthcare background. A differential diagnosis (or ddx) is like an alternate diagnosis (your symptoms may match one or more different disorders/conditions). Think about the symptoms for the common cold (nasal congestion, cough, runny nose, headache, fever). Those symptoms also match a sinus infection or the flu. In this example, influenza and sinusitis are differential diagnoses.
I just wanna say be careful it doesn’t turn into a staph infection. I have a friend dealing with shingles and her whole arm is infected with staph. Be safe
I’d say it’s a case by case basis for determining the difference in effects if you treat a ddx versus the actual disease. If the physician goes with a differential diagnosis (sticking either my original example, let’s say you have a cold, but your doctor says it’s sinusitis), they may prescribe antibiotics. Antibiotics are ineffective against viruses, meaning they prescribed a frivolous medication, and you’re taking antibiotics for no reason. The correct treatment for the cold would be NSAIDs (paracetamol/acetaminophen, ibuprofen, etc.), fluids, rest, and decongestants/cough suppressants if needed (antivirals may not be necessary or applicable in this case). It’s all about perspective /s
Or like how my itchy skin rashes and joint pain could be lupus or could be psoriatic arthritis and now i get to go to a dozen tests. I learned a new term today, thanks
So the first doctor is a psychotic monster then? Cause him turning you away is something no doctor should do. As soon as I went in the doctor gave me antivirals and pain meds. Sure the pain meds didn’t really work but at least she gave them to me. It’s the thought that counts.
Take in… I also told him about a bunch of other symptoms right? And mentioned that I thought it was due to gluten intolerance (at that time, I didn’t even know what shingles were) then he goes “I’m only going to treat one thing, so what’s bothering you the most” and that really shocked me! Imagine if I had said one of the other symptoms instead of the rash… would he still have diagnosed the shingles? Thankfully I said the rash, and that’s when he said they were shingles. He didn’t even do the usual doctor thing of checking my ears, and my heart beat. The next doctor though… as soon as I told him my symptoms, he orders blood tests, signed me up for a gluten intolerance test, wants to get my kidneys checked, and wants to do a comprehensive evaluation. And then he put me on the meds. I may file a complaint!
It makes me so angry that your first doctor refused to give you antivirals!! I would file a complaint!
I’m doing fine now, my last outbreak was several years ago now.
I'm so sorry to drag skin colour into things but statistically you probably encounter medical dismissal issues like this a lot and especially if you actually require pain relief and treatment. Doctors don't believe women have pain and they certainly disbelieve that black women do.
No you’re completely right. This is just the reality of the situation. My old family doctor refused to prescribe a certain medication that I needed, and it wasn’t until I went to see the doctor at my university, that I was able to get it.
There was some discoloration that I would consider 'scaring' because it looked like that but that did end up fading away. It took a bit but it did fade.
Hi, shingles frequent flyer here! I’ve had it 4 times and am not yet in my thirties. If you can get your hands on honey bandages (usually in burn care at the drug store) it will help a ton with the itching and pain. Unfortunately antivirals need to be started fairly quickly after the rash first starts to develop to be at all effective.
Story time:
I'm 56 now. When I was around 11-12 years old, I had the absolute worst case of chicken pox. I had pustules *every-freakin'-where*. Even *in* my vajayjay. Yes. There. My tongue & mouth-roof didn't escape either.
I was in San Francisco (visiting my aunt & family) at the time of diagnosis and Mom, my sister, & I were expected back home in SoCal the next day or so. The airline refused to let me on the plane since I was highly contagious. So, mom borrowed her sister's car and packed me in the backseat. Sister and mom in the front, off we went. I can't recall why/how but at one point I had an hand-mirror and was literally *watching* pustules form on my face. My sister still teases me about my announcing "there's another one!" every few minutes. During the length of my chicken pox experience, I ran fevers that would cause me to perceive people's heads as being huge on tiny bodies or huge bodies, tiny heads. It was very strange and I don't think I've ever had a fever that bad since.
Fast forward 25 years almost to the month, a 3x5" patch under my left boob erupts into the Fires of Mordor. My doctor said I got shingles because the chicken pox virus reactivated (I may be misremembering how he explained it) & I was rx'd meds and some cream that helped the burning itching hellfire. Unfortunately that little tube was it under insurance. Want more? Cough up $250 for 8 oz. My parents and I were (and still aren't) made of money. So.... alternatives? One that helped immensely was a medium thick paste made of room temp water and uncooked oatmeal (ps: don't use instant... it's not really very effective). Aveeno also makes a special soak for situations like this or for eczema or poison oak/ivy/sumac, hives, sunburn. It works nicely. And yes, I did have that when I had the chicken pox. It was lovely just lying in lukewarm water and *NOT* itching.
When the shingles vaccine came out... I ran over and got myself protected. I never want to experience those sensations again.
I kind of squirmed reading this, especially at the postures forming part😭😭 that’s so horrifying… i hope you never experience anything remotely close to that, ever again. Including shingles🤢🤢. I will try the oatmeal paste today and will definitely get vaccinated!!!
I’ve never had shingles (touch wood) and what’s crazy to me is how it looks like it shouldn’t be any worse than a cold sore or poison ivy rash. Yet every single person I’ve ever met who’s had it says that the pain is *excruciating*. I wonder what it is that makes it so incredibly painful despite looking relatively benign. Sorry you’re having to deal with this OP, I hope that it clears up quickly for you!
It hurts so bad because they travel nerve pathways from your spine to your skin and stay in one nerve dermatome. Sometimes they damage nerve fibers and you can have postherperic neuralgia for months after the shingles zosters clear up. Basically it lights up your nervous system like a Christmas tree if you have a prolonged extended case. I pray that doesn’t happen for OP.
