Full body non shingles rash 3-4 weeks after taking the shingrix vax

15 years ago I developed dermatomyositis after being exposed to large doses of chemicals from new commercial carpeting being installed in my workplace. The carpet company did not pretreat the carpeting to get the chemicals out before it was installed. My immune system went haywire, attacking my muscles and my skin head to toe. I was on prednisone for a couple of years and prescribed methotrexate, most recently azothioprene along with the methotrexate. After the covid vaccines came out, I again had a massive flare up from the vaccines. The skin rash was so intense it burned my skin all over my body, most fiercely on my neck and scalp, killing my hair follicles causing my hair to fall out. Very little has grown back. Even standing in the shower under cool water was so painful! My primary doctor and rheumatologist keep wanting me to get the shingles vaccine, but I refuse. I cannot afford another reaction to a chemical in my body. It might help you to talk about Methotrexate and/or Azathioprine with your physician. The rash you describe especially the redness on your hands and fingers and cuticle area sounds similar to the dermatomyositis that I experience. I occasionally will get the standard flu vaccine(if I'm not experiencing a flareup) but will never get another Covid vaccine! Shingrix does not have case studies for the immunosupressed and the side effects sound horrible. It's not for me. Best wishes!

@zaznagarb
I am experiencing a full body rash and have been told a) it’s not shingles and b) was quite patronizing told that’s not a typical reaction, to get a rash, from the vaccine or booster.
As I wait to get into the doctor, and on the off chance you’re still responding to these comments, could you share the link where you read about the Shingrix can cause our reactions.

@chendry Some individuals experiencing Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS).

Get checked for staph infection. Im being infused twice with kmersa to reverse the same skin reaction from a severe adverse side effect post vaccination. They cultured mine and it is staph. Just make sure no topical and that they get a good sample and grow it long enough.

@chendry

Ai Google
While the shingles vaccine (Shingrix) typically causes only mild injection-site pain or flu-like symptoms, there are rare medical reports of severe skin reactions. These can manifest as bullous (blistering) rashes, dermatomal rashes, or even temporary autoimmune blistering disorders.For most individuals, standard reactions at the arm injection site are normal, but any blistering should be taken seriously.Understanding Blistering ReactionsCommon vs. Rare: Routine side effects include redness, swelling, and itching at the injection site. However, published medical literature and case reports document rare instances where patients developed fluid-filled blisters (bullous rashes) or even dermatomal rashes following the Shingrix shot.Autoimmune Links: In extremely rare cases, vaccines can trigger immune responses that result in autoimmune blistering skin diseases (such as bullous pemphigoid). Medical case studies show these events are exceedingly uncommon but can occur, sometimes requiring treatment.

I am 110 ibs and the shingles shot caused the same reaction. I also had severe edema developing in my legs due to the blisters opening. It led to a severe staph infection. Which made me borderline septic and started attacking my organs. I had the vaccine Nov 2025. Im still battling the staph infection and getting a second dose of kmersa infused monday. Its one time infusion that takes an hour and the antibiotic works over 16 days. Specifically on skin infections I started to see my weight climb from edema

@ksorbel1 I think it would have been better to answer with only YOUR OWN experiences which is enough to get the idea across without resorting to AI. Do you know if the info given by AI is reliable? I’m not trying to be picky, it’s that MCC wants to rely on personal experience, not book-learning. So, let’s leave AI out of your otherwise great answer!

From admeliora:

In reply to Shingrix rash: this may be relative. Alot of medicines now have an ingredient that is an excipient called Polyethylene Glycol (PEG). This is all mostly since the COVID vaccine. There are now 1000s of derivatives of this being put into things from medicine, food, clothing, etc. etc. I can’t say what your experience is like, but I became deathly allergic to this stuff with the first COVID vaccine, and then one day watched the entire Walmart OTC aisle transformed back a few years ago so that it is now in 99% of all OTC meds. Here’s what I have had to do becuase my immune system freaked out from this stuff:
1) Get Allegra compounded at Mary Brigh PX (Mayo Rochester) to take all excipients out of it. I have to take 3 in the Winter months and 2 in the rest of the year. It’s not cheap!
2) change all soap for personal care to Sappo Hill plain bars currently available in LaCrosse WI at the Co-op; but since you probably don’t live here it is available online at sappohill.com
3) Use shampoo bars from Booda Butter at boodaoraganics.com
4) Use Badger Balm for Sensitive Skin from badgerbalm.it.com for a winter moisturizer.
Caveat: it sounds like your rash is different a bit so clear this with a doctor. The thing is these products are all made of olive oil and beeswax. It’s not 100% for me as I still react in winter and have tried BluRay treatments to which I became allergic; Crisco - Yes! To which I became allergic; and canola oil. I think you see the pattern. “Your immune system has freaked and it’s fighting you “ is what I have been told. This is my case so yours may be different. Now that I am out of options for a moisturizer, I have to outsmart my immune system. Mix it up a bit. Try one thing a few days then annother. You get it. I start in September right after Labor Day to strengthen my skin with this method. You have to become creative, but know this: what you use as a natural source if it’s a food product and you become allergic to it - you also cannot eat that food source. It’s a crap shoot I know. I feel for you and after 4 years of hell, I just pass this on for what it’s worth. A HUGE CAUTION as a retired nurse - clear this idea with your doctor because if you have an infection process going on or possible all bets are off. I hope something here helps you. Allegra has PEG in it and it always has had it. When the mRNA was put in the vaccine they um didn’t tell us that would tell the body to ignore all PEG. The Immune system then fought back and kinda got mixed up. Someday someone is gonna have to come up with a solution to this, but until then most of us have to get creative with a few good Providers on our side. Blessings on your quest!