Shingles?opin - Wilmington,NC

You would be in immense pain if you had shingles.

Maybe heat rash or poison ivy as suggested below?

I suppose it is possible to have shingles and it not be painful. When I had shingles the pain was very intense, it goes along a nerve and that is what causes the pain. Same with others I have known.

I suspect you don't have shingles, but to be cautious keep the rash covered and don't touch it. If you hands are clean and the rash is not exposed, no one else is at risk.

It is possible that you have shingles. At the outset of my case, the rash was small, and it was not particularly itchy or painful. When the itching started, however, I suspected it was shingles and got to the dermatology office quickly. Although the PA who saw me didn't think it was shingles, she did prescribe the same medication (Valtrex) that would be given for shingles. I truly believed the PA was wrong, so I went to my other dr. and asked for a culture because I wanted to be properly diagnosed. It was, indeed, shingles.

Thank goodness I got on medication right away. This is not something where you take a wait and see approach. Shingles can be extremely painful and have lasting consequences. My mother had an exceptionally bad case, all over her head and face. Even after the painful rash and sores healed, the affected areas were so sensitive, it was hard to wash and brush her hair for months. She was in so much pain for so long. She also lost partial vision in one eye and continues to have problems with that eye 11 years later.

You can pass the virus on to someone who has not been vaccinated for chicken pox (if they've never had chicken pox before). The general method of transmission usually involves physical contact, but you should not share towels, etc. Since everyone's case is a little different, you should ask your doctor if there are any restrictions that may limit your activities or populations you should avoid.

My case was limited to a very small area on my lower abdomen. I did talk to my dr. who assured me I could continue to help at my son's school. However, I also informed the school nurse and my son's teacher because I didn't want to be anywhere near a child who had not been vaccinated. Since all of the children in his class were up to date on their vaccinations, they were fine with me helping in class. If there were any question, I would have just stayed out of the class until I was healed.

I hope you get properly diagnosed. Don't be afraid to ask for a second opinion. Health care professional are human, and misdiagnoses happen. Let someone have a second look, and if it is shingles or one of the other related viruses, get the appropriate medication and treatment plan. Don't wait. It is not worth the risks.

Hope you are well soon.

J. F.

ETA: As much as I admire and respect Marda, I must correct the information she wrote about shingles not being contagious. Someone who has shingles CAN pass the virus on to someone who has not had the chicken pox vaccination or who has not previously had chicken pox. If the virus is spread this way, it shows up as chicken pox (not shingles) in the newly infected person. See the post by Marilyn S. for more information.

Also, the reason I was not in great pain is that I went in immediately when saw the rash and felt the itching. I suspected shingles. I started a high dose regimen of antiviral medication that day. I was very familiar with shingles, its symptoms, and the potential consequences and complications, so I didn't waste a minute. It's also why I was very upfront with the teacher and nurse at school and wanted to make sure I wasn't around any unvaccinated children. Not that my abdomen would be exposed or anything, but this is just such a horrible disease, I would never, ever want to take a chance of passing the virus to anyone. And, if you get chicken pox, you are always at risk for developing shingles later.

I just had a little bit of poison ivy.
It was a small rash but it itched plenty.
If the doctor didn't think it was shingles it probably wasn't.

"Shingles is only contagious is if you've never had chickenpox. In this case, someone with shingles can pass the varicella-zoster virus to you, because you don't already have it in your body. Transmission Methods. Close, personal contact with open blisters passes the shingles virus from one person to another.".

Additional:
My cousin had shingles in his 20's all over his back.
He was in so much pain he couldn't even take the pressure of sleeping with a sheet over him - his back was that sensitive.

Heed Julie F's advice. Get properly diagnosed (I believe that there is a blood test for shingles.) Stay away others. Get your questions answered by a real doctor, rather than from a mom's advice site. You need facts and you need answers.

Sorry, but must contradict Marda's answer about shingles being contagious.....yes they are contagious.

The following is taken from the "MAYO CLINIC WEBSITE" a trusted resource.
"Are you contagious?
A person with shingles can pass the varicella-zoster virus to anyone who isn't immune to chickenpox. This usually occurs through direct contact with the open sores of the shingles rash. Once infected, the person will develop chickenpox, however, not shingles.

Chickenpox can be dangerous for some groups of people. Until your shingles blisters scab over, you are contagious and should avoid physical contact with:
•Anyone who has a weak immune system
•Newborns
•Pregnant women "

In my nursing career, I have seen many patients with shingles and have seen many different stages. They often appear as 'clusters of blisters', if and when they erupt. Shingles can be internal, very painful and not manifest in sores on top of the skin. On the skin, they will start with raised rash, then blisters (especially contagious at this stage). Once they start diminishing, they will crust and scab. The nerve pain can last a very long time after the skin heals and I have seen people who have long term chronic pain after having shingles for many years.

One of my patient's with an immune system deficiency, who received IV infusions to treat her immune deficiency, had to be quarantined 30 days away from her husband when he got the shingles vaccine, because of her susceptibility to becoming infected.

When my son was about 7 years old, his best friend had shingles and two weeks later, my son had them in the same pattern and location as the friend.