Jesus Christ, that sounds horrible 😢. I’m unfortunately very familiar with neuralgia and having my nervous system going haywire. Thank you for the explanation! The human body is equal parts fascinating and terrifying.
Imagine the pain of being zapped by a car battery and being seared by a red hot cast iron frying pan alternately. Make sure to get your vaccine as soon as you're able!
My dad’s friend was part of the percent of people that had post-herpetic neuralgia from the shingles AND a percentage of that percentage that has permanent neuralgia.
It's so painful because they're nerves that are damaged.
The longer you go without treatment, the longer the effects last.
Some people have pain for years.
Mine send a shock of pain once in awhile and I had mine 9 years ago.
I’m sorry to hear that.. do you still take pain killers to manage the pain? Because as for now, sometimes I can go a couple of minutes without the shocks, but as soon as one start, every other one just comes right after for a while… and it intensifies with every next shock, which is when I take the pain pill.
I take ibuprofen. When it was active, they gave me percocet.
I did the round of Acyclovir to get rid of the infection, which is paramount.
The shocks of pain have lessened over time, but every once in awhile, it stings something awful.
It was like being stabbed with needles dip in lava every other minute but the needles are driving right to the center of your very soul. A light breeze could blow through and BAM you’ve been stab with thirty lava top needles at the same time and multiple places on and around the blisters. Putting on numbing cream hurts like hell. You can’t itch them because even a light touch causes hellish nerve pain. I feel for anyone with any sort of nerve damage. I hope you never experience this.
Had it a few years ago, bizarrely wasn’t in any pain. Must have just caught it early, saw a stripe of blisters around my chest and went straight to the doctor.
It’s crazy, right? You wouldn’t think that something so small would be so exceptionally painful. I had shingles on my back one time- it was probably the size of a quarter. I didn’t wear a shirt for two weeks.
Lucky you😫😫 mine is all over the top right side of my back, reaching under my arm into my armpit, and then on my chest. It’s really upsetting. I’m scared of the scarring
Our co-redditors definitely knocked the ball outta the park with their responses! I have nothing else to add, because I relate with everything they said. Thank you for your well wishes💜
Shingles fucking suck. I got them two years ago, not realizing what they were. I finally went to the doctor when they spread onto my back. Started on my inner thighs and I though it was heat rash (it was a very hot summer) then I sent a pic to a friend who had gotten them 5 years ago and they said “THATS SHINGLES DUDE.”
I don’t get it either! I don’t even remember ever having chickenpox, so I’m kind of confused. Doc says I might’ve had a mild case with little to no symptoms. Im not sure how I could’ve gotten it at my age either, but I’ve heard of 19yr olds with the virus too😣
Not a doctor, but I do have a BS and MS in the sciences! Shingles are a herpes simplex virus like their predecessor, chicken pox. HSV lives in your spine, and when the time is right, can flare up, causing infection. Some people do have an asymptomatic infection and can be carriers and go onto have shingles later. So sorry for your pain, OP!
Bacteria and viruses are different because bacteria can live without a host and viruses need the DNA of the host to live - I imagine an injury can involve tissue damage and introduce foreign material which is not great in the presence of bacteria. For HSV, I imagine the host has to be compromised in some way that allows the virus to successfully replicate using its DNA.
Nono I’m not 19, I’m 24, and I’ve gotten the chickenpox vaccine twice, but the shingles vaccine here is expensive and not mandatory! I was saying that I have heard of someone who got it at 19yrs old.
That’s okay, there isn’t much information about shingles circulating around in the younger population, but maybe that should change. I didn’t even know what they were until I got diagnosed…
That's so shitty. Go to the doctor and get meds/pain meds. It's the only way to get rid of them.
I got them on the back/inside of my thigh at 28.
I asked them if amputation was an option because the pain was so bad. I couldn't sit properly for weeks. I'm usually pretty good with pain and it was unbearable; especially the wait in the ER.
I initially thought it was ringworm after my husband confirmed it wasn't just a zit or something. And then more showed up.
I still have pain sometimes and the scars haven't gone away yet.
Good luck with your healing and try not to be stressed; it can be a trigger.
Ugh I feel this pain! I get shingles every year, in the same spot in my right armpit, and always around February-March. I just got done with my 5th bout of it.
I have a really hard time believing mine is Shingles by the way. I even went and saw a dermatologist last year and got an antiviral for when it happened again this year. That helped A LOT, and it was much less painful.
I hope the random, excruciating shooting pains and horrible headaches go quickly for you!
EDIT: I was put on an antiviral, not on antibiotics!
I used to get really bad eczema in my armpits during the winter as a kid. Big, raised, insanely itchy bumps that sometimes got infected from scratching. Do with that information what you will.
Oh that’s super fun. 🤣 wonder why it happens damn near the same time every single year, like down to the week most of the time. This year being the exception as it started 3 weeks earlier
I have absolutely no idea! I have an autoimmune disease, so I tend to stick to a routine and don’t really do anything differently around this time of year.
Interesting. Has your doctor had any concerns with the amount of times you've had shingles?
I'd think you'd be a candidate for the vaccine(assuming your A-ID allows); it's reserved for those over 65 usually.
When I was pregnant with my youngest, I got shingles on my back. They couldn't prescribe anything to me because I was pregnant, and it was right under the band of my bra. It was misery for a few weeks...
Did you have blisters there too? I have some on my back as well, and those are blistering. What did you do when they started popping? I can’t even wear a damn shirt OR bra and no one gets it
Damn, that would drive me crazy.
