elegantlion Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I noticed this rash on my chest this morning. I just looked and it has started to blister. It's kind of itchy only mildly, but not painful. It's about 3 inches by 1 inch. We were with my parents over the holiday and at the end of our visit my mom said something about she thought she had shingles again. She has a few scaly patches on her arm, which were covered. She had them several years ago, verified by the doctor. I didn't think you could get them twice? Can you catch shingles like this? I had chickenpox as a child. So, if I have them do I need to limit exposure? A trip to the doctor won't happen unless they get out of control. If it's not shingles what else would cause a blistery rash? I have not been around anything poison ivy/oak related. I have had a cough for a few days, but that's fairly common in this weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 to my knowledge, shingles will not cross your midline. So it can start on the right or the left, but not be on both sides. You can get shingles many times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 to my knowledge, shingles will not cross your midline. So it can start on the right or the left, but not be on both sides. You can get shingles many times. Great, but can I get them from her? I have a permanently compromised immune system. so I catch stuff easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Paula, I don't know if this is shingles (or not) but if you or "Dr Hive" suspects it might be, then I would urge you get get to a clinic ASAP so you can start anti-viral drugs. There is a "window" for these meds being effective (someone will be able to tell how short that window is) and I missed it. I fancy myself a "tough-guy" and one with a very high pain threshold. Shingles was a nightmare. Extraordinarily painful. No joke serious. If it is Shingles and it is not too late I beg you to find clinic or other doctor who will write you a prescription. This is not something to endure. I can not stress this enough. Really. Torture. Bill (not kidding) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 Lovely, Bill. I hope it's not (inserting curse words not fit for well-trained ears). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 According to this website, they are not contagious. I had chickenpox, I can't get them again can I? "Is Shingles Contagious? Shingles is not contagious -- it can't be "caught" from someone else. Shingles occurs when an unknown trigger causes the virus hiding inside the person's body to become activated. A person with a shingles rash can pass the virus to someone, usually a child, who has never had chickenpox,. In this case, the child will develop chickenpox, not shingles. The child must come into direct contact with the open sores of the shingles rash. Merely being in the same room with a shingles patient will not cause the child to catch chickenpox because during a shingles infection the virus is not normally in the lungs and therefore can't be spread through the air. Likewise, a person with chickenpox cannot give shingles to someone else -- but they can pass the virus to someone who has never had chickenpox. In cases of chickenpox, the virus can become airborne because it is found in the upper respiratory tract." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissad2 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Shingles themselves are not contagious, however someone who has never had or been vaccinated for chickenpox can get chickenpox from someone with shingles. Shingles run along nerves and will NEVER cross the midline. If you suspect shingle go get antivirals quickly as this may lessen the severity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Yes you can have shingles after having chickenpox. I will say that I have never known anyone who had shingles without intense, mind-boggling, horrible pain. I suppose it could.happen, but shingles is the single most painful thing I've ever experienced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Paula, I don't know if this is shingles (or not) but if you or "Dr Hive" suspects it might be, then I would urge you get get to a clinic ASAP so you can start anti-viral drugs. There is a "window" for these meds being effective (someone will be able to tell how short that window is) and I missed it. I fancy myself a "tough-guy" and one with a very high pain threshold. Shingles was a nightmare. Extraordinarily painful. No joke serious. If it is Shingles and it is not too late I beg you to find clinic or other doctor who will write you a prescription. This is not something to endure. I can not stress this enough. Really. Torture. Bill (not kidding) :iagree: :iagree: :iagree: Go immediately if not sooner. Right now. I'll wait... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Yes you can have shingles after having chickenpox. I will say that I have never known anyone who had shingles without intense, mind-boggling, horrible pain. I suppose it could.happen, but shingles is the single most painful thing I've ever experienced. :iagree: :iagree: :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Lovely, Bill. I hope it's not (inserting curse words not fit for well-trained ears). If it is, the cost for a reasonable priced doctor/clinic visit and prescription will offer a blessing vs the alternative. I can't impress how much pain Shingles caused for me. Really bad. I did not know what it was when mine broke out, and I thought I 'd just tough through it. That was a big mistake! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Yes you can have shingles after having chickenpox. I will say that I have never known anyone who had shingles without intense, mind-boggling, horrible pain. I suppose it could.happen, but shingles is the single most painful thing I've ever experienced. :iagree: Yes, "intense, mind-boggling, horrible pain," that is a good way to put it. Most paInful thing I ever experienced too, and I played football, and rugby, and boxed a little. Shingles was in a different Universe. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I noticed this rash on my chest this morning. I just looked and it has started to blister. It's kind of itchy only mildly, but not painful. It's about 3 inches by 1 inch. We were with my parents over the holiday and at the end of our visit my mom said something about she thought she had shingles again. She has a few scaly patches on her arm, which were covered. She had them several years ago, verified by the doctor. I didn't think you could get them twice? Can you catch shingles like this? I had chickenpox as a child. So, if I have them do I need to limit exposure? A trip to the doctor won't happen unless they get out of control. If it's not shingles what else would cause a blistery rash? I have not been around anything poison ivy/oak related. I have had a cough for a few days, but that's fairly common in this weather. I don't know, but I just wanted to interject that I had a weird rash on my wrist like you describe that lasted for two entire years! It would heal up and reblister a week later. It is entirely gone now. Then I read that there is an odd rash that lasts two years (not that I'm hoping that yours does). No name, as I recall. Just some freak thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 I will go with the assumption it isn't for now. Of course it's itchy now, because I am thinking about it. Still not painful though. So I will watch overnight. Thank you, all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I will go with the assumption it isn't for now. Of course it's itchy now, because I am thinking about it. Still not painful though. So I will watch overnight. Thank you, all. Please do some research—or perhaps a knowledgeable WTMer can help you—and find out how long the window is for anti-vitals is after rashes break out. I hope it is nothing. But toughing-out Shingles was perhaps the singularly worst decisions I've ever made. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Keep an eye on it. You can have shingles more than once and you can have it after having chicken pox. I had it all on my right hand and lower arm with NO antiviral relief - I did just tough it out. NOT FUN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerico Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I believe I have had shingles. It is VERY painful. It is contaigous- keep it covered up and seek treatment if possible. You can get Shingles more than once and I believe you only get it if you've had the chickenpox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerico Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 double post sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I will go with the assumption it isn't for now. Of course it's itchy now, because I am thinking about it. Still not painful though. So I will watch overnight. Thank you, all. Don't do it. Go see a doctor. If it is shingles, the longer you wait, the more difficult it will be to treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 Well overnight won't kill me. Without insurance or money or a regular doctor, just walking in someplace isn't going to happen. Sorry, just our reality right now. Which is one reason I asked, Honestly I think it would be painful right now if it was shingles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 If the rash just appeared, it might not be painful right away. Mine was just blistery at first, and then the pain set in. In any event, I understand your predicament and hope you get it figured out soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I did have shingles with no pain. Or maybe it's just that I got the antiviral medicine before there was pain. My dad (a doctor) diagnosed me over the phone when I said I had a weird rash on just one side of my abdomen--the "just one side" is what tipped him off. He had me go in to see my doctor the next day and I told him that my dad thought it might be shingles but I didn't think so because it wasn't painful. He thought it was shingles too and thought "not being painful" at that point didn't mean much. I was probably put on the antiviral medicine within 24 or 48 hours of first noticing the rash. My dd was 9 months old at that time and had not had a chickenpox vaccine. The doctor said she could get chickenpox if she came in contact with the fluid from the blisters, but it wasn't very likely. No one would get shingles from me, but chickenpox was a possibility. My understanding is that getting shingles has more to do with your own immune system being under stress; your mom having a shingles outbreak would not have any impact on you having an outbreak. And of course statistically it would be unusual for you both to have one at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 I did have shingles with no pain. Or maybe it's just that I got the antiviral medicine before there was pain. My dad (a doctor) diagnosed me over the phone when I said I had a weird rash on just one side of my abdomen--the "just one side" is what tipped him off. He had me go in to see my doctor the next day and I told him that my dad thought it might be shingles but I didn't think so because it wasn't