I caught chicken pox off a boy who had shingles when I was 16.     And..  the ex had shingles when i was pregnant with the boy.

Its not nice 

are the blisters watery?    I'm sorry Jen cos it wasn't actually me that had the shingles (I just had the uber-chicken pox) I can't remember how it started.

I do remember the ex having like muscle spasms under the rash though xxxx

I shouldn't really try to self-diagnose, but I'm sure that's what it is. It's already driving me up the wall, on top of everything else.

I also think the Statins are to blame, so I've stopped them. I'll lower the cholesterol with diet, if I can.

It started off just as an itchy rash, Ditty, then the blisters formed. It's just on one side of my back, just below waist level. There may be a bit on my right tummy too, but not sure yet if that's the same. I'm never very good at describing pain.... as far as I'm concerned... it hurts!  Don't be asking me what the pain feels like!  So glad you can book appointments online these days. I used to hate that trying to get through first thing in the morning, especially a Monday morning.

it does sound shingely 

funnily enough the ex said the pain was hard to describe..   and was a separate sensation to the itching of the rash.

Tis good you are getting yourself in with the doctor tomorrow..  

Look after yourself Jen xxx

I used to live in a block of flats and the man upstairs had them. He got so depressed by them he jumped out the window and killed himself.

Thanks longcat. I've only got two storeys, so I should be alright.   I have heard stories like that though, about how trying it can be. I hope if it is shingles, I've caught it early enough, if that's possible.

I will do Ditty, thanks.

Jenny. 

I`m not an expert but I don`t believe shingles starts from any medication taken. 

Shingles is normally caused through nervous tension/worry/sadness/grief...

I had shingles after my Mum passed away.

I believe it`s the body`s way of releasing that tension - as painful as it is.

The redness and blisters are gone, but now and again I still feel some itchyness around where it started. ( I think that`s my Mum telling me - don`t you dare forget me!  ) 

As if I would. 

No, seriously Jenny. Shingles does leave itchyness after it`s gone.

Let us know how it goes with your Doctor tomorrow. All the best  x 

I've heard the stories about it being a long drawn out thing, & how it can lead to depression too.

But the two ex's of mine that had it both seemed to have fairly mild attacks of it.   One was only 16..  so that may have something to do with it.   But the ex was 42 ish at the time...   and prone to being depressed & stuff anyway...   so I am surprised that his cleared up quite as quickly as it did. 

Yeah...   they reckon Pondlifes was caused by him being stressed over me being pregnant   

My heart bled for him 

I've had shingles Jenny. It's a dormant virus we get from chicken pox and it usually erupts when our immune system is low. I had it on my face and my head, it attacks a nerve path, thats why you tend to find the blisters in a line. It makes you feel 'fluish' for quite a long time too. Don't burst the blister as these are very contagious, and you can spread them to other areas of your body. The spasms are the nerves reacting to the virus and they can be very painful. It does normally lead to depression, I felt unwell for about 6 months. You may be lucky and may have caught it in time to be able to get some treatment for it.  My hubby had it 2 years ago, and he was too late to get the treatment, and still gets spasms now. He had it where you have got it. Good luck Jenny, I hope you feel better as soon as possible.xx

Never had it Jenny, but I know people who have and its AWFUL.  Hope your suffering ends soon. 

thanks Scotty

I'm not really under any form of stress at the moment. In fact, I've just come back from a wonderful week away with my daughter and granddaughter in North Wales. We had a lovely time with no stress at all.

I'm not stressed with the news that I've got higher than I should have cholesterol level, because I know I'll get that down with diet alone, like I have done before. I was actually feeling very relaxed!

So stress doesn't seem to come into it. If you google shingles and statins however, there seems to be some connection, although it also appears that doctors don't tend to accept this. Though there is a warning that they can affect muscles and nerves, so why they discount a connection with shingles I don't know.

I'll keep you updated after the doc's. After all, it may not be shingles anyway. (Though I'd bet a tenner it is!)

 Sorry, couldn't resist a laugh!

God it sounds awful  I am sorry for anyone who has this.

Thank you Sezit. Much appreciated.

I echo what Sezit said.. Hope you are OK soon jen.

Thanks Sparkles.

Thanks for those links Roxan, and for the tip about the cold damp cloth. I think I'm going to go give that a try now, as it sounds like it would be soothing.

Thanks cupcake.