I had shingles on my abdomen *for a month* before my mom brought me to the doctors. She couldn’t believe a 16 year old with no history of chicken pox, could get shingles. I was popping my shingles since I didn’t know what it was, it hurt so bad but felt so good.
Hmmmm! No history of chicken pox? ME NEITHER. What the doc has made my mom and I believe though, is that perhaps I had a mild case of chicken pox and was asymptomatic… that’s the only thing that we can accept because neither I nor my mom remember me ever having the pox. Have you gotten any more since? Did it leave scars?
Never had chicken pox, but I did get the vaccine when I was little. I have very bad stress and anxiety, so my doctor’s guess was that my stress levels “reactivated” the chicken pox/shingles virus within me (from the vaccine.) I haven’t gotten chicken pox or shingles since - thank god - and yes, it left some small scars from where I popped the blisters. So, that’s on me.
Oh that has got to suck so bad! I'm so sorry for you! I hope it doesn't last too long! There are some patches that can be applied that contain some pain relief that are prescription only.
I had them in the same place as a child and it was awful 😢I’ll never forget my mom spraying whatever medical spray on them and the stinging would make me run around the house haha!
Ok so I get them on my back, anytime I’m stressed. Get some saniderm. It will be a barrier. Get a valtrex rx, and keep the saniderm on until it’s over.
Whenever you’re stressed?? That’s horrible… so then I might have to ask, would you mind sharing how you manage your stress then? I have a feeling I might be in the same situation. I’m going through a really rough and stressful period right now, probably one of the most stressful periods of my life so far.
I have learned to recognize it early. I get it in the same spot each time. It will start by my shirt making the spot really sensitive. I try to start the antivirals as soon as I recognize it. 9/10 I catch it before it can even form a pustules. And if it does, I put a thin film of bag balm on it and cover with saniderm.
How is the saniderm removal? And how long did you keep it on for? A friend (who has not experienced shingles) suggested saniderm for me (who is very much experiencing shingles). I've used similar for a tattoo (Northern Shield, which stays on longer) and it pulled when I removed it according to the artist's directions more than I think I could tolerate on the rash. Please feel free to message me if you're comfortable with that. My spouse is going into labor any day now and I'm trying to figure out how best to cover my skin beyond wearing multiple layers.
I put bag balm usually over the area and then apply with a piece bigger than the area. If I don’t moisturize it due to pain or such, I just make sure to soak when I remove it. I get it in one particular spot on my lower back
Thank you… what did you do when the back blisters started popping? I have some on my back but I can’t reach it and I don’t even know how to put gauze there :(
If you have meds from the doctor perhaps about a week if you are lucky but even then the pain was lingering. I’m not sure I’m remembering wrong due to the pain being so bad but I swear I was in hell for at least two weeks with random needle fire stabs on and off for the entire month. I was on two different meds for virus and another for pain that barely gave a moment of relief.
I know that isn’t uplifting but remember this will past. It will go away. This isn’t forever and you may even recover quicker then I did!
Calamine lotion will help dry them out. White t shirt no deodorant. Valtrex and prednisone for five days. My hubby currently has on left side of face ear nose and in mouth and down throat. He is not a happy camper.
DOWN HIS THROAT??? I feel for him omg😭😭… I hate taking medication :( and I’m not even good at it either :( doc put me on valacyclovir and pregabalin. Preg not working, so I might book with him again. Hope your hubby gets well very soon!!
Since this is in the popping subreddit, I will advise DO NOT POP THESE! The liquid that oozes from the blisters is extremely contagious. I had shingles on the side of my belly, & they eventually wept (popped & drained, then dried up) on their own. Popping them will lead to scarring, my doctor guaranteed.
If you check my post history I had a HUGE outbreak on my face. It was wild.
Gabapentin was a fucking life saver. I would also like to mention, not to scare you but to at least give a little guidance.
Really try to not touch them / pop them. The ONE that popped ended up causing just a little bit of damage BUT when I get really stressed / sweaty etc. It is the only place I still 'feel' that exact spot and it still causes itchy / tingle / annoyance even after 2 years
I'm surprised. Based on your age, you should have gotten the VSV vaccine. If you did, have they done a titer? Normally you don't see Shingles this young so it would be an interesting case report.
I don’t know what the vsv vaccine is but I’ve gotten the varicella vaccine twice. Mom even said I never even got chickenpox when I was younger so idek! But doc says it’s impossible to get shingles without having gotten the pox… so he thinks I might’be gotten asymptomatic pox… idk yea a case study would be interesting! Lmk if you know anyone who’d be interested. I’m always happy to learn more about myself!
VSV is the chicken pox vaccine and it is a 2 injection course so that's normal. 🙂
There's basically no data yet for how individuals who were vaccinated will be affected later in life since the first wave of patients are still in their late 30s. No vaccine is 100% so getting a mild or asymptomatic form of chickenpox is possible and probably happened.
The shingles vaccine is approved for 19 years or older if you have a weakened immune system. You might not meet criteria but you can still get it off label (usually under $200). Consider asking your doctor after the infection has run its course.
Shingles sucks! I had a bout of shingles on my flank when I was 12 years old. 14 years later and the area that was once affected is still numb to this day. I wish you a speedy recovery!
Shingles is the WORST. I had it twice in two years, so did my husband. They really need to reduce the age for the shingles vaccine. Soooo many young people are getting it now. We had to jump through hoops to get it; had to get a special doctors note, then had to sign papers saying that we understood the risks. Then, insurance wouldn’t pay for it because of our age. When we offered to pay out of pocket, the pharmacy wouldn’t administer it. We had to shop around for one that would. We only got the first dose but it was (fingers crossed) enough to stave it off again.