painful. He thought it was shingles too and thought "not being painful" at that point didn't mean much. I was probably put on the antiviral medicine within 24 or 48 hours of first noticing the rash. My dd was 9 months old at that time and had not had a chickenpox vaccine. The doctor said she could get chickenpox if she came in contact with the fluid from the blisters, but it wasn't very likely. No one would get shingles from me, but chickenpox was a possibility. My understanding is that getting shingles has more to do with your own immune system being under stress; your mom having a shingles outbreak would not have any impact on you having an outbreak. And of course statistically it would be unusual for you both to have one at the same time. Well my immune system is stressed for many reasons, but yes, I think it would be odd to have it at the same time as my mom. I am keeping an eye on it for sure. Ds had the chickenpox vaccine years ago, but I'm supposed to have visitors this weekend, and I don't know about them. So I will watch and cancel my plan (wah!!!!) if it turns out to be more than just this little rash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I've had shingles. Dh had them at the same time...his spots showed up about 2-3 days after mine first did, so I don't believe the bit about it not being contagious--after all, it comes from a virus. Our cases were confirmed by our doctor. Mine were not painful, but horribly itchy. His did not itch at all, as we went to the doctor on the same day that he got his spots (I was suspecting mine were poison ivy before his showed up). As far as them not crossing the midline, while that's true, you can have it on both sides of the midline--mine were that way. (They say that if you get it on your torso, the virus will start from your spine and branch around to the front--apparently the spots don't need to start back there, but they usually do on the torso) They were easily identifiable as shingles because the main concentration of them was in a band around the front half of my waist. I had other scattered spots as well. I was put on a prescription pill (can't remember what it was), as well as a cream, and dh just needed the cream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Well overnight won't kill me. Without insurance or money or a regular doctor, just walking in someplace isn't going to happen. Sorry, just our reality right now. Which is one reason I asked, Honestly I think it would be painful right now if it was shingles :grouphug: No, shingles isn't painful immediately. Something else to consider: Shingles doesn't show up on random places on your skin. It affects muscle groups. I had it on my face, from the right side of my hairline, across my forehead, down across between my eyes. A definite pattern. I've known people who had shingles on their torsos, definitely a pattern. So if yours doesn't seem to be a *pattern,* it might not be shingles. You can try dabbing honey on it. Pour a little honey into a cup, dampen a cotton swab, dab it in the honey, dab it on your bumps. The honey has healing stuff in it. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 You get shingles BECAUSE the chicken pox virus is in your body, even if it's been decades since you had chicken pox. An RN friend who has his master's in nursing told me that you cannot pass shingles from one person to another, but if you have shingles you can spread chicken pox to someone who has not yet had it. But...I still wouldn't mess around. I had shingles two years ago and it was very painful. Mine started out as shooting pains under one arm, and then a rash on my shoulder blade on the same side of my body. We noticed it on Sunday, and I was at the doctor on Monday and started on anti-viral meds right away. I also took extra vitamin C and an amino acid called L-Lysine recommended to me by another nurse friend. My doctor told me the duration would probably be three weeks, but mine was two weeks, probably because I got on the anti-viral so quickly, and maybe because of the other stuff I took. Shingles does not cross the midline of your body, as someone else said. It follows your nerve pathways (I hope I said that right) and will be in only a small area or strip, on one side of your body. Since mine was on my shoulder blade near my armpit, I had shooting (I mean awful) pains down my arm. Good luck, and I hope it's NOT shingles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 :grouphug: No, shingles isn't painful immediately. Something else to consider: Shingles doesn't show up on random places on your skin. It affects muscle groups. I had it on my face, from the right side of my hairline, across my forehead, down across between my eyes. A definite pattern. I've known people who had shingles on their torsos, definitely a pattern. So if yours doesn't seem to be a *pattern,* it might not be shingles. You can try dabbing honey on it. Pour a little honey into a cup, dampen a cotton swab, dab it in the honey, dab it on your bumps. The honey has healing stuff in it. :-) Yes, it will be a pattern. They are called dermatomes. You can google it for a picture of what this means. It is like stripes running around your body, areas of skin connected to a certain nerve pathway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Well overnight won't kill me. Without insurance or money or a regular doctor, just walking in someplace isn't going to happen. Sorry, just our reality right now. Which is one reason I asked, Honestly I think it would be painful right now if it was shingles If you really suspect it is Shingles, go to an Urgent Care clinic or other clinic ASAP. I understand that money is tight. But this is not a joke. By the time the intense pain starts, I believe it is too late for the anti-vitals to work. If you need to go to a Free Clinic or a County Hospital. Anything. I hope it is not Shingles. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 :grouphug: No, shingles isn't painful immediately. Something else to consider: Shingles doesn't show up on random places on your skin. It affects muscle groups. I had it on my face, from the right side of my hairline, across my forehead, down across between my eyes. A definite pattern. I've known people who had shingles on their torsos, definitely a pattern. So if yours doesn't seem to be a *pattern,* it might not be shingles. You can try dabbing honey on it. Pour a little honey into a cup, dampen a cotton swab, dab it in the honey, dab it on your bumps. The honey has healing stuff in it. :-) Don't the rashes follow the line of a nerve? Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Do not wait. Do take this seriously. The anti-viral medication needs to be started as soon as possible. A close relative of mine waited, because she didn't know what it was, and she was knocked flat for OVER A YEAR. It was very painful, and she pretty much just sat in a comfy chair for a year. A YEAR. She was miserable, and not able to do much of anything at all. For more than a YEAR. Do not mess around if this is a possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted November 28, 2012 Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 Thank you all for your concern. We have no urgent care clinics and walking into the ER costs $1000 before they do anything, ask me how I know. Right now that type of addition to our bills is not negotiable. That would only cause me more stress. I'm a tough old stubborn broad. Waiting until the morning to assess the situation further will work. After discussion, I'm not convinced this is the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I had shingles (for the first time) this past summer. There was no rash at first, just an intense burning feeling. Did you notice any burning pains, or feeling like your clothes were chafing you, before you got the rash? I went to the dr. more than a day after the feeling started...shingles hadn't even crossed my mind at first. Then I got the antiviral pills. I never had any itching like I did with chicken pox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Don't the rashes follow the line of a nerve? Bill Yes, that's what I was referring to above. They are called dermatomes. You can look up a diagram of how they look on the body, like horizontal stripes, sort of. I think the face/head is its own dermatome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Yes you can have shingles more than once and if you've had chicken pox then you can get them. I've gotten them 3 times. They always follow a nerve path. I had them on my back twice and once started on my side near my hip bone and followed along the joint toward my umm girly area. They didn't start out painful, but got that way over a day or so. The anti-virals will still work after the pain starts in. You can't give someone else shingles, but can give them chickenpox if you have shingles. My oldest son got chicken pox from me when I had them even though he'd already had the chicken pox vaccine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msjones Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Get to the doctor in the morning. Use a credit card if necessary, but don't put it off. I have a friend who was in terrible pain for over a year with shingles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeritasMama Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 GO IN! My husband had shingles two years ago, he started with a rash and went in right away. The pain did not start until after he had already started anti-virals, about two days after the rash appeared. The doctor told us that the sooner you start anti-virals the more effective they are, and it also lessens the chances of having flare ups. It is very painful, you don't want it to reoccur. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Really - the danger to your friends would be negligible. I came down with shingles the week before dd was born. It was on my ribcage so I had to keep it covered while I was nursing, but even the ped and ob said if I was cautious she would be at minimal risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Don't the rashes follow the line of a nerve? Bill You're probably right. I thought it was a muscle group, but nerve makes more sense. :-) At any rate, it's not random all over the skin, but in a specific pattern-sort-of-thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 blasted double post ::bangs head on keyboard:: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaillardia Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 My father had shingles on his legs only. My son when a baby got a mild case of chicken pox then about 18 months later developed shingles and had it two more times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted November 28, 2012 Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 This morning the rash is better. I really don't think it's shingles at this point, but wanted to update. Thank you, all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 it can be bi-lateral.....my dd has had them bi-laterally and more than once. The Shock-like sensation/pin-pricking sensation is a symptom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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