Shingles lite?

March 17, 2009 6:46 PM

So I have all the symptoms of shingles, just...less so