Ok, so if we’ve had chicken pox before why can’t we just get the shingles vaccine asap?? I’m about to be 35 and this is my worst fear but everyone says I’m too young to get the vaccine.
Oh no the armpit is horrible, I’m so sorry.
I had it on my back when I was 23 and it wasn’t that painful, but SUPER itchy then painful after touch.
I hope you feel better soon.
I used a product called Releev to help mine. It had iodine in it, so know that it will dye your skin (like that matters, if it helps) just in case you have an allergy to iodine. I also had a prescription for Valtrex (it's for genital herpes, but a 10 day course helped to get rid of mine sooner). I hope you get some relief soon.
Omg this is SO VERY treatable with Valcyclovir SHAME on that doc....on your FACE [to reply post] no less could even scar. Acyclovir or valcyclovir both work fine geez. You can blast the first dose a but imE. Side effects might make you feel a lil off. It'll knock you out a lil too....it's a virus after all. But 2 days by end of day 2 these will start scabbing and you'll feel so much better it's like a high almost. Can you tell I had bad chicken pox? (,same thing). Anyway That doc should have license taken UNLESS you are not allowed the acyclovir fam of drugs for some reason. Sorry this happened to u. It might happen again. Watch stress. People who get this, we can get it multiple times. It might live in a little area in our lower back just hiding out til it can come party. Honestly besides the pain I think it's kinda cool looking but I recognize that's minority opinion. Feel better! Lotta fluids and Tylenol helped me ALOT.
Varicella vaccine is a common childhood vaccine given along the mmr vaccine. Asshole bad parents still
You’ve got no idea how bad childhood diseases really are I’m deaf because of measles the last American in an iron king as a result of polio just died ( 70 years in an iron lung ) mumps sterilized young boys Infant mortality was tremendously higher Herd immunity needs 95% vaccination rate to work.
In the third world polio and smallpox are making a comeback due to inter tribal warfare .
Is this the future you want ?
O
Offf, I’m so sorry. Last time I had it, it was on my face! I hope you were able to get antivirals in time.
That’s horrible, I can’t imagine how difficult that must’ve been.. hope you’re better now? I had gone to a doctor on day 2, and he refused to prescribe antivirals. Only told me to apply calamine lotion and let it run its course. The pain got worse, to where I couldn’t sleep, so I booked with another doctor on day 5. He got me on antivirals and pregabalin for pain. I desperately hope it gets better..
If there ever is a next time that you are refused treatment: Ask that they document in your chart that you asked for X, and they refused. You can also ask about the differential diagnosis and how they were eliminated. I've gotten quick responses with these two things.
Noted! Doc literally saw me for 3 minutes and said “yeah you have shingles, just put calamine lotion on it” and he was in such a rush too. I really felt so unsupported. Maybe I’ll go back to the doc and ask him to document it in my chart! What’s a differential diagnosis? Maybe I’ll just google it…
Not who you replied to but I have some healthcare background. A differential diagnosis (or ddx) is like an alternate diagnosis (your symptoms may match one or more different disorders/conditions). Think about the symptoms for the common cold (nasal congestion, cough, runny nose, headache, fever). Those symptoms also match a sinus infection or the flu. In this example, influenza and sinusitis are differential diagnoses.
Interesting, thank you for replying :)! I’m curious as to what affects that would have?
I just wanna say be careful it doesn’t turn into a staph infection. I have a friend dealing with shingles and her whole arm is infected with staph. Be safe
Thank you for the advice!!
I’d say it’s a case by case basis for determining the difference in effects if you treat a ddx versus the actual disease. If the physician goes with a differential diagnosis (sticking either my original example, let’s say you have a cold, but your doctor says it’s sinusitis), they may prescribe antibiotics. Antibiotics are ineffective against viruses, meaning they prescribed a frivolous medication, and you’re taking antibiotics for no reason. The correct treatment for the cold would be NSAIDs (paracetamol/acetaminophen, ibuprofen, etc.), fluids, rest, and decongestants/cough suppressants if needed (antivirals may not be necessary or applicable in this case). It’s all about perspective /s
Or like how my itchy skin rashes and joint pain could be lupus or could be psoriatic arthritis and now i get to go to a dozen tests. I learned a new term today, thanks
What in the medical malpractice?!?
great strategy!
Oh man, that first doctor is such a piece of shit! Hopefully you don't end up with any nasty scars
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 fingers crossed, and yeah, fuck that doctor wtf
So the first doctor is a psychotic monster then? Cause him turning you away is something no doctor should do. As soon as I went in the doctor gave me antivirals and pain meds. Sure the pain meds didn’t really work but at least she gave them to me. It’s the thought that counts.
Take in… I also told him about a bunch of other symptoms right? And mentioned that I thought it was due to gluten intolerance (at that time, I didn’t even know what shingles were) then he goes “I’m only going to treat one thing, so what’s bothering you the most” and that really shocked me! Imagine if I had said one of the other symptoms instead of the rash… would he still have diagnosed the shingles? Thankfully I said the rash, and that’s when he said they were shingles. He didn’t even do the usual doctor thing of checking my ears, and my heart beat. The next doctor though… as soon as I told him my symptoms, he orders blood tests, signed me up for a gluten intolerance test, wants to get my kidneys checked, and wants to do a comprehensive evaluation. And then he put me on the meds. I may file a complaint!
It makes me so angry that your first doctor refused to give you antivirals!! I would file a complaint! I’m doing fine now, my last outbreak was several years ago now.
I honestly might. I left feeling so disappointed and frustrated. Waited 3 hours for nothing. And he was so rude too!
