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Shingles is the Worst!!
I just turned 67. I started experiencing what turned out to be shingles on February 25, the day of my Dads funeral. I attributed it to stress, exhaustion, etc. But a week later I began to feel sharp pain and burning on my forehead, like I had hit my head on the corner of something and forgot about it. Then I thought I had a flare up of Trigeminal Neuralgia. (TN) On March 4 I went to ER because my eye swelled up and my forehead was turning red. Since that day, I don’t think I’ve ever been so sick. 2 weeks later, I’m about 25%better on the outward physical front, but the nerve pain on the right side of my head is still unbearable. And am still very weak and exhausted. These lingering symptoms are very much like TN, but so weird! Ironically I attempted to get shingles vaccine several times during my father’s last months, but something always happened and I had to reschedule. I’m not surprised Shingles got me when it did. I should have made getting the vaccine a priority a long time ago.
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My 79 yr old husband got shingles in his left forehead a couple of years ago. He seriously thought he was going to die. I took him to his doctor which also happens to be my doctor and a friend and he asked us what we thought it might be. Shingles? I asked. Bingo he said! My husband was already on methadone for severe neuropathy pain so he didn't get anything special for the shingles. He got over it within a couple of weeks with no after effects.
Moving on to me. I had shingles spring of last year (2025). I've had fibromyalgia & migraines since my teens. I developed shingles, rheumatoid arthritis and Covid all in a 3-month period of time. The large group of rashes which traveled from my navel clear around to my spine only lasted a couple of weeks then I was better. What an ugly sight! Oh, and I forgot the basilar artery stroke in 2024. Luckily I can walk a straight line again and drive.
I realize I am probably in the minority on this page. I can only suppose God figured that with all my other pain issues I didn't need another one so shingles was not seriously painful and the rheumatoid stuff is an on & off again issue so mostly tolerable. I wonder if Covid triggered the arthritis? Just a thought.