OT: Shingles!

bfit · 08-30-22, 02:50 PM

I have shingles in my mouth with facial pain. It started out as weird tingling in my face, then sores in my mouth, and then tooth pain. I thought I had a dental problem, but my dentist sent me to the doctor. By that time I was feeling bad all over with a headache and flu like symptoms. I am taking an anti viral drug, but it's really too late for it to be most effective at this point. I'm really bummed because I did get the two recommended Shingrix shots, and now I still have shingles. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? How long did it take to get better? Right now I still have a few sores, my face is still hurting, and I am exhausted. It's been about 10 days total now from the first tingles to this.

Erica H. · 08-30-22, 03:00 PM

No experience, but I'm so sorry this happened to you and hope you feel better soon. That's awful.

Erica

Lori_Michigan · 08-30-22, 03:09 PM

Gosh I'm sorry, my husband had shingles back in 2020 right at the start of covid. He had it on his face near his eye. He has had covid twice now, sports injuries, three knee surgeries, two abdominal surgeries, and mono as an adult -- but he said he'd never felt worse than shingles.

It took about a week to show up, with very confusing symptoms at the time since it was at the start of covid. His doctor initially was baffled. I talked him into going to the ER when it got worse and they said it was shingles. The time had passed for when the anti-viral was supposed to work, but I think it still helped. He had to take a week off work and barely got out of bed. All told, it took a few weeks to recover.

He has since raised his vitamin D level and supplements with daily anti-viral natural supplements. He also has to watch his stress level since stress can bring it on. So far, it hasn't returned thankfully.

I hope you're feeling better soon, and it really is just like any other viral infection -- rest, fluids, sleep, and take really good care of yourself!

cataddict · 08-30-22, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bfit

I have shingles in my mouth with facial pain. It started out as weird tingling in my face, then sores in my mouth, and then tooth pain. I thought I had a dental problem, but my dentist sent me to the doctor. By that time I was feeling bad all over with a headache and flu like symptoms. I am taking an anti viral drug, but it's really too late for it to be most effective at this point. I'm really bummed because I did get the two recommended Shingrix shots, and now I still have shingles. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? How long did it take to get better? Right now I still have a few sores, my face is still hurting, and I am exhausted. It's been about 10 days total now from the first tingles to this.

My experience was not nearly as bad as yours, but YES, I got Shingles after having both shots! I got it on my back and it was itchy as you know what! It took several weeks to heal once it was finally diagnosed by my dr. I thought it looked like shingles but since I had the darn shots I thought "it can't be!" I also got the antiviral drug but dr. said it probably would have to run its course since it was a late diagnosis. I would estimate it took a month to completely go away. Dr. said it would have been far worse if I hadn't had the shots.

So sorry this is happening to you! It will get better (at least my case did, although it seemed to take forever to go away!)

donellda · 08-31-22, 08:51 AM

That sounds very painful.

My husband recently had shingles on his back. He complained about pain and thought it was a kidney stone again but then the rash appeared. He has had Shingrex in the past and he was due for another but the doctor delayed it because he had just received his flu shot and Covid booster. He could not receive the antivirals because he was beyond the qualification period. So it was basically lots of ibuprofen and benedryl for the itching.

Pat58 · 08-31-22, 09:02 AM

I'm so sorry you are going through this. My neighbor got it in her eye and all over her face, neck and upper body. She told me how painful it is and she was also worried over the eye situation. Fortunately she recovered with no eye problems.

I hope you feel better ASAP.

Rivercat · 08-31-22, 10:11 AM

Oh no! That sounds absolutely miserable. I was just reading the past thread about the vaccine this weekend because my doctor is pushing me to get it and I wanted to plan ahead in case of side effects.

Hope you feel better soon.

edensmom · 08-31-22, 10:44 AM

I got shingles when I was 34 I think? When I called my Dr's office they didn't believe me bc I was "too young" but I in fact had it. It was on my leg near the groin area and quite painful. I got the antiviral and while Dr said it was too late it helped a lot in my case with pain severity. All told I think it was about 2 weeks? I didn't have the vaccine as I wouldn't ever have thought I was at risk.

I had a college professor who was out for a month with a case of shingles.

I'm so sorry you are going through this! Shingles is no fun.

bfit · 08-31-22, 03:07 PM

Thanks for your thoughts, everyone. As for being "too young" my Dad had shingles when he was 16 years old. I am 65 so I guess I'm the "right age". At any rate, based on my recent experience, I encourage everyone who is thinking about it to get the shot. I put mine off and didn't get it until about a year ago, but now I'm glad I did it because I would probably be much worse off now if I had not been vaccinated. Also, if you have any weird symptoms like I did with the facial tingling it's best to at least call your doctor sooner rather than later. Shingles never occurred to me because I was vaccinated and I thought my problem was dental, and by the time I saw the doctor it was pretty late in the process for the antiviral to be most effective.