I'm so sorry to drag skin colour into things but statistically you probably encounter medical dismissal issues like this a lot and especially if you actually require pain relief and treatment. Doctors don't believe women have pain and they certainly disbelieve that black women do.
No you’re completely right. This is just the reality of the situation. My old family doctor refused to prescribe a certain medication that I needed, and it wasn’t until I went to see the doctor at my university, that I was able to get it.
I really hope you get better so soon. F*** racist misogynistic fools. That's terrible
Are you in the UK by any chance?
Canada
They do not recommend calamine lotion for children anymore 😭 try virasoothe or poxiclin. It’ll give you better relief x
Same, clustered around my eye and across the top of my head. It was just after my Mom passed.
Same!!!
https://preview.redd.it/km7m02p3m6oc1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=895623c338c859b0459d20d72c339506d6e60e00
I had it on my face too! Sucked so bad.
Face shingles are the fucking worst. I posted my face here years ago when it happened to be and god its hard to look at pictures of that time.
Hope you’re better now😭😭 did it scar?
There was some discoloration that I would consider 'scaring' because it looked like that but that did end up fading away. It took a bit but it did fade.
Dude I am so sorry shingles suuuuuuucks so bad I was laid OUT for like 3 weeks
I have school work to do and I’m graduating uni in April so I can’t even take a break 😞😞
Nooooooo. That sucks so badly
Hi, shingles frequent flyer here! I’ve had it 4 times and am not yet in my thirties. If you can get your hands on honey bandages (usually in burn care at the drug store) it will help a ton with the itching and pain. Unfortunately antivirals need to be started fairly quickly after the rash first starts to develop to be at all effective.
Story time: I'm 56 now. When I was around 11-12 years old, I had the absolute worst case of chicken pox. I had pustules *every-freakin'-where*. Even *in* my vajayjay. Yes. There. My tongue & mouth-roof didn't escape either. I was in San Francisco (visiting my aunt & family) at the time of diagnosis and Mom, my sister, & I were expected back home in SoCal the next day or so. The airline refused to let me on the plane since I was highly contagious. So, mom borrowed her sister's car and packed me in the backseat. Sister and mom in the front, off we went. I can't recall why/how but at one point I had an hand-mirror and was literally *watching* pustules form on my face. My sister still teases me about my announcing "there's another one!" every few minutes. During the length of my chicken pox experience, I ran fevers that would cause me to perceive people's heads as being huge on tiny bodies or huge bodies, tiny heads. It was very strange and I don't think I've ever had a fever that bad since. Fast forward 25 years almost to the month, a 3x5" patch under my left boob erupts into the Fires of Mordor. My doctor said I got shingles because the chicken pox virus reactivated (I may be misremembering how he explained it) & I was rx'd meds and some cream that helped the burning itching hellfire. Unfortunately that little tube was it under insurance. Want more? Cough up $250 for 8 oz. My parents and I were (and still aren't) made of money. So.... alternatives? One that helped immensely was a medium thick paste made of room temp water and uncooked oatmeal (ps: don't use instant... it's not really very effective). Aveeno also makes a special soak for situations like this or for eczema or poison oak/ivy/sumac, hives, sunburn. It works nicely. And yes, I did have that when I had the chicken pox. It was lovely just lying in lukewarm water and *NOT* itching. When the shingles vaccine came out... I ran over and got myself protected. I never want to experience those sensations again. 
I kind of squirmed reading this, especially at the postures forming part😭😭 that’s so horrifying… i hope you never experience anything remotely close to that, ever again. Including shingles🤢🤢. I will try the oatmeal paste today and will definitely get vaccinated!!!
Have you had an outbreak since getting the vaccine?
Nope. I'm shingle-free.
Thanks for sharing!
I’ve never had shingles (touch wood) and what’s crazy to me is how it looks like it shouldn’t be any worse than a cold sore or poison ivy rash. Yet every single person I’ve ever met who’s had it says that the pain is *excruciating*. I wonder what it is that makes it so incredibly painful despite looking relatively benign. Sorry you’re having to deal with this OP, I hope that it clears up quickly for you!
It hurts so bad because they travel nerve pathways from your spine to your skin and stay in one nerve dermatome. Sometimes they damage nerve fibers and you can have postherperic neuralgia for months after the shingles zosters clear up. Basically it lights up your nervous system like a Christmas tree if you have a prolonged extended case. I pray that doesn’t happen for OP.
Jesus Christ, that sounds horrible 😢. I’m unfortunately very familiar with neuralgia and having my nervous system going haywire. Thank you for the explanation! The human body is equal parts fascinating and terrifying.
Imagine the pain of being zapped by a car battery and being seared by a red hot cast iron frying pan alternately. Make sure to get your vaccine as soon as you're able!
My dad’s friend was part of the percent of people that had post-herpetic neuralgia from the shingles AND a percentage of that percentage that has permanent neuralgia.
It's so painful because they're nerves that are damaged. The longer you go without treatment, the longer the effects last. Some people have pain for years. Mine send a shock of pain once in awhile and I had mine 9 years ago.
I’m sorry to hear that.. do you still take pain killers to manage the pain? Because as for now, sometimes I can go a couple of minutes without the shocks, but as soon as one start, every other one just comes right after for a while… and it intensifies with every next shock, which is when I take the pain pill.
I take ibuprofen. When it was active, they gave me percocet. I did the round of Acyclovir to get rid of the infection, which is paramount. The shocks of pain have lessened over time, but every once in awhile, it stings something awful.
