My mother had shingles about 6 years ago on her left side of her face and neck. It's too bad we didn't get her to doctor sooner. She is now 86 and nothing helps much. She can hardly hear and eyesight is now very bad. Before this she was like a 40 year old. She read many, many books loved music and now even with glasses the print has to be extra large. People think I am yelling at her when we are out but I have to talk very loud for her to hear. For nerve pain she takes Gabapintin but she is never out of pain. Go to your doctor as soon as you see these little bumps and save yourself from a life of after pain.

I was just diagnosed yesterday with shingles. For a week, the burning sensation started at the right side of my abdomen, under the rib cage. I noticed three reddish looking bites an inch away from one another. I didn't pay attention; I just tried not to scratch. It wasn't hurting, but the burning sensation was crazy. Even just wearing a blouse hurt it. Several days later, a circular rash formed on my back and one on my ribcage on my side. I didn't think of anything of the rashes; I just paid attention more to the burning sensation that was now wrapping from my abdomen to my side to my back. It had been a week since I had the rashes and burning sensations, so I finally went to the doctor and was immediately diagnosed with shingles. Now, the burning pain is on the shingles themselves. I try not to even touch them, but I just can't help but at least pat it. I'm on meds now. It has only been a day, so hopefully it won't be too long.

It started with a stabbing headache that appeared intermittently. I thought I was getting a brain tumor and so did my doctor who sent me to get a CT scan. Then the rash appeared over and around my right eye that swelled shut, and up to the top of my head in the right front quadrant. I went to the ER and was admitted to the hospital and put on IV fluids for three days. The rash turned into blackberry colored bumps on the eyelid as well as everywhere else. I was able to open my eye slightly after the first day of IV drips and by the second day was much improved. When I was discharged I was sent to my ophthalmologist immediately to determine if the shingles had affected my eye. I was provided Rx for Acycloviar, Gabapentin, Zovirax ointment, Percocet for pain, and a prednisone countdown. All these meds have to be taken at exact times of the day. I believe that the Percocet has affected my bladder control overnight because I am wearing underwear to bed and it is wet before I can get to the bathroom. I am 79 yrs old, I will be glad when these ugly bumps and the pain goes away and I can return to church.

I have a rash of blisters on my left side of my stomach reaching across my back. It seems to have centralized in a muscle in my back. Sleep can be impossible. I have Acyclovir, Gabapentin and vicodin prescribed to me. I found a bath with Epson salts helps the back a little bit. I also am a colon cancer survivor. I noticed the tingling began in my incision and graduated to the skin 2 days later. I also have eczema and I at first thought that is what this was.

I'm 17, and just was diagnosed with shingles. My first symptoms were my ear started hurting, like the upper part where my cartilage is. Then I later noticed that where my second piercing is was infected. Then the next day when I woke up it was a little red place on the side of my face that looked like a cluster of small little pimples. So I just put concealer on it and went onto work. Later I felt behind my ear and felt more. The back of my head was itching so I would scratch it and scratch it. I later went home and had my mom check it out and it was just like the ones on the side of my face and behind my ear. The next day, I just laid around the house, and when my mom got home I told her I wanted to go to my doctor and that's when they told me that I had shingles. The ones that is on my skin that isn't in with my hair doesn't hurt, the only ones that hurt is the ones that is in with my hair. They gave me an antibiotic that I have to take 3 times a day for 7 days, I'm hoping they go away soon and the pain stops. I have final exams to finish taking for the rest of the week!