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Shingles rash and pain
I’m in week 10 of shingles and still have crusted blisters in my arm pit. Why are they still there and how do I get rid of them? I feel like the pain won’t start easing there until they are gone. I had severe pain for 3 days in my left shoulder blade. When it started to ease I felt blisters on my back. I went to urgent care and was diagnosed with shingles. I took acyclovir for 7 days and then nothing. My doctor’s office wouldn’t fit me in and insisted I wait for a regular slot so I didn’t see him for 3 weeks. In the meantime i then got the rash and blisters on the underside of my left arm, in my arm pit and over the left side of my breast. The rash slowly crusted on my back leaving ugly scabbing and holes on my back. That left and I just have a large discolored area on my back that is fairly painful. The rash and crusted blisters on my chest took longer to go away and the pain only left the sides of the breast. I still have pain in the middle and top near my armpit. The last to start going was my underarm and armpit and the pain has been awful. Better than it was but ....... I’m worried I’ll never get rid of the pain but what worries me even more is the crusted blisters in my armpit haven’t made any progress in at least 2 weeks. I hope someone knows a magic way to make those go away. THey said the rash would only last 10 days to 2 weeks but it’s now 10 weeks. I have low-level MDS so I catch things easier and they tend to last longer.
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I too had a terrible case of the shingles that was preceded by stabbing pains in my chest and abdomen. I have never heard anyone else mention these pains, so I was gratified to see your post. Unlike your unfortunate situation, however, when I called my doctor and described my rash and pain (which felt like I had been doused with gasoline and set afire), he immediately admitted me to the hospital and put me on a morphine pump. The rash covered my entire right torso I was hospitalized for a week, was released with the rash mostly resolved, but I developed post-herpetic neuralgia. This was successfully treated with gabapentin, which I took for over a year. Shingles was the worst medical experience of my 80 years! I was so grateful for my doctor's efforts to recognize and deal with the pain.
My shingles was preceded by odd pains in my ribcage and back. After a week of that kind of stuff I went to the doctor and he found a rash on my chest that wasn't there that morning and he said I had shingles and he prescribed Valtrex. The rash and blisters came and went and other that being a pain in the butt were not a big deal. After they calmed down, my skin seemed to hurt all over and the pains in my chest area came back along with acid stomach. Gabapentin is helping most of the pains and prescription strength Pepcid is helping my stomach. After two months, things seem to be under control.
Thank you for replying to my note and I’m sorry it’s taking me a while to get back to you. I hope you are feeling better. My shingles pain is easing slowly, but still pretty much there all the time. I’m hoping it continues to ease up overtime. Wishing you a full recovery.
I'm doing much better. Most of the pain has eased and I haven't taken any Gabapentin for 4 nights. My Grover's disease is still causing some itching but even that has eased a little. Hope you continue to improve.
I had postherpetic nerve pain and finally had it treated with radio frequency ablation, and that gave great relief
I got radio frequency ablation on the nerves and it gave quite a bit of relief
This is exactly what I'm suffering: I had shingles in the same location: right side of my face, affecting mucus membranes. My eye especially swelled shut; the infection cleared up in my eye, and even though supposedly diagnosed early, and put on antiviral and gabapentin, I am now, post 'physical' side-effects, and far less pain, left with crawling-itchy skin that I literally want to rip off my face. NOTHING is alleviating it. They put me back on anti-viral & gabapentin. I coat my face with Aspercreme & Lidocaine gel, and nothing relieves this wretched sensation. The pain was less debilitating. Any suggestions, since, I just now noted how long ago your post, from 2018. I probably need to write this as an opener, and not under comment/reply to someone who, ideally, is long since healed.
I have shingles--post wound now--right side of my face, affecting mucus membranes. My eye especially swelled shut; the infection cleared up in my eye, and even though supposedly diagnosed early, and put on antiviral and gabapentin, I am now, post-pain 'physical' side-effects, and far less pain, but have been left with insane crawling-itchy skin that I literally want to rip off my face. NOTHING is alleviating it. They put me back on anti-viral & gabapentin. I coat my face with Aspercreme & Lidocaine gel, and nothing relieves this wretched sensation. The pain was less debilitating than where I am now in suffering. Any suggestions, since, I'm not sure what's involved in R.F.A.
I read one person's post who mentioned CBD oil applied to skin, to good results. This is my face, along the mucus membranes, of mouth, nose, eye, and into my temple but not my ear.
I’m not sure if they can isolate the nerve that is sending out the signals and do radio frequency ablation, but it is very effective. I know someone that had it done to a nerve in the neck and they are growing in the different applications. I feel so bad for you having such terrible pain And all sensations are horrible. It might be worth it to research if that’s a possibility. Mayo was very helpful in finding me a doctor that could help me. Best of luck it sounds like a difficult road.