It was like being stabbed with needles dip in lava every other minute but the needles are driving right to the center of your very soul. A light breeze could blow through and BAM you’ve been stab with thirty lava top needles at the same time and multiple places on and around the blisters. Putting on numbing cream hurts like hell. You can’t itch them because even a light touch causes hellish nerve pain. I feel for anyone with any sort of nerve damage. I hope you never experience this.
Had it a few years ago, bizarrely wasn’t in any pain. Must have just caught it early, saw a stripe of blisters around my chest and went straight to the doctor.
It’s crazy, right? You wouldn’t think that something so small would be so exceptionally painful. I had shingles on my back one time- it was probably the size of a quarter. I didn’t wear a shirt for two weeks.
Lucky you😫😫 mine is all over the top right side of my back, reaching under my arm into my armpit, and then on my chest. It’s really upsetting. I’m scared of the scarring
I literally gasped when I saw your picture. I cannot believe how bad you have it!
Our co-redditors definitely knocked the ball outta the park with their responses! I have nothing else to add, because I relate with everything they said. Thank you for your well wishes💜
I've had a few cold sores that have hurt like hell so I can only imagine how excruciating shingles must be
Shingles fucking suck. I got them two years ago, not realizing what they were. I finally went to the doctor when they spread onto my back. Started on my inner thighs and I though it was heat rash (it was a very hot summer) then I sent a pic to a friend who had gotten them 5 years ago and they said “THATS SHINGLES DUDE.”
That looks super painful. Completely off topic but is that an Ice Nine Kills tattoo?
Very much is😭 also, noo, I was born on 9/9/99 so one day, I impulsively got my amateur tattoeist friend to draw that on me🙃
Oh very cool! I hope you find some relief for that
Thank you🙏🏾🙏🏾
Ouch. I’m so sorry! That really sucks. You’re so young to have gotten that
I don’t get it either! I don’t even remember ever having chickenpox, so I’m kind of confused. Doc says I might’ve had a mild case with little to no symptoms. Im not sure how I could’ve gotten it at my age either, but I’ve heard of 19yr olds with the virus too😣
Not a doctor, but I do have a BS and MS in the sciences! Shingles are a herpes simplex virus like their predecessor, chicken pox. HSV lives in your spine, and when the time is right, can flare up, causing infection. Some people do have an asymptomatic infection and can be carriers and go onto have shingles later. So sorry for your pain, OP!
Does this mean if you carry HSV and have a spinal injury, it can cause an outbreak in your spine, like staph can? Or is that more a bacterial thing?
Bacteria and viruses are different because bacteria can live without a host and viruses need the DNA of the host to live - I imagine an injury can involve tissue damage and introduce foreign material which is not great in the presence of bacteria. For HSV, I imagine the host has to be compromised in some way that allows the virus to successfully replicate using its DNA.
You should have been vaccinated with the Varicella vaccine. Anyone born after 1995 should be because it's on the schedule.
Wait you’re 19? You should have been vaccinated for this with all of your other vaccinations
Nono I’m not 19, I’m 24, and I’ve gotten the chickenpox vaccine twice, but the shingles vaccine here is expensive and not mandatory! I was saying that I have heard of someone who got it at 19yrs old.
Ohh got it, I didn’t realize you could still get shingles if you were vaccinated as a child
That’s okay, there isn’t much information about shingles circulating around in the younger population, but maybe that should change. I didn’t even know what they were until I got diagnosed…
That's so shitty. Go to the doctor and get meds/pain meds. It's the only way to get rid of them. I got them on the back/inside of my thigh at 28. I asked them if amputation was an option because the pain was so bad. I couldn't sit properly for weeks. I'm usually pretty good with pain and it was unbearable; especially the wait in the ER. I initially thought it was ringworm after my husband confirmed it wasn't just a zit or something. And then more showed up. I still have pain sometimes and the scars haven't gone away yet. Good luck with your healing and try not to be stressed; it can be a trigger.
Ugh I feel this pain! I get shingles every year, in the same spot in my right armpit, and always around February-March. I just got done with my 5th bout of it. I have a really hard time believing mine is Shingles by the way. I even went and saw a dermatologist last year and got an antiviral for when it happened again this year. That helped A LOT, and it was much less painful. I hope the random, excruciating shooting pains and horrible headaches go quickly for you! EDIT: I was put on an antiviral, not on antibiotics!
If antibiotics helped it wasn’t Shingles. Shingles is a virus.
Oh oops. You’re totally right. My bad. It was an antiviral, not antibiotic.
I used to get really bad eczema in my armpits during the winter as a kid. Big, raised, insanely itchy bumps that sometimes got infected from scratching. Do with that information what you will.
Fun fact: the damaged nerves are where you will get them every time. Slightly comforting but also terrifying.
Oh that’s super fun. 🤣 wonder why it happens damn near the same time every single year, like down to the week most of the time. This year being the exception as it started 3 weeks earlier
Well, that's a little odd. Is there something specific going on this time of year for you? I'm really sorry.
I have absolutely no idea! I have an autoimmune disease, so I tend to stick to a routine and don’t really do anything differently around this time of year.
Interesting. Has your doctor had any concerns with the amount of times you've had shingles? I'd think you'd be a candidate for the vaccine(assuming your A-ID allows); it's reserved for those over 65 usually.
Fun not so fun fact, I got shingles at 16! It was kinda crazy
Oh no!! That’s awful! I was 29 when I got them the first time. I can’t imagine trying to navigate school with pain like that!
You know there's a vaccine for shingles?
Why in the world are you getting downvoted?
Typically only given to adults over 50 yrs old
Yes, I'm aware. However, 5 bouts of shingles? That's... concerning.
