Shingles

[Eve]

Hi, I think a fair few people on here have had it having seen some previous posts.

Just wondering how long it took people to get back to normal and for the blisters to all clear up?

Have got it on both arms and on antivirals (and pregabalin which I am on anyway) but it means I've been taken off my arthritis meds (again...arghhhh!) and possible new meds on hold.

Also wondering if anyone found it left any scars? May buy myself some of that bio oil stuff to put on when everything has calmed down if it's likely to.

The anti-virals have really upset my tummy, did anyone who found similar found anything that helped. Am avoiding food already.

Thanks for any help.

[alanogden]

Doesn't sound like shingles which is usually on one side only - has your GP had a look at the rash?

[tamborine]

Caught it when I worked in a school. I was prescribed calamine lotion only, to prevent scratching itchy blisters. Some scarring that soon faded.

[Mamyalynne]

My GP dismissed my self diagnosis for a week due to mine being on both sides of my neck, by the time he agreed it was too late for anti virals. The pain was horrid and blisters lasted a good while.

Yes I had some scarring .

[Eve]

Yes, diagnosed by GP who saw it. I thought the both side would rule out Shingles but apparently it can affect both sides, more in people with weak immune systems apparently. It is mostly on one arm.

I have some Eurax lotion for the itching.

May get some bio oil in them, hate the smell of the stuff but if it does the job.

[jomifl]

Doctor failed to diagnose it, gave me some cream, antihistamine I think. I was working on a trawler at the time, a miserable experience. I only realised what it was many years later, no scarring as I couldn't scratch it through several layers of clothing plus waterproofs and wearing gloves. Anti virals didn't exist then..

[woofgang]

yes my DH ended up with minor scarring on his neck, none on his face. He had 2 weeks off work which was unheard of, he just about had to be on his knees to take 10 minutes off. he didn't have antivirals as they weren't given when he had it, was told at the time that the key to as quick a recovery as possible was rest, rest, and rest again.

[Mosaic]

Poor ol' you. I thought mine was sciatica from hell at first, till the blisters erupted (lower back and right thigh). Acyclovir tablets, as many pain killers as is safe to take on board, rest and relaxation, salty baths to dry out the blisters, then when they start to heal up use something like vitamin e oil, which bio is but holland and barret do own and other brands. I know what you mean about the smell of bio oil, to me it smells like cheap dolls from the 1960s!
it will pass, but everyone's reaction is unique.

[Eve]

I'm trying to keep layers on with long sleeves so it's less easy to scratch.

I've been sleeping loads, feel very run down and getting some really horrible headaches.

Will have a look out for some vitamin E stuff, thanks for that. I don't tend to take baths, more of shower girl, but would ordinary kitchen salt in a bath work? I have some dead sea salts and radox bath salts too though will avoid the latter.

[cupotee2]

You have my utmost sympathy Eve. I started it,on my breast, underarm and back over Christmas 6 years ago and still feel the tingle/burning sensation to this day..tho mostly nights.

As it was holiday it was too late for the anti virol meds. I was prescribed several things to help the blisters/scabs but nothing seemed to make much difference.

The run down feeling lasted a few weeks but not too much scaring.

Hope you feel better soon.x

[Brinjal]

Bio oil is good for scarring as long as you aren't allergic to vitamin E.

[Eve]

Think I'm fine with vitamin E :)

Thanks cupotee, it's not nice is it. Some of them seem to be drying out and scabbing a little I think, little crusty bits forming on them anyway. Had some more blisters coming up but hopefully the anti-virals will help stop it spreading much more. Really hoping they all scab over soon as it's getting warm again which is a pain for wearing long sleeves and gloves!

I started the drugs late too as it took a good few days for the rash to be prominent enough and look suspicious enough to ring GP then get to see one.

[slaney]

Can't add much Eve, but sorry to hear this - hope it settles soon, and you feel more comfortable.
A bit surprised as you had blood tests which showed some immunity to chickenpox (Varicella-Zoster) when tested - was it last year?

[Eve]

Hi Slaney, yes it was last February so just over a year ago. I mentioned it to the GP, I don't know the ins and outs of the test but they let me out of hospital after whatever bloods they did came back so say I didn't have chickenpox.

Does that mean I shouldn't get shingles too then? If so then I might need to recheck with GP as had a number of different rashes with a raised white cell count (both lymphs and neutrophils were a bit raised on last bloods) and if it's not shingles then it may not have the same effect on my arthritis meds? Rhumatology said to come off methotrexate for now and biologics on hold until this (and something else) is sorted.

[slaney]

As I think I said the last time it would depend on the level of antibodies you have. I suppose the levels could have dropped in the last year, and you are on steroids which increases your risk of shingles.

One way to make the diagnosis is to take the fluid from the blisters to check it contains the V-Z virus. The consultant microbiologist/virologist at your local hospital would be able to advise your GP about suitable tests.

It's important to know whether this is recurrent shingles/chickenpox or not.
If it is, then prompt treatment with anti-virals at the first sign of a rash would help
If shingles can be excluded, and there is no virus in the blister then, as you have had a few episodes of a blistering rash, perhaps a dermatology opinion would be indicated.

Do you have any pain (as opposed to discomfort) in your arms?
And is this the same rash as you mentioned a week ago when you had some blisters on the backs of your knees and body as well as arms?

[Eve]

Thanks, that's interesting. Yes it's the same rash. The irritation on the back of my knees and bits of the side of tummy/back seemed to come and go, the ones on my arms seemed to get more blistery. It wasn't as bad when I saw a GP the week before and I only mentioned it in passing to note yet another rash with raised white blood cells. I must admit I had initially disregarded shingles as I had bits in more than one place then mainly on both arms, even though more on one.

I thought the GP (different one to who I saw the week before) would say not shingles and I'd maybe get a dermatology referral to also look into the hidradenitis suppurativa which rhumo said I probably have as I've read there are treatments and want to stop that interfering with arthritis meds too.

I guess whether 100% or not they'd probably err on the side of caution with anti-virals in case they didn't and it all went a bit wrong. I'm really suffering on them though, upset my stomach badly like antibiotics do now though only it seems since I've been on methotrexate.

I've had a burning sensation as well as the itching though not as severe as I thought it'd be though GP agreed that could be as I'm already on 4 pregabalin a day anyway. It's weird as I've had a burning pain down my foreams for a while on and off but for longer that I'd have thought could be attributable to shingles, strangely I was on the look out a bit ago as I was worried a rash would appear due to the pain in case of shingles but it didn't, until now! I mentioned it to someone, will see if I can find the message when as to how long ago.

It's less blistery now, still red but looks like it's drying up, the other less affected arm (up round the elbow area there, more on a line down my arm in splodges then the worse cluster is on my wrist and back of my hand) has dried up much more which is good but I guess they won't be able to take samples now? At least I know for future, although touch wood I won't need to, some more things to ask.

[Eve]

Ps. the thing where they take fluid from blisters, can that be done at the GP's? So I know if I get more if they can do it there or if it would need to be done in hospital.

Just checked and was end Jan I mentioned the forearm pain, this current stuff is on the topside though and high up in the main bit, wrist and lower back of my hand, only higher up my arm is it on the inner side. Maybe fibromyalgia playing up.

[slaney]

Yes , the usual procedure is to start anti-virals while waiting for the result of blood tests and viral studies.
Viral transport medium is usually only found in microbiology departments - local microbiologists are usually happy to advise GPs.