Second time posting here. My first post was more about the disease itself, now I’m going to vent a little and just ask if anyone has been through similar experiences. Just share, if you feel like it.

I recently developed shingles. About 10 days ago, I had a fight with my boyfriend and decided to leave. I gathered my things while he was out. I couldn't stay away for more than 24 hours though, we made up and I came back home.

The first symptom was a small rash, a really tiny one. I thought it was an insect bite, since I’d spent a lot of time on the couch at that other place, which is pretty old. I didn't pay much attention to it. Almost five days later, a second rash appeared at the same level but on my back, followed by small clusters of lesions that looked like pimples. I saw a doctor that same day and I was diagnosed with shingles and started treatment immediately.

Now, four days later, the rash remains practically unchanged. But something else is going on. My boyfriend seems kind of... indifferent? I don't know if I'm overanalyzing the situation, I am also notoriously anxious, but that's the feeling I get.

Maybe it's because I cleaned the apartment this weekend, or because I'm sleeping normally, but... I am feeling itchiness, a little pain and stuff, but I wasn’t completely immobilized yk.

I turned down his advances to have sex (I’m not feeling sexy or comfortable), complained when he touched the skin where the sores are, and declined invitations to go out because I'm worried about the risk of contagion. I also asked him a couple times to take the dog out by himself when he was busy cooking for example, because I am not comfortable walking around.

At first, I tried to explain that it's a tricky illness and that the pain comes and goes, and it might eventually get worst even without the rashes . Also the fact that he hasn't looked anything up about it? Like, I think he might believe that since I've started treatment, I'll be fine soon and that I'm just being lazy. But what makes me anxious is thinking that I would have looked it up myself if he was saying he felt bad.

And today he told me it could be worse. Now I have the feeling that not only am I unlucky to develop an uncommon disease related to the stress I was feeling, that I shouldn’t bother other people with it and keep it to myself, since he won’t believe me if it eventually gets worst.

Hi - anyone else suffered with awful vertigo post shingles? Literally having panic attacks at night as feel out of control when dark / lights off so sleeping with a small light now to give me focus. It’s horrible!

Hi all,

My 76 year old father was diagnosed with shingles on 8th July on his right arm, armpit, chest and back. His doctor initially gave him a low dosage of Zovirax tablets. The rash and blisters have thankfully gone but he is in extreme pain. His doctor started him on a dosage of 100mg of lyrica on the 20th August and has since increased this to 125mg per day since the 26th. He is still in extreme pain, he is taking painkillers alongside the lyrica but doesn't find any relief. His doctor will probably up his dosage again this week but I am just looking for some advice on what he can do with the pain in his right arm and armpit. At times, he seems to lose power in his right arm. Any advice is appreciated, thanks.

P.s to add to this, he is losing his appetite and is quite low in mood as it is impacting normal life for him. He has restricted some of his diet as he believes some foods are aggravating the pain.

Hi everyone, I am 23 and got diagnosed with lupus this feb. I have been on immunosuppressants—methotrexate and prednisolone—since then. I recently got shingles; my doctor said that it's because of the drugs, of course, and anxiety as well. Overall, my rash was pretty mild compared to the pictures I saw online. The rashes were on the left side of my ribs; it was very uncomfortable for like a week and then it was manageable. The pain wasnt severe; maybe it felt mild because I have been through extreme arthritic pain during my lupus flare. I was quarantined for like 10 days or so, now its all back to normal but I have been prescribed to take 4 vaccine shots in order to prevent infections - HPV, PCV, Flu shot and Shingrix.

Hi there, has anyone else been getting psycological symptoms? Since it started I have had a couple of episodes of sever existential doom, which can only be described as very bad fear, like I have never experienced.

I read that this can be down to your nervous system mis-interpreting signals as fight/flight, but it is quite scary. Has anyone else had this? At first I thought it was the medication, now am not so sure.

I got diagnosed today . i’m a single parent t under lots of stress in australia financially and basically doing it very tough . since feb of 2023 i have been fighting some kind of psoriasis in my feet toes fingers and scalp it has crossed over to other skin conditions such as one called lichen simplex chronicus. Anyway i have tried different biologics to no avail , these biologics suppress the immune system they u have taken . yes, i was warned but i have no idea why i wasnt offered the shingles vaccine if I was going to be taking these biologic medication injections . in australia the vaccine for shingles is only free for 64 and over . otherwise its very expensive , probably looked at me and thought i could t afford it . Here i am battling severe skin issues and to have shingles on top of it i have been battling skin issues for three and a half years when prior to that u had no know skin problems This is really brutal and to be honest i needed to have the vaccine . I have headaches stabbing pain across my back and stomach the rash and i feel sometimes like i’m going to vomit . i’m off my food and sleep is so bad anyway it’s gotten even worse . i have a son to bring up on my own . there’s so little support . i’m not surprised this has happened but how do i get through this . I’m hanging on by a thread . Any advice i can’t lie on my right side . everything hurts ! i will take any little bit of positive advice . My soul is aching .. i feel flattened . And to top it all off the biologic medications have FAILED . All three of them !😩

Hi everyone, I’m looking for some advice from people who have experienced shingles.
My mother is a chronic liver patient with cirrhosis, and she recently underwent surgery for gallbladder stones. Shortly before/around the time of her surgery, she developed shingles around her right chest and underarm area.
The rash is now starting to dry/turn darker, but the pain is extremely severe, especially in the chest and underarm. Sometimes it gets so bad that she can barely tolerate it.
She has already started antiviral medication and is also taking pain medication, but we are not seeing much improvement in the pain. The pain can become severe again after a few hours, and recently it seems to be getting worse rather than better.
Has anyone experienced shingles pain this severe?
How long did it take before the pain started improving, and what helped you the most?
Because of her liver condition and recent surgery, we are being very careful with medications and will follow her doctor’s advice.
Any experiences or advice would be greatly appreciated. 🙏

It’s been a little over 3 weeks since shingle started on my face and in my ear. I took the last steroid yesterday and my ear pain is starting to come back pretty bad. My blisters have healed but my my skin feels like it’s crawling, I haven’t slept well the last week with that waking be up I’ve taken benedryl and Advil pm to help with itching and to help me sleep but I always wake up so uncomfortable.
How long did you use steroids? I had an initual course of 7 days but the day I stopped the pain was so intense. My doctor put me on 12 more days and just ended that course and it must be the inflammation of the nerves causing my pain. I’m wondering if the doctors would give me more steroids. It feels like it’s been forever and it’s only been 3 weeks. I’ve tried lidocaine for the itching/ crawling and it does about 30 minutes. I also ice my face and that helps while the ice is on my face. What’s worked for you?

I was diagnosed late last month and started Valtrex. I mostly had a lot of itching. The area started itching again after a few weeks and looked like it was activating but it faded quickly. PCP said it was just residual itching. Yesterday, a few weeks later, I noticed more bumps and itching in a different area (along the same dermatome band) and got myself back to the doctor. They said it looks like shingles again (more mild) and put me on acyclovir. A swab was done but the results take a few weeks.

I thought it was going away and now I’m worrying about it again.