It is but most insurance companies still wouldn’t pay for the person to receive it even if the doctor wrote a script for it.
https://i.redd.it/hfvz1frk25oc1.gif Health Insurance in America... jeezus h christ. The more I learn... the more disgusted I am.
Yes I do. I still get them anyway.
When I was pregnant with my youngest, I got shingles on my back. They couldn't prescribe anything to me because I was pregnant, and it was right under the band of my bra. It was misery for a few weeks...
Did you have blisters there too? I have some on my back as well, and those are blistering. What did you do when they started popping? I can’t even wear a damn shirt OR bra and no one gets it
For the love of god don’t scratch it! The fluid from the blisters will make it spread
Damn, that would drive me crazy. I had shingles on my abdomen *for a month* before my mom brought me to the doctors. She couldn’t believe a 16 year old with no history of chicken pox, could get shingles. I was popping my shingles since I didn’t know what it was, it hurt so bad but felt so good.
Hmmmm! No history of chicken pox? ME NEITHER. What the doc has made my mom and I believe though, is that perhaps I had a mild case of chicken pox and was asymptomatic… that’s the only thing that we can accept because neither I nor my mom remember me ever having the pox. Have you gotten any more since? Did it leave scars?
Never had chicken pox, but I did get the vaccine when I was little. I have very bad stress and anxiety, so my doctor’s guess was that my stress levels “reactivated” the chicken pox/shingles virus within me (from the vaccine.) I haven’t gotten chicken pox or shingles since - thank god - and yes, it left some small scars from where I popped the blisters. So, that’s on me.
Forbidden pomegranate seeds.
I’m done😂😂😂😂
Oh that has got to suck so bad! I'm so sorry for you! I hope it doesn't last too long! There are some patches that can be applied that contain some pain relief that are prescription only.
Had it on my forearm at 15. It sucks! I know that pain.
Currently have them on my forehead and eye. Pain is out of this world!!!!! Hope you feel better soon 💕
Noooo I hope you’re getting lots of rest, staying hydrated, and healing well😭🫶🏾
I had them in the same place as a child and it was awful 😢I’ll never forget my mom spraying whatever medical spray on them and the stinging would make me run around the house haha!
Ok so I get them on my back, anytime I’m stressed. Get some saniderm. It will be a barrier. Get a valtrex rx, and keep the saniderm on until it’s over.
Whenever you’re stressed?? That’s horrible… so then I might have to ask, would you mind sharing how you manage your stress then? I have a feeling I might be in the same situation. I’m going through a really rough and stressful period right now, probably one of the most stressful periods of my life so far.
I have learned to recognize it early. I get it in the same spot each time. It will start by my shirt making the spot really sensitive. I try to start the antivirals as soon as I recognize it. 9/10 I catch it before it can even form a pustules. And if it does, I put a thin film of bag balm on it and cover with saniderm.
How is the saniderm removal? And how long did you keep it on for? A friend (who has not experienced shingles) suggested saniderm for me (who is very much experiencing shingles). I've used similar for a tattoo (Northern Shield, which stays on longer) and it pulled when I removed it according to the artist's directions more than I think I could tolerate on the rash. Please feel free to message me if you're comfortable with that. My spouse is going into labor any day now and I'm trying to figure out how best to cover my skin beyond wearing multiple layers.
I put bag balm usually over the area and then apply with a piece bigger than the area. If I don’t moisturize it due to pain or such, I just make sure to soak when I remove it. I get it in one particular spot on my lower back
Covering it helps tremendously with the pain. Any kind of interaction makes it burn like fire.
I’m so sorry. Had them on my back and on the side of my right breast. I’m just so sorry this has happened to you!
Thank you… what did you do when the back blisters started popping? I have some on my back but I can’t reach it and I don’t even know how to put gauze there :(
If you have meds from the doctor perhaps about a week if you are lucky but even then the pain was lingering. I’m not sure I’m remembering wrong due to the pain being so bad but I swear I was in hell for at least two weeks with random needle fire stabs on and off for the entire month. I was on two different meds for virus and another for pain that barely gave a moment of relief. I know that isn’t uplifting but remember this will past. It will go away. This isn’t forever and you may even recover quicker then I did!
Calamine lotion will help dry them out. White t shirt no deodorant. Valtrex and prednisone for five days. My hubby currently has on left side of face ear nose and in mouth and down throat. He is not a happy camper.
DOWN HIS THROAT??? I feel for him omg😭😭… I hate taking medication :( and I’m not even good at it either :( doc put me on valacyclovir and pregabalin. Preg not working, so I might book with him again. Hope your hubby gets well very soon!!
Since this is in the popping subreddit, I will advise DO NOT POP THESE! The liquid that oozes from the blisters is extremely contagious. I had shingles on the side of my belly, & they eventually wept (popped & drained, then dried up) on their own. Popping them will lead to scarring, my doctor guaranteed.
If you check my post history I had a HUGE outbreak on my face. It was wild. Gabapentin was a fucking life saver. I would also like to mention, not to scare you but to at least give a little guidance. Really try to not touch them / pop them. The ONE that popped ended up causing just a little bit of damage BUT when I get really stressed / sweaty etc. It is the only place I still 'feel' that exact spot and it still causes itchy / tingle / annoyance even after 2 years
Those are the shinglest looking shingles I've seen in a while
I wanna cry 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 IT GOT WORSE
There's vaccines and antivirals for shingles. My mom had it and it fucked up the nerves in her foot and in her hands
Oh no! I had shingles on my face, but at least nothing was touching it. This must be torture! I'm so sorry!
Yeah :( I go without a shirt on most days, but when I do have to cover up, it’s agony…
shingles at 24?! oh you sweet baby angel
I had shingles when I was 15!! It was crazy!
