Anybody ever get shingles?

[hikenhunt]

I got shingles last November in the middle of my special-draw quality deer season. From the experiences of other posters here, I had mild symptoms with the peak of pain/discomfort only lasting 2-3 days. Mine seemed to start as a knot under my right shoulder blade that I couldn't get worked out. Something seemed strange because the knot started moving lower over the course of a couple days and then my shingles broke out right after that. The lidocaine patches helped with some pain relief and to cover the sensitive skin. It didn't keep me from hunting and I filled my tag!

 

[hikenhunt]

But the pain is mostly deep in my pec muscle and also deep in my back muscle. Feels like a constant charley horse.

I experienced this part as well at first, then it worked its way out to the skin surface

 

[Fatcamp]

No, shingles can be horrible. I'm vaccinated now.

 

[dtrkyman]

I supposedly had them, had a tick bite and went to some BS clinic. Dude said I had shingles, and asked me smugly why I thought it was a tick bite?

I said because I pulled a tick out of me right there dickhead! Then I left.

Had a pharmacist friend and he gave me a round of antibiotics for a tick bite. If it was shingle I guess it was the most mild case ever!

 

[Txarcher]

I had them a few years ago and the pain and burning was what I couldn't stand. One night I was in the bathroom looking in the medicine cabinet for something the ease the burning and itching. The only thing i saw was Vick's vapo rub and figured f*** it, it can't get any worse. I worked and was the best thing I put on it. No body believes me till they try. My Dr. even tells people about it, he says he doesn't recommend it but lets them know it worked for another patient.

 

[5MilesBack]

It doesn't itch all the time, but when it does......man, my back scratcher is going to town. I was the same way with chicken pox. I actually got chicken pox, or figured out I had chicken pox during the last few miles of a 30 mile walk-a-thon in 5th grade.

I hadn't thought of Vick's, but I have thought about a salt rub or alcohol. Self-inflicted pain doesn't affect me as much.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Get this… my buddy has it, healthy and only 36 years young. His symptoms first started in late February and took full effect in early March. He is still battling it as of Mid July. Poor guy says it’s the absolute worst pain of his life.

 

[Decker9]

^^^ that’s brutal, I hope he pulls out of it soon.

I had it once for almost 4 weeks around my rib cage. The pain reminded me of dirt bike road rash, but the shingles only left small marks.

 

[Shraggs]

I’ve had it 3 times.

If you have had chickenpox then you have shingles. Stress, immune depletion, exhaustion etc can trigger from the nervous system where it resides. Usually emits perpendicular from your spine.

My first was horrible, couldn’t function write type or phone the pain in both halves was so bad. Hit the first vaccine but still got it twice more but much more tolerable. I take a slew of vitamins now. Haven’t had one in years. Also got the second vaccine which has far better protection.

If you had chicken pox get the vaccine IMO.

 

[jnawalaniec]

I get it once or twice a year on my temple, don’t get the pain just a little bit of burning.

 

[5MilesBack]

Get this… my buddy has it, healthy and only 36 years young. His symptoms first started in late February and took full effect in early March. He is still battling it as of Mid July. Poor guy says it’s the absolute worst pain of his life.

Is he still battling all the rash etc, or just the pain? I have read that one complication from it is postherpetic neuralgia, which causes pain for months afterwards. They say 1 in 5 will get this complication, but it normally subsides after a year or so.

The pain in my chest and back is like someone with a dimmer light switch pushing it up and down constantly. So it's nothing, then it increases, then decreases, then increases, etc. So far more of just a nuisance than anything, but I can generally ignore pain and just keep pushing through it. The surface pain just is what it is, just really sensitive to touch or shirt rubbing. Shot my bow yesterday with no issues at all.

 

[Boarmaster]

My Dad did about ten years ago. He was one miserable dude.

 

[bradb]

I had them a couple years ago on my head and moved down my forehead a bit. I first got stinging sharp pain on my head first morning sitting by a tree turkey hunting in KS . I thought I must have had a thorn bush stick me in the head, but couldn't find it. Then noticed my head and hat was soaking wet, just thought there thinking what the hell did I get into as its the first morning here and have not been in the woods that much before this. Thinking poison something from the woods the way the head was soaking and seemed like blisters. Wasn't to bad but on the way home eyes and head would hurt bad at times, but blisters did not seemed to be going farther. Actually called the dr with the blisters on face and said I got into poison something but its strange. She took a look and said shingles, also sent me the the eye dr and he was more worried about it then the first Dr. He said he sees a bunch of cases of shingles in the eye(well before covid) and it can be serious. But mine didn't cause a problem and it has not reapeared

 

[PNW CAMPER]

Yes, I had shingles earlier than the average, mid 50's. It is the worst pain, its mostly nerve pain. I also was told and everyone else I know that has had singles only has a part of the body affected at one time. Thank God for that! Mine was upper left torso, from the spine around to the center of the chest. For me it lasted about 2 months total.

Last year me and wife both got the new improved 2 shot vaccine. I had the worse reaction to the first shot, second shot was bad, but not as bad as the first. I would still opt for the shots over getting shingles anyday. I hope it works.

 

[Brooks]

I have a neighbor that got them last year . Started on his chest and wrapped under his arm around to his back. They lasted about 3 months. What a mess he had with them !

 

[Btaylor]

Yes, I had shingles earlier than the average, mid 50's. It is the worst pain, its mostly nerve pain. I also was told and everyone else I know that has had singles only has a part of the body affected at one time. Thank God for that! Mine was upper left torso, from the spine around to the center of the chest. For me it lasted about 2 months total.

Last year me and wife both got the new improved 2 shot vaccine. I had the worse reaction to the first shot, second shot was bad, but not as bad as the first. I would still opt for the shots over getting shingles anyday. I hope it works.

I had similar reaction to the shots. First one knocked me down pretty good for about 24 hours. The 2nd one I felt like crap the next day but not as bad as the first shot.

 

[5MilesBack]

Mine was upper left torso, from the spine around to the center of the chest.

Started on his chest and wrapped under his arm around to his back.

This must be a common spot. This is where mine is exactly except the right side. I'm hoping the meds are working, since I don't have any new areas or more rash today. I feel great today, full of energy, feel like I'm ready for elk season. But that might just be the steroids. I do have one heck of a knot in my back between the spine and shoulder blade, right under the rash. I'm used to those, but nobody wants to help me push it out or hammer it down this time with the rash there.......even over my shirt. I tried the raquetball against the wall to roll it out, but that's not working very well. Come on honey, what's a little rash.......rub my back already.

 

[robby denning]

Sorry to hear this 5 miles. But knowing you, you’ll be in the elk woods at full speed, rash or not


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[Jmort1754]

I had it when I was 14, huge amounts of pain in left rib cage, PCP told me and my parents that it was broken ribs from impacts with hay loft. It then broke out in a rash and they treated me with steroids and antivirals. It helped. I will say shingles typically follows dermatomes and only effects half the body.

Feel better brother.

 

[hikenhunt]

This must be a common spot. This is where mine is exactly except the right side. I'm hoping the meds are working, since I don't have any new areas or more rash today. I feel great today, full of energy, feel like I'm ready for elk season. But that might just be the steroids. I do have one heck of a knot in my back between the spine and shoulder blade, right under the rash. I'm used to those, but nobody wants to help me push it out or hammer it down this time with the rash there.......even over my shirt. I tried the raquetball against the wall to roll it out, but that's not working very well. Come on honey, what's a little rash.......rub my back already.

Good luck with the knot, I was never able to get mine out. It seemed to release when the shingles broke out for me.