The first sign was tingling along the right side of my hairline, above my forehead. Nearly two pain-filled months later, I had a permanent scar and had to change my hairstyle to hide it. Along the way I learned that shingles isn’t just an illness for older people. Women like me, 35 years old at the time and constantly on the go, are vulnerable, too. My advice: Know the signs and possible triggers—and don’t ignore them. Also, depending on your age, get vaccinated (See seven vaccines you need right now).
The tingling sent me to the doctor, who sent me home saying it was nothing serious. Two days later, I saw a rash and blisters along my hairline literally grow right before my eyes. Soon the blisters were down to my eyelids and the top of my nose. After I made a brief but hysterical call to my doctor, he decided I had an aggressive case of shingles and insisted I go to the ER because my life was in danger if I developed internal blisters.
The next 24 hours were a nightmare. More blisters and severe pain—like childbirth. My husband felt helpless. I cried constantly, felt nauseous, and wondered, Why me?
I knew that if you’ve had chicken pox, you’re at risk of shingles. But no one knows for certain why it happens. Some experts think stress may be to blame. At the time, I was a frazzled working mother who collapsed from exhaustion at the end of each day. Plus, there were family problems, we had just moved, and I was unhappy.
I wear bangs now to cover the scar that my bout with shingles left behind. It’s on the right side of my forehead, from the left edge of my eyebrow to the hairline (the illness usually affects just one side of your body). My scar itches and burns when I’m tired or stressed. But, in some ways, that’s good news: It reminds me to slow down and take care of myself.
By Sharon Anne Waldrop
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Comments (13)
About 3 months ago I had shingles, It left me weak in one leg, now my DR says I have Thrombophlebitis
About 3 months ago i got the shingles,now the inside of one leg just beside my knee is swelled up and is sore to the touch. I am real weak in one leg,DR put me on Amoxicillin and Gabapentin,Is there something else I can do.I sure would like to get back to walking again,before i got the shingles I walked 3 miles 5 days a week thank you.
Marta
I was a experience pain in my right side of my neck and then developed severe headache. I went to the ER I the attending physician ordered a Cat Scan of my head, he said I had muscle spasm in my head. I continue having headache. One later I started a job as a Case Manager at the end of the month, I went back to the ER and another attending physician prescribed me pain killer in which did not allowed me to drive so I resigned my job. A week later my right ear got bigger with blisters and lymph notes on my right side of my head. I went back to ER attending physician, ordered blood work and results were negative for the test he ordered. He never had a case like this before and diagnosed me with skin infection. He wanted me to admit me for observation, but then decided to prescribed antibiotic for the infection and recommeded that I see my primary care physician. I called my primary care physician and he looked at me and said you have shingles, but it was severe. You will have shingles for two more months so he prescribed me some other medication that I did not take. What story! Thank you
I’m 14 years old, and I got shingles when I was 13. It was so painful, and I’m very self-conscious on the scars its left on my face.
Thank you for your experience with singles. I appreciate knowing that singles cause pain, fatigue and nausa at times. I did not know that one has singles for such length of time. I am now in the sixth week. Often I very tired. I excerise on the treadmill and lifts weights but now I am on hold. Does this “singles” every go away. Leslie, age 66
I was lucky to have self diagnosed myself with shingles two days into the beginning of the disease. I told the doctor who examined me, on the third day, that I thought I had shingles because of the symptoms I had the first day (my face was feeling pain and I thought the sun was burning my face because I was in the sun). Blisters started to appear on the second day and the left side of my face, like a band, and it was very painful. The doctor didn’t think that I had shingles but she still sought a second opinion from another doctor. He confirmed that I had shingles and put me on medication. For 3 months, I was constantly hot although the blisters disappear after a month. Could not exercise at all because I would burn up fast and my face would turn red as a tomato. Full recovery took almost four months. I was 31.
Sophie,
I too had this on my face this July. I went on a trip and had I guess a lot of stress and my face hurt again and I felt like it was comming back. Dr put me back on Valtrex and a steroid. I am still haveing pain in my eyebrow all day tingles. Thank God nothing in my eye so far!! Its nice to know it does go away because I am 47 and I am so worried that I will have this pain for the rest of my life. Is there anything you took to help with the tingling?
My first bout with shingles came following my first colonoscopy at age 49; more followed my mastectomy after a breast cancer diagnosis that same year. My case is a relatively minor one but still annoying. It’s acting up right now around an incision from my breast reconstruction — almost 9 years later at age 58. My sister has had a much worse case with sores around her back to her breasts that began 4 years ago (when she was 58). Neither of us was old enough to have our insurance cover the preventative vaccine that’s come out (why do you have to be 60+ to use it?? Especially when shingles runs in families, as it does in ours). I’d like to learn more about what if anything can be done to relieve symptoms and to prevent future outbreaks.
I’ve had shingles twice. Most sites on the web claim it’s for those with HIV or those over 50. I was 15 when I had the first bout. Like Sharon, the 2nd round came on the heels of months of sleeping on my infants schedule, family problems, job loss and a yeast infection. I am in my 30’s. I am almost grateful for the experience of the first episode, it enabled me to recognise the symptoms early and get on anti-viral meds within the 42 hours window.
I too had the exact same spot of shingles this July.
I am in a relaps, it came back no blisters as yet but the tingle increased and I am back on the valtrex, etc. I am 47 and cannot believe its happened to me either. I am on a hunt to find some type of maybe herbal remedy to help with the nerve tingles.
Does anyone take any kind of pain meds and for how long. I’m on gabapentin for about 4months now.
Thanks
i got shingles when i was 15 years old , very young to get them eh but i did. for 3 days straight i threw up , got headachs, and litteraly felt as if i was gonna die. at night my parents rushed me to the hospital and the specialist there said it was nothing…i wonder how he guessed that he didnt even check me properly. 2 days after when the pain got worse i wnt to my family doctor and he told me it was shingles…but it was too late to be treateed now im suffering from it and miss soo much school.
i had shingles two years ago on the right side of my head and face they have healed good but on the right side of my head it itches realy badand there is a numdness also can you help. Dorothy
Dorothy,
Go back to your physician see if anything else they can try. This is an awful disease that does not only effect the elderly. I believe you can get the shot to help prevent it from comming back once you have been clear for six months. Again, check with your doctor. God Bless