It started for me in my late 30's the 1st time I had it coincided with being diagnosed with strep, it was a little spot on the right side of my face, it was not that painful and I have had the same thing a couple of times since then that responded well to the valtrex and antibiotics. This past year (I am now 52) I have had mega stress. About 2 weeks ago I started with major pain in my right side, at the emergency room I was checked for Gall bladder and kidney stones, had 3 days in the hospital with rip screaming pain and then broke out in the rash about 10 days ago...it is slowly disappearing but the site is very sore and I still can't sleep for the pain, there is also the tingly burning sensation. I am a marathoner and practice yoga and weight lifting and try to eat a healthy whole food diet, this illness is soooo frustrating, I am so exhausted and sore.

I am 57 years old. When I was 8 years old I had shingles. It started as a patch of what looked like blisters on my right hip. They ran in a line that wrapped around to the inside of my leg stopping behind my knee. As a result I have always had a good sized scar on my hip. I remember the pediatrician telling my mother that it was probably caused from stress. My mother tells me it lasted several weeks. I remember hurting but don't recall being kept from any activities due to pain. I have always thought it odd to have been so young with shingles.

I had terrible pain from my shoulder blade radiating down my arm to my wrist to my fingers. I thought it was a pinched nerve as my arm and fingers were tingly. Went to my chiropractor and didn't get any relief. After my third treatment my back hurt so bad that I jumped in the shower. It was then that I noticed the "rash" from the top of my shoulder the whole way down my arm. I was lucky to get to my doctor in time to get on anti-viral meds right away. The pain in my arm felt like a horrible chemical burn with stabbing pain that at times was unbearable. On the third day of treatment my pain went from a 10 plus to a 3. What I'm experiencing now is extreme fatigue and I still have shoulder pain. Today marks three weeks and I think I am getting hopeful that the worst is behind me. Shingles are a nightmare! Oh one hint...a heating pad felt good on my arm as did Zostrax. Good luck!

I am 61 years old. I noticed two red bumps on right cheek; thought they were pimples. After about five days several more bumps appeared around initial two; I had only mild itching. Within two days more bumps appeared on my chin. As I had little to no pain I ruled out shingles: wrong! My doctor diagnosed it one week after initial symptoms. Within two weeks the areas were crusted over. I didn't know you could have painless shingles!

I am a 49 year old woman. Woke up one morning with a spot on my right cheek, thought I had been bitten by a spider. Later that day a second spot appeared about 1inch under the 1st spot. I also had what I thought was cold sores up my right nostril (very painful) My cousin told me that I should go to the Doctors, so I did and he diagnosed me with Shingles! A big surprise to me as I thought it would be a lot more painful. He prescribed 'Famvir'. Since being diagnosed I now have 5 spots on my cheek, and in my nose which is very painful with heaps of blisters. I have found that I am very tired, don't have much energy, a few headaches, diarrhea with a bit of a tummy upset. Being that I got onto it very quickly (2nd day of seeing spots) and taking the medicine, it seems to have knocked it on the head. I think it probably could have been much worse had I not acted so quickly.

I had shingles on my forehead and right eye. I went to Instacare and was given antiviral medications and pain medications. I thought I was having an allergic reaction to something but I was diagnosed with Herpes Zoser Opthamalicus. I was immediately sent to the eye doctor and prescribed 5 different eye drops and the acute headaches began. After 3 months of treatment my vision slowly came back but I still have a 5% loss and have glasses to correct the problem. I still have occasional headaches and some numbness on my right eyebrow. The most concerning thing to me is I feel a loss of the ability to focus and concentrate and put things together. The Doctors have said that it has affected my trigeminal nerve. I am now wondering if there has been some permanent nerve damage that is causing cognitive problems.