I was dx with Shingles last week. Rash on my left buttocks. But prior to that I had severe joint pain on my hands, knees and elbows. They put me on prednisone thinking maybe it was RA. Then after the prednisone I developed the rash. They put me on valtrex, neurontin, and norco. The weird thing is i have tingling in my left ankle on my achilles tendon region, my left ringer finger and pinky. Is it possible this is from the shingles and is the nerve irritation? I have googled until I am blue in the face and all it says is you get tingling where the rash is and that's all. Also, since being on the valtrex my joint pain has gotten better and so has my rash. I've been on valtrex for 4 days 3 gms a day. Also I am exhausted and all over body aches. Any insite to this would be greatly helpful. I am an ER nurse so I understand the disease but not these weird symptoms and my PCP doesn't seem to think it's related, but I can't help but think it is. Sorry for the lengthy post. And thank you in advance for help :-)
Hi Christine,
I have found that in the past when I have had Shingles I get tingling all over the place, then the rash would appear on my right buttock and down my right leg. So yes I think it is nerve pain. Sometimes in my head at one side would tingle but never got a rash there. Good luck hope you soon feel better. xxx
Christine...your symptoms sure sound like shingles nerve issues. I had tingling from my head to my feet but rash just here and there - on both sides of my body too. Primary rash was around the abdominal belt. It's been 5 months, and I still have the tingling and some itching. Because I have an autoimmune disease, my symptoms were not classic and thus the DR did not diagnose shingles. I have had them before so didn't need somebody to tell me. Frustrating to say the least! Be patient and take good care of yourself.
Thank you so much for your reply! This makes me feel so much more relaxed. I actually have an auto immune disease as well. I have crohn's disease. So this could be my problem as well. Thank you again and I will do my best. Like I said I am an ER nurse and not sure how much longer they will let me stay out of work :-/ You take care too!
Thank you SO much for your reply. It makes me feel so much better knowing I am not going crazy! The tingling is always there just sometimes more intense. I am hoping that the neurontin will eventually stop it. Thank you again!
Christine,
Check out the thread, Exhausted post shingles, on this Patient website, as there are many helpful comments about shingles there. I also have researched extensively, and am glad that I found this Patient forum. My husband's precursor was neck pain. The blisters developed on his upper arm on the same side. Forunately, pain is not a problem for him, however great fatigue is. Eat well and rest. Don't overdo. I wish the best for you.
Sierramar
Thank you! I will definitely check it out. I am extremely fatigued from this. I have yet to wake up before noon and still have to take a late afternoon nap. Plus I'm in bed by midnight!
If you aren't living with someone, please alert a friend or friends who can help you with healthy food. I realize that it is difficult to ask for assistance, but now is a good time. Periodically let us know how you are doing.
Sierramar
Also, if you simply type in Shingles, you'll find other threads of discussions about shingles. Just discovered this myself. Sierramar
Hi Christine,
Your physician sounds great as he prescribed an antiviral, an opioid, and neurontin.
I am so sorry you are suffering.
Shingles is excruciating and you are experiencing a viremia circulating in your body. Therefore, you get the myalgia and joint pain, fever, headache, fatigue, weakness, chills, and sweating, just like a viral illness. Most physicians do not understand this concept. You can get the numbness and tingling sensation in dermatomes next to the dermatomes that contain the rash. Usually the pain and the other flulike symptoms precede the rash by up to 10 days to two weeks.
These viremia symptoms can linger for a month after the rash resolves. FYI.
Also, the Zoster rash can reoccur, and much more frequently than most physicians realize. Pease care for yourself and rest.
I get Herpes Zoster Oticus in my right ear every three to five weeks for the last 19 years. I am a nurse practitioner in the States and know this disease very well.
Please let me know how you do.
Best Regards.
Merry Juliana
Thank you so much. These posts have helped me tremendously. I am on call tomorrow. I am a nurse in a busy ER. I am thinking I probably need a few more days to finish recovering. I truly have not been this wiped out since I had viral meningitis 4 years ago. They said this was the shingles virus then too. So this would be my 3rd time in 36 years of dealing with it. I wasn't trying to divulge my whole medical record on here but you all have been so kind to me with advice. Thank you again.