It is possible to have shingles without pain, but that would be very unusual. Hopefully your rash is not shingles and that it will clear up soon.

First shingles are shingles and not chicken pox. Having had chicken pox puts you at risk for getting shingles. I correct myself. Shingles are ccontagious. You are not contagious but someone who has not had chicken pox or been innoculated can get chicken pox from being in touch with the rash/blisters. If you cover the rash/blisters and keep your hands clean others will not get chicken pox. Do not share towels or anything that touches the rash.

My mother had a severe case of shingles. She had incapaciting pain but didn't mention itching. Her doctor knew it was shingles when her skin flaked off with shingle like debris. Until then there is no way of knowing if your virus caused rash is actually shingles. However, I suggest that if your doctor suggests you don't have shingles he's probably right. It's wait and see. Shingles starts out as blisters. If you have just a rash then I'm even more inclined to agree with your doctor's assessment.

My mother had post herpatic pain once her skin healed. Once the skin is healed someone cannot become sick with chicken pox from contact with her.

I have had chicken pox and twice I've had blisters on my forehead. They were itchy but not painful and went away in a few days. The health of your immune system will influence whether or not this viral outbreak advances to shingles.

I have also had rashes which the doctor has diagnosed as viral in origin. Never was the possibility of shingles mentioned. The rashes occured at the same time as a fever. My mother did not have a fever before or during the time she had shingles but flu like symptoms are possible.

I looked up shingles on line. Shingles is caused by the same virus as chicken pox. This means someone not vaccinated or not having had the chicken pox can get chicken pox if they are exposed to the exudite(liquid) from blisters. You are not contagious In the sense that being Iin your presence exposes someone to chicken pox. The fluid from the blister carries the virus.

I had shingles with my chicken pox at 13. Shingles are excruciatingly painful, believe me, when you have them you lie there in pain. I was screaming and crying, just screaming for hours from the pain. The pain is not from itching either, its a pain that you feel underneath your skin and its intense. I can't even compare it to anything else. If the dr says you don't have them I would trust what he says. I have never heard of a "mild" case, I think either you have it or you don't.

I had shingles just after I had my first daughter. I was worried because I couldn't take any medication since I was nursing. Fortunately, the pain never got unbearable.

My dad had it and he was laid up in bed for a couple of weeks from the pain, even with medicine.

My case was diagnosed as shingles, but mild. I only had it on my left arm. I was nursing my daughter (she was only 3-4 weeks) and the only thing I was told to do to prevent her from getting anything was to not let her contact my skin. The breastmilk provided everything else she needed to fight off any disease.

I do not remember itching with it at all...but it looks like there are many different reactions to it.

I have never had shingles but several friends have and it is wrath of god, cut off body parts pain.

Don't remember them mentioning itching.

I had a very mild case recently. It initially presented as severe pain in my right lower back. At the same time, one night my insides felt like they were burning. If it had continued, I would have gone to the doctor, but it eased off a bit for a couple of days. Then it reappeared in the same area but around my right midsection. At this time, I had three small areas of blisters erupt essentially in a line around my right midsection. This area was extremely sensitive to touch and remained sensitive for several weeks.

The fact that it was shingles hadn't occurred to me until my husband suggested that's what it might be. A couple of months later, I described the symptoms to my doc, and she agreed that's likely what it was.

Given how few spots I had, the pain was pretty strong. I now understand why those with more severe cases are laid up for a while. I can't imagine.

I don't know the likelihood of shingles only causing itching. I didn't really itch, even with the blisters. It was more pain and skin sensitivity.

I've had shingles more than once. I NEVER had a case that wasn't painful and never had a case where it was itchy. You can pass chicken pox on to someone who hasn't been vaccinated - they would have to come in contact with the fluid that comes from the blisters. They cannot get it from being in the same room or even eating or drinking after you. It spreads by physical contact with the fluid.

My mom had shingles. Her's was a mild case. We had our kid get his second dose of chicken pox vaccine early as a measure of protection.

Best,
F. B.

I had shingles right after I had my son - literally, 3 days after he was born I developed a rash that was on my back and around the side a bit to my front side. It DID NOT hurt. It itched, with maybe a little sting. I had heard about shingles following the nerve, which is the only reason I suspected it was shingles. At first I thought it was a rash. I believe you must come into contact with the blisters to get it, so if they are covered, people are ok.

But you need to find out if there is a test for shingles, and take it. I didn't have the classic symptom of extreme pain, but I certainly had shingles.

Shingles symptoms are pain, excruciating pain. The nerve endings are exposed. You can't have shingles without pain. If it just itches it's a rash, a reaction to something. Take half a dose of Benadryl and I bet it goes away.

I had a case of shingles with no pain. It depends on where your immune system is. Believe it or not if an immune system is strong enough it can dodge chicken pox too. My immune system was very low, tending to my dying father and getting no sleep with tons of stress....I knocked it out rather quickly with a good absorbable multi, licorice supplementation and Hesperidin for the itch. If your familiar with this type of virus, the licorice will stop it before it develops. The Hesperidin was God-given!

Hope you're feeling better soon!

M. :)

Shingles is ridiculously painful. Perhaps you are having a reaction to Poison Oak, Ivy or Sumac? It certainly is the right season for it.