You're welcome Jenny

I've had it twice.....first time 32 years ago when i was doing my A levels, what a 'mare, felt so poorly and there was nothing much to relieve the itching/pain in those days, apart from calamine lotion, which was about as useful as a chocolate fire guard. Second time, not so bad at all by comparison, can't remember what meds I got, but they were much, much better.....Get yourself to the docs Jenny, certainly sounds like that's what it is...oh and try not to scratch, (easier said than done!) I've still got the scars from my first bout!

I've never had shingles, but I hope you feel better soon, Jenny.

I had them around seven years ago.  I phoned NHS direct and described the symptoms and they said, it sounds like shingles but it's unlikely as you're quite young for that.  Anyway, it was shingles and I suppose I was quite lucky to catch it after around four or five days because I was quite near the point where it would have gone too far for quick treatment.

I was quite embarrassed about it at the time as shingles is more an illness of the more elderly.

Started in the middle of my upper back and then the front, horrible little itchy sores from what I recall, they joined up, it was on my upper chest. They're called shingles from the Greek for 'belt' apparently, as they form in a band corresponding to nerve layout. Absolute agony moving and especially getting up after sitting for a while.  After two weeks the itches crusted over and could be flaked off.

I had it on the upper part of my face.....stress I think caused it....and maybe working around children with the Chickenpox Virus............

OK now tho...touch wood....

i caught mange of me dog-that was itchy

I know that's what everyone says..   but Soops says she had it as a teenager, and I caught chicken pox off a lad of 16 that had it...    and my ex was only in his early 40's when he had it.

So with you as well..   that's 4 that weren't elderly.

Think perhaps NHS Direct need to brush up on their facts a bit.

My OH had it a couple of months ago....he went straight to the doctor and got a course of treatment which took away the itch and he did not have any pain either.....the scabs took about three weeks to go, but he still can't feel anything where the rash was.

Oh he was taking Statins too, but he was really stressed out at the time.

Indeed, it was only after I had it I found out quite a few people my age and quite a bit under had got it.  It is generally regarded as an illness of late middle age. 

Duds had chicken pox when he was 9 months old........then he had shingles when he was two! Luckily it was relatively mild, and he hasn't been bothered by it since (so far..)

Haven't got any advice to add Jenny, as he was too young to tell me how it felt or anything , but I hope you get better soon

That's interesting Kaytee. So could have been the stress for him, rather than the statins.

Thanks for all your best wishes everyone. It's much appreciated.

It is getting worse as the day goes on. the rash has spread a little further, and it is itching and hurting like no-one's business. It's driving me mad, but I'm not scratching it. Can't wait for my appointment tomorrow afternoon, and hope I'm early enough to be able to get treatment.

This ^.  My younger son had it, and Sezit has described it exactly to a T.

I hope you get the treatment you need, Jenny and are in less discomfort asap.

I'm surprised i don't get it every month. 

poor kid!!!

the kids got chicken pox when Ickle was 5 & Alfie was a baby..    WHAT. A. NIGHTMARE!!     I remember not knowing what to do for the best in terms of nappy, or no nappy...      to top it all off he got thrush over the nappy rash area as well!

Poooor duds! 

Mind you...   I was 16 when I got chicken pox..  and I had it bad.   Really bad...     I had just moved down south (the contact with the shingle infected boy had been at my leaving party up north..  he didn't know what the rash was then...   I was just too chuffed to have finally pulled him to care)... 

I had chicken pox EVERYWHERE...    I was miserable

Hopefully you can sleep a bit till then.  

It's horrible seeing them that poorly when they're so little. He squirmed non stop for days. I didn't know what to do with him!  The only consulation is that they're too young to scratch and pick at them at that age! So at least there were no scars.

yeah...  thats true...   but the screaming!!  (Alf was a screamer anyway)...    and just not being able to do very much.   At least the girl understood what was going on.

Just an update. It seems so petty when I think of brisket.

I went to the doc's yesterday, and as I thought, it was shingles. She said we've caught it in time to be treated, so has prescribed some tablets which hopefully will sort it out.

It's been very painful, and very itchy. I've lost my appetite (which is a good thing!) and I'm not sleeping well.

But in the great scheme of things, it's nothing. At least it will get better.

Thanks for all your nice comments and best wishes. xx

Hope it gets better real soon 

Good job you went to the doctors, get well soon, Jenny.