Kinsa
Oldies but Goodies
Posts: 787 
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Post by Kinsa on Dec 15, 2014 10:43:17 GMT -5
I have had a nasty rash for about a month now. It is much more predominate on the right side of my body, but it is symmetrically on the left side of my body as well. There are two distinct locations: on my rib cage underneath my armpit, and on the front of my hip/pelvis -- but symmetrically on both sides of my body.
It started off as red dots that were pretty itchy. Now it's just a blended patch of red scaly skin. Still itches like the dickens. The red dots are still spreading though.
I've been using an anti-fungal on it for about a month now, twice a day, just in case it was a yeast infection. I'm not sure that's what it is. I'm starting to think I have a mild case of shingles.
Anyone have experience with shingles? Should I bother calling the doctor? My impression is that you just have to wait it out, that there's not much a doctor can do for you anyhow. It's not debilitating, just annoying. Not really worth a trip to the doctor, know what I mean? I mean, it's already been a month.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 10:44:51 GMT -5
I had shingles. Just let it run its course. Avoid pregnant women.
And pregnant men- for very different reasons.
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Kinsa
Oldies but Goodies
Posts: 787
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Post by Kinsa on Dec 15, 2014 10:47:49 GMT -5
I had shingles. Just let it run its course. Avoid pregnant women. And pregnant men- for very different reasons.  Okay, that was good for a hearty chuckle! |
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Post by carrieinwi on Dec 15, 2014 11:12:49 GMT -5
Is it in a distinctive shape? I had shingles when I was in college. It did not hurt, it just itched. I went to the campus health center thinking it was a rash because it didn't hurt. They could tell by the shape that it was shingles. It might be good to have it checked out just to confirm that it isn't something else.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 11:14:04 GMT -5
My shingles incident wasn't the slightest bit painful but incredibly itchy. I was told that age affects the symptoms. The older you are the more pain you have. Isn't that interesting???
It was really funny when I had it because the ER doctors just thought it was so interesting that someone so young had shingles. (Yes- the itching was bad enough that I went to the ER) I think about 5 med students came in to see the youngin' with shingles.
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Post by countrygrl112 on Dec 15, 2014 11:26:47 GMT -5
My mom had singles in her 40s. Said it was super, super itchy. The doc just have her a cream for it but it basically just to run its course. And no more sick/medical issues people on this board!  |
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Kinsa
Oldies but Goodies
Posts: 787
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Post by Kinsa on Dec 15, 2014 12:43:04 GMT -5
Well, I made a doctor's appointment for tomorrow afternoon, so I suppose I'll find out soon enough. I'll let y'all know what comes of it!
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sarahw
Oldies but Goodies
Posts: 136
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Post by sarahw on Dec 15, 2014 15:19:56 GMT -5
I had shingles when I was 15 and it was one of the most painful experiences ever (I did not birth my child lol).
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paliz
Oldies but Goodies
Posts: 746
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Post by paliz on Dec 15, 2014 15:32:42 GMT -5
May I just add that regardless of you have or have had the singles it might very well be in your interest to ask about the vaccine. Sometimes it is covered by major medical and sometimes it is covered by your prescription plan. And shingles is something you can get more than once.
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yakky
Oldies but Goodies
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Post by yakky on Dec 15, 2014 15:46:01 GMT -5
Hope you get some answers... and some relief!!!
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Post by Flautista on Dec 15, 2014 18:55:20 GMT -5
If there's no pain involved I highly doubt it's shingles. Shingles is extremely painful. DD3 got it when she was 11. I had no idea to even look for that in an 11 year old. Couldn't understand why she had the rash or why it was so painful. Shingles affects the elderly the most but anyone who's had chicken pox can get it at any time of life. Watching my little girl go through that much pain was horrible. The doctor prescribed Tylenol with codeine because the pain was robbing her of sleep.
Anyway, I have prayed that you figure out what is causing the rash!
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Post by citylights on Dec 15, 2014 21:21:24 GMT -5
Oh my.
I'll be curious to know if you have shingles.
I was 34 when I was dx with shingles.
Like you, I did NOT know that I had shingles.
Mine came approx. 3 weeks after BOTH my girls had chicken pox.
Before breaking out with the rash, I was VERY SICK the night before with fever & a horrible headache.
Then the rash came on .... I NEVER connected my symptoms + rash to the chicken pox (at age 34??).
When nearly a month had gone by and I still had that "rash," & I was feeling tired as ever, I finally went to the dr.
He dx me with shingles & gave me a prescription of Acyclovir.
Made me sick ... so I didn't take it all.
Eventually the rash cleared up.
And eventually IT CAME BACK!
When I would get stressed ... or eat a super high diet of sugar.
Eventually I began to make a connection.
While it is RARE for shingles to recur, it can & does happen in some people .... and I am one of them, UNFORTUNATELY.
Today I take an anti-viral pill daily to prevent recurrence because all the cancer treatment that I had + the daily regimen of my meds reduces my immune system, and without the anti-viral, I have broken out AGAIN ... and my drs don't want me having this.
The med is VERY EXPENSIVE but thankfully my ins. has been covering it.
Drs. have told me that recurrence happens more in younger patients,
and as far as the pain, more severe in the older population.
It might depend on the location of the rash also.
Mine has always been on my back .... oh, and on one side.
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Post by amyfinla on Dec 16, 2014 20:31:34 GMT -5
How did your doctor appointment go? My dh had 2 shingle episodes (with no rash, just the pain).
Hope you are feeling better.
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Okay, that was good for a hearty chuckle! 
