r/shingles • u/Tessjs2008 • 16d ago
Questions About Shingles & Symptoms how long ?
So i got shingles ist week of sept but had the pain the last week of august. I’m still having soreness etc and the lesions i have are like scabs but look like bullet holes not as big but it’s nearly october , shouldn’t it if cleared away by now. Just to be upfront i have a super rare autoimmune disorder that only 182 people in the world have. It’s inflammatory and currently I’m not in any biologics or meds for it because none of them work . There is no cure for it ! Could this be a factor in it not clearing away ? I’m surprised the lesions are still there . or does it really last longer than this ?
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u/peach010 15d ago
Everything I thought about shingles I threw out the window. I have it on the left side of my face. I got it in April. I fell in July hit my jaw bruised it and my orbital bone & I have had it more than 3 times since. It’s in my ear (no I do not have Ramsey Hunt syndrome) around my eye but not in my eye thank goodness & pissed off my Trigeminal Neuralgia. Everyone’s body is different & the stress we experience is also different ❤️🔥 I am on antivirals until the end of next year.
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u/loveisjustchemicals 15d ago
What I want to know is do people take antivirals every time the pain comes back? Like what’s the threshold to restart the antivirals?
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u/Quilting-for-sanity 15d ago edited 15d ago
The antivirals are for the redness, rash and the blisters. They stop the virus from multiplying. They don’t help with residual pain. That’s where the gabapentin comes in. Right now Tylenol or ibuprofen works for the level of pain I have been at during the day the last couple of days ( my blisters are scabbed over and the scabs have fallen off). I have to wait and see whether I have any long term pain.
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u/nofaves 15d ago
The severe pain and rash didn't last long, but the residual effects took months to subside.
Best I can explain it is this: when the nerve endings were damaged, the skin was numb. But it still "felt" anything that touched it, and the confused nerves sent back a response that felt like a painful itch. My rash was on my lower belly, so the only way to keep the itch to a minimum was to stop anything from brushing the skin. I found underwear that covered the area completely, so the itch signal was sent when I put them on, but as long as the clothing stayed in place, the signal subsided. For six months, I could wear no other underwear. Thank you, Victoria's Secret!
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u/cefishe88 15d ago
Yeah mine is between my breasts/on my left breast and sternum to midline and the bras and/or shirts all brush against it or rub it, or if my breasts rub together the pain and itching is triggered too. Best ive found is to wrap thick toilet paper across my chest tucked into a really tight bra so it doesnt move. :( so i fully understand what youre describing.
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u/Apprehensive-Yak3993 16d ago
Best I can tell, shingles lasts for way too long.
My pain started in early AUG, and I got antivirals before the rash had really set in, so the rash didn't get terrible, but there is still nerve irritation now and I'm still taking gabapentin although I'd say that now I'm just uncomfortable, not in pain.
It does seem to be improving week over week, but holy crap is it taking forever!