Luv2WO · 08-31-22, 03:23 PM

I'm sorry to hear about your shingles bfit! It sounds painful and I hope you recover soon. I guess if you had chicken pox as a kid (I did), you're more likely to get shingles later in life. I wonder why they don't provide the vaccine to younger people since more and more younger people are getting it. I know at least 2 people who have had it in their 30's recently.

Glad you had the vaccine last year to prevent it from getting worse! Hope you feel better soon.

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08-30-22, 02:50 PM
bfit Join Date: Nov 2005	OT: Shingles! I have shingles in my mouth with facial pain. It started out as weird tingling in my face, then sores in my mouth, and then tooth pain. I thought I had a dental problem, but my dentist sent me to the doctor. By that time I was feeling bad all over with a headache and flu like symptoms. I am taking an anti viral drug, but it's really too late for it to be most effective at this point. I'm really bummed because I did get the two recommended Shingrix shots, and now I still have shingles. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? How long did it take to get better? Right now I still have a few sores, my face is still hurting, and I am exhausted. It's been about 10 days total now from the first tingles to this.

08-30-22, 03:00 PM
Erica H. Join Date: Nov 2001	No experience, but I'm so sorry this happened to you and hope you feel better soon. That's awful. Erica

08-30-22, 03:09 PM
Lori_Michigan Join Date: Feb 2014	Gosh I'm sorry, my husband had shingles back in 2020 right at the start of covid. He had it on his face near his eye. He has had covid twice now, sports injuries, three knee surgeries, two abdominal surgeries, and mono as an adult -- but he said he'd never felt worse than shingles. It took about a week to show up, with very confusing symptoms at the time since it was at the start of covid. His doctor initially was baffled. I talked him into going to the ER when it got worse and they said it was shingles. The time had passed for when the anti-viral was supposed to work, but I think it still helped. He had to take a week off work and barely got out of bed. All told, it took a few weeks to recover. He has since raised his vitamin D level and supplements with daily anti-viral natural supplements. He also has to watch his stress level since stress can bring it on. So far, it hasn't returned thankfully. I hope you're feeling better soon, and it really is just like any other viral infection -- rest, fluids, sleep, and take really good care of yourself!

08-31-22, 08:51 AM
donellda Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Canada	That sounds very painful. My husband recently had shingles on his back. He complained about pain and thought it was a kidney stone again but then the rash appeared. He has had Shingrex in the past and he was due for another but the doctor delayed it because he had just received his flu shot and Covid booster. He could not receive the antivirals because he was beyond the qualification period. So it was basically lots of ibuprofen and benedryl for the itching. __________________ Donna

08-31-22, 09:02 AM
Pat58 VF Supporter Join Date: May 2002 Location: Connecticut	I'm so sorry you are going through this. My neighbor got it in her eye and all over her face, neck and upper body. She told me how painful it is and she was also worried over the eye situation. Fortunately she recovered with no eye problems. I hope you feel better ASAP.

08-31-22, 10:11 AM
Rivercat VF Supporter Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Northern Calif	Oh no! That sounds absolutely miserable. I was just reading the past thread about the vaccine this weekend because my doctor is pushing me to get it and I wanted to plan ahead in case of side effects. Hope you feel better soon. __________________ Kate ~~~Inaugural Star Wars Half Marathon, Jan 2015~~~ "Work your own shovel" - John "The Penguin" Bingham

08-31-22, 10:44 AM
edensmom Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Pacific NW	I got shingles when I was 34 I think? When I called my Dr's office they didn't believe me bc I was "too young" but I in fact had it. It was on my leg near the groin area and quite painful. I got the antiviral and while Dr said it was too late it helped a lot in my case with pain severity. All told I think it was about 2 weeks? I didn't have the vaccine as I wouldn't ever have thought I was at risk. I had a college professor who was out for a month with a case of shingles. I'm so sorry you are going through this! Shingles is no fun.

08-31-22, 03:07 PM
bfit Join Date: Nov 2005	Thanks for your thoughts, everyone. As for being "too young" my Dad had shingles when he was 16 years old. I am 65 so I guess I'm the "right age". At any rate, based on my recent experience, I encourage everyone who is thinking about it to get the shot. I put mine off and didn't get it until about a year ago, but now I'm glad I did it because I would probably be much worse off now if I had not been vaccinated. Also, if you have any weird symptoms like I did with the facial tingling it's best to at least call your doctor sooner rather than later. Shingles never occurred to me because I was vaccinated and I thought my problem was dental, and by the time I saw the doctor it was pretty late in the process for the antiviral to be most effective.

08-31-22, 03:23 PM
Luv2WO Join Date: May 2010	I'm sorry to hear about your shingles bfit! It sounds painful and I hope you recover soon. I guess if you had chicken pox as a kid (I did), you're more likely to get shingles later in life. I wonder why they don't provide the vaccine to younger people since more and more younger people are getting it. I know at least 2 people who have had it in their 30's recently. Glad you had the vaccine last year to prevent it from getting worse! Hope you feel better soon.