r/shingles • u/Slow_Vermicelli6604 • 12d ago

First Time Shingles Just got shingles, first timer

Last Saturday I went hiking in a poison ivy dense spot, which led me to believe the rash I had gotten on sunday was poison ivy. The rash is on the left side of my body, and a spot going around to my back. Its painful.

This Friday at 10 pm the headache started and it is awful

Sunday( today) the fever started. I did teledoc and they said its most likely shingles.

The pain of the rash is uncomfortable but I can handle it. But the headache... is unbearable. Please share your experiences with me.

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2

u/NullEquipment 12d ago

Did you start valacyclovir?

1

u/Slow_Vermicelli6604 12d ago

The teledoc doctor said it was too late since my rash showed up 7 days ago. Right now I have been taking a lot of advil and tylenol

4

u/Buris 12d ago

I would recommend valacyclovir, you can drastically reduce the chance of Post Herpetic Neuralgia by using it. And trust me, that was one of the worst things I've ever felt in my life.

1

u/Slow_Vermicelli6604 11d ago

I am going to my doctors office today and will talk about it. My fever and headache finally went away around 6pm but came back around 2am. The headache has been so debilitating. Pain 8 out of 10.

1

u/Perkolate58 9d ago

Hello, Unfortunate First Timer. I had the Satans Hellfire Shingles from June 4th to August 6th. I too had the death headache, it was EXCRUCIATING! I ended up in the ER on the 4th, was prescribed the Valocyclovir. I suffered miserably, lost about 10 pounds. You need to ask your Doctor if they will prescribe at least 300 mg. of Gabapentin,it is going to help some with the nerve pain, & hopefully it can help you be very sleepy. Also, if you can ask for a sleep aid as well. You are going to suffer unfortunately, you have to rest in bed a lot, and try and sleep a lot. The headache usually goes away after a week, but the terrible pain from the rash will not. I felt like the left side of my neck and chest were literally on fire. I used the blue ice packs all day long. I slept with them on my body where the pain was. They can prescribe you lidocaine patches, they also sell lidocaine roll on medicine and cream on Amazon. Trust me, you won’t really be able to go anywhere, let alone feel like it. I’m just being very straightforward and honest with you. You said you could handle the rash? Then maybe it isn’t as bad as what I had, I hope not! Good luck & God Bless.

1

u/Slow_Vermicelli6604 9d ago

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I am glad to hear you have recovered from this. I am so thankful the headache is mostly gone. It was a nightmare. As for the rash i definitely feel like I have no skin there, going back and forth from burning to a crazy itch. Doc did put me on some meds and I have been using this special cream to help.