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Anyone had shingles ? Yes ... me ! Now, I'm officially old ! 5️⃣0️⃣+
Thankfully, mine was actually quite mild, but still pretty yucky.
I developed a small rash on my shoulder that I thought was a heat rash due to my rucsac (same place).
After a couple of days of calamine and prickly heat powder, no better, so went to the docs, who took one look and knew immediately what it was.
Prescribed antivirals (cos of early diagnosis) and an ointment.
⚠️ Look out for the SIGNS of SHINGLES
> At first, the rash was not painful or itchy at all, and looked like any other rash.
> Over 1 week, the rash became tingly (like mild sunburn), then prickly and uncomfortable (rather than actually painful) - a bit like nettle stings or insect bites.
> Then the rash became blistered, which looked pretty horrible, almost like a patchy burn injury. The blisters developed and subsided very slowly over 15 days.
> The rash spread slowly, from about a half-hand in size, to about 6 hands, across my shoulder front & back.
> I was having occasional nerve pain down my arm (like RSI from too much PC time) but this got worse - all the way from my scalp to my fingertip, I got tingles and occasional shooting pains. Thankfully, for me Panadol was enough, and worked well.
> 25 days since the rash first appeared, it's now almost invisible (just a few dark red marks) and the nerve pains have gone. The skin still feels a bit weird, tingly, itchy, again like recovering sunburn or a large area of nettle sting from 2 days ago.
ℹ️ FACTS about SHINGLES
- Shingles is caused by the dormant chicken pox virus in your nerves, being reactivated.
- Triggered by stress (lowered immune system) - physical stress for me - a long 21hr day, travelling in heat (and after having mild covid again).
- Possible genetic link (2 of my grandparents had it [both maternal+paternal sides], and quite badly).
- Increased chance of development after COVID.
- 1 in 3 adults will develop it, usually aged 50+.
- Chances of recurrence are the same, 1 in 3.
- You can't pass on shingles, but you can pass on chickenpox (to anyone that's not had it).
Yes, I had it when I was in my early thirties. Not pleasant but didn't need any time off work. Had it round my ribs. Hadn't realised there was a potential hereditary link. My maternal grandfather had it.
Although you cannot pass shingles on, you can pass it on as chickenpox. We strongly suspect that I passed it on to my son with whom my wife was pregnant at the time. He later developed shingles as a toddler. ?
Sheesh, that was bad luck with your toddler. ?
Good that you didn't need time off - I would have needed 2-3 days off, cos I felt so rough with fatigue for the first few days, and was sleeping 10hrs per night presumably as my body fought the reactivated virus. Also, I ended up quarantining for a fortnight cos quite a few family members hadn't had chickenpox, and I didn't want to be responsible for an outbreak! ??
I had it in 2nd year Junior School - painful blisters on one side of my head.
But I have never had chickenpox.
Obviously I must have had it, just no symptoms. I was twice sent to mix with friends who had chickenpox and didn't catch it.
I had it in 2nd year Junior School - painful blisters on one side of my head.
But I have never had chickenpox.
Obviously I must have had it, just no symptoms. I was twice sent to mix with friends who had chickenpox and didn't catch it.
That's interesting. I wonder if your mum was exposed to the virus during her pregnancy