Hi Everyone I also suffer from reoccurring shingles. I have dealt with these break outs for four years now. Always on my right thigh anywhere from my bottom to knee. I feel like I have the flu for two wks before break out then about thirty days from then. I tingle every where, I don't like to be touched and it seems like I itch every where. On top of that my left jaw and sinus cavity hurts. I have broke out cleared up and two to three weeks later do it all over again. Then sometimes I can go three months. I blessed with a great husband he is so understanding when this happens. Take meds work okay but doesn't stop it. So for being so winded, it is so hard to find someone to understand what I go through.
Dear JMAC,
I am so sorry for your suffering from this excruciating disease. The pain, of course, is agonizing, but the other effects of the Herpes Zoster are caused by the viremia.
Unfortunately, most clinicians fail to understand the full ramifications of this disease. I have had Herpes Zoster Oticus in my right ear every three to five weeks for the last 19 years. I understand the headaches, the flu-like aches and pains, low grade fever, fatigue, etc etc...
Have you tried to take Famvir 500 mg daily to lessen the frequency of episodes? This regimen unfortunately failed to decrease the frequency in my life, but does help others.
FYI : Acyclovir is the least efficacious of the antivirals.
As you have recurrent Herpes Zoster, I would consider asking your physician for Neurontin or Topamax to reduce the pain and possibility of post herpetic neuralgia. I have been on Topamax for at least a decade and it has reduced the amount of pain I have, partially.
I am so glad you have a supportive husband. Having a loving family makes a huge difference in your quality of life and living your life to the fullest.
I am almost 64 years old, have autoimmune diseases, added to Herpes Zoster in the head, which increases the risk of stroke. I have had two ischemic strokes, but had tPA, the clot buster drug each time. Therefore, I am not paralyzed or aphasic. I tell you this to be on higher alert as you have recurrent Herpes Zoster.
Please feel free to write further details. I am an NP in the States and know a great deal about this disease.
I wish you the very best. I hope you have excellent Opioids for the pain. No one should be suffering from this.
Always,
Merry Juliana
Hello Mary. I do take demerol for pain do to this, neuropathy in my feet as well as break outs of eczema. It seems if one thing acts up(whitch is all the time with my feet) everything is triggered. I am 55 and have been dealing with my feet for ten yrs now, shingles for four and eczema for a year. When I tell people that I am not able to do something because of one or all of these they ask what is the doctor doing. When I say all he can do is keep trying different meds. Unfortunately I have hepatitis C so there are a lot of things I can not take. I also have a body that doesn't agree with a lot of things. I don't volunteer for things at church or anything else because I never know what the day has in store for me. I don't have a lot of friends anymore because I can always do what they are. I know this probably sounds like a pity party, but it is not .You learn to do what you can have faith in our Lord and pray your doctor never dies because you may not get one who understands that you need pain pills. It took a long time to find one who would listen to me and not think I am a drug addict. Thank-you for listening I don't mean to go on and on. Thank-you also for info about drugs.
Dear JMAC,
As I take multiple medications due to medical issues, I understand the issues of interactions among and side effects on the body. I have peripheral neuropathy and Topamax actually helps tremendously with the severe burning pain.
Perhaps you could ask your gastroenterologist if Topamax is contraindicated in Hepatitis C. It is metabolized through the liver, but a very safe medication.
I also have eczema and use baby oil and Aquaphor directly after my bath.
Your being immunocompromised certainly makes life more difficult.
Our correspondence is not a pity party. It is a supportive mechanism to help one another as we all care about helping our fellow suffering friends. We too know how you feel.
Best Wishes
Merry Juliana
Thank-you Merry I will inquire about meds with doctor. I found this web site by accident and am so glad I did. Will lock forward to more discussions. It is so nice to be able to discuss this with someone who knows what is going on with my body.
Best wishes to you also! JonaLee McCollough
I'm so glad that I found this site. I feel horrible. I was diagnosed with shingles on tuesday. Felt bad 5 days prior to that, rash came out so I went to the Dr. I was recently DX w/ RA and was recently on prednisone and on anti arthritic med. 3 precursors for shingles.
But the carazy thing is I have pain on the opposite side of my body than where the rash is.
Uncontrollable itching (even with benadryl) I go to scratch and no relief- like the itch is inside me.
I as well was an ER nurse before getting into school nursing.
So anyway today is the worst, I feel like ive been beat all over my body?
I totally understand! I have no pain in the area where I get shingles on my back. I always have some sort of joint pain in my low back, hips or hamstrings before the shingles appear on my back.
I'm sorry you have this problem too. However, it is comforting to know you understand.