I think I have early shingles-any advice?
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Anonymous
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A few days ago I noticed the left half of my body was feeling tingly. This often happens before my periods and I normally take one dose of valtrax and it resolves. This time it didn’t resolve and has spread so I have tingling on my left upper arm and my left thigh. I think it is at my right armpit too but not sure. General malaise - I’m irritable and exhausted. If this is early shingles what can I do? I have the day off tomorrow and was thinking of getting the vaccine (I’m 48 and have been putting it off stupid me). Next week I’m traveling on Tuesday to a graduation. The following week I have our annual work conference. Literally the only two weeks where I have to be out and about.
If I have early shingles, any tips? I resumed the Valtrax today once I noticed the tingling not resolving. |
Anonymous
| I thought shingles were chicken pox? You treat them with Valtrex? |
Anonymous
It’s caused by the same virus, but it’s totally different. |
Anonymous
| If you already have shingles the vaccine isn’t going to help right now. It’s too late. |
Anonymous
| If it’s shingles, get meds from your PCP, but it doesn’t sound like you have a visible rash. It would be unusual to have it in both your arm and leg at the same time. And it is almost always only on one side of the body. |
Anonymous
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The vaccine is not going to help. What you need are antivirals. If it is shingles, you need to start them within 72 hours of the onset of symptoms for them to work.
Go to your doctor today. |
Anonymous
| shingles follows along a nerve on one side of the body. it would be very strange to be on the left and on the right, and along all these body parts. |
Anonymous
| Call your PCP. The dose of Valtrex for shingles is higher than what you’re likely taking, but also what you describe doesn’t really sound like early shingles to me. |
Anonymous
| Go to the doctor today! |
Anonymous
| Do you think I could go to an urgent care for the tingling? They could help assess for shingles or if it’s like a pinched nerve or something? |
Anonymous
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I had shingles a year ago. It started as a very sore painful right shoulder for a month or longer beforehand. Then I had tingling and zapping pain in my right ear and neck.
I thought I had some bug bites on my right arm but they became rashes. Also a rash on my neck. I didn’t get rashes else where. I did get that anti viral med from an urgent care. I had ~ a week of feeling really crummy and my sore shoulder lingered for months after |
Anonymous
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This is NOT shingles. Shingles as a rule is unilateral and in a single derm stone, not multiple ones that are on opposite sides and non adjacent. It is also burning/painful before the vesicles appear.
There are other causes for skipped areas of tingling. |
Anonymous
| Lots and lots of sleep and rest. |
Anonymous
| I went to urgent care. She said not shingles bc bilateral and non contagious body areas are tingling. She ordered labs and gave me an rx for steroids to calm down any inflammation that might be bugging my nerves, and referred me to a neurologist. |
Anonymous
| this doesn't sound like shingles but I would go to doctor |