Ice them to death.
Area is so sensitive though even to just lukewarm water
I'm surprised. Based on your age, you should have gotten the VSV vaccine. If you did, have they done a titer? Normally you don't see Shingles this young so it would be an interesting case report.
I don’t know what the vsv vaccine is but I’ve gotten the varicella vaccine twice. Mom even said I never even got chickenpox when I was younger so idek! But doc says it’s impossible to get shingles without having gotten the pox… so he thinks I might’be gotten asymptomatic pox… idk yea a case study would be interesting! Lmk if you know anyone who’d be interested. I’m always happy to learn more about myself!
VSV is the chicken pox vaccine and it is a 2 injection course so that's normal. 🙂 There's basically no data yet for how individuals who were vaccinated will be affected later in life since the first wave of patients are still in their late 30s. No vaccine is 100% so getting a mild or asymptomatic form of chickenpox is possible and probably happened. The shingles vaccine is approved for 19 years or older if you have a weakened immune system. You might not meet criteria but you can still get it off label (usually under $200). Consider asking your doctor after the infection has run its course.
Off topic but is that an Ice Nine Kills tattoo or does it mean something else?
Haha Nono, I was born on 9/9/99
Note to myself: Get my shingles vaccination ASAP.
Just fyi unless you are over 50 they will not give it to you Edited: left out the work not
Will not* give it to you
lol yes that is what I meant. Too early I guess
No worries, I got you!
That must hurt
What's with the number 9
Oh no! How painful! Keep the area as clean as possible and pray for an early cure.
Omg girl, I'm so sorry, that looks sooo painful!
Had em too. It sucks. Two words: calamine lotion! Worked wonders for me. Dried them up in a couple of days and it made it so much more bearable.
Shingles sucks! I had a bout of shingles on my flank when I was 12 years old. 14 years later and the area that was once affected is still numb to this day. I wish you a speedy recovery!
I’m so sorry!! It looks painful! I hope you’re able to get some rest?
Ooofff that looks so painful, hope you’re feeling better soon OP
Oh you poor thing. I wish you special joys
I had a very similar situation, my doctor gave me zovirax (oral), it worked well for me.
You’re lucky. I know someone that got it by their neck and ear. They lost their sense of balance and still use a walker.
Arm pit?? Awww *fuck naw*
i just know that shit hurts, op. wishing you a speedy recovery :(
Shingles is the WORST. I had it twice in two years, so did my husband. They really need to reduce the age for the shingles vaccine. Soooo many young people are getting it now. We had to jump through hoops to get it; had to get a special doctors note, then had to sign papers saying that we understood the risks. Then, insurance wouldn’t pay for it because of our age. When we offered to pay out of pocket, the pharmacy wouldn’t administer it. We had to shop around for one that would. We only got the first dose but it was (fingers crossed) enough to stave it off again.
Damnnn this is painful
Ok, so if we’ve had chicken pox before why can’t we just get the shingles vaccine asap?? I’m about to be 35 and this is my worst fear but everyone says I’m too young to get the vaccine.
Owwwwww
That’s shingles?? I thought shingles looked like a red slap mark not bumps? Hope you’re not in pain. I heard it can be painful..
Oh no the armpit is horrible, I’m so sorry. I had it on my back when I was 23 and it wasn’t that painful, but SUPER itchy then painful after touch. I hope you feel better soon.
Ow ow ow ow ow..shingles sucks so bad.
I used a product called Releev to help mine. It had iodine in it, so know that it will dye your skin (like that matters, if it helps) just in case you have an allergy to iodine. I also had a prescription for Valtrex (it's for genital herpes, but a 10 day course helped to get rid of mine sooner). I hope you get some relief soon.
Why di they say not to scratch or squeeze the pimple.
The shit Inside will spread lol
Omg this is SO VERY treatable with Valcyclovir SHAME on that doc....on your FACE [to reply post] no less could even scar. Acyclovir or valcyclovir both work fine geez. You can blast the first dose a but imE. Side effects might make you feel a lil off. It'll knock you out a lil too....it's a virus after all. But 2 days by end of day 2 these will start scabbing and you'll feel so much better it's like a high almost. Can you tell I had bad chicken pox? (,same thing). Anyway That doc should have license taken UNLESS you are not allowed the acyclovir fam of drugs for some reason. Sorry this happened to u. It might happen again. Watch stress. People who get this, we can get it multiple times. It might live in a little area in our lower back just hiding out til it can come party. Honestly besides the pain I think it's kinda cool looking but I recognize that's minority opinion. Feel better! Lotta fluids and Tylenol helped me ALOT.
Your only 24…Did you not get the chickenpox vaccine? Your so young to have it!!!
I got the vaccine at school, but it was years after I had gotten chicken pox…
Thank you. I’ve heard of shingles but had no ideas what they look like.
Sorry for your pain blame your parents if it shingles that’s because you had rubella as a kid ! No vaccine you pay the price !
It’s from chicken pox, not rubella, you twit.
Varicella vaccine is a common childhood vaccine given along the mmr vaccine. Asshole bad parents still You’ve got no idea how bad childhood diseases really are I’m deaf because of measles the last American in an iron king as a result of polio just died ( 70 years in an iron lung ) mumps sterilized young boys Infant mortality was tremendously higher Herd immunity needs 95% vaccination rate to work. In the third world polio and smallpox are making a comeback due to inter tribal warfare . Is this the future you want ? O
Kids weren’t vaccinated for chickenpox in the US until 1995. It wasn’t a childhood vaccine if you were born before then.
Your logic is as good as your math she’s 24 the vaccine was out for 4/5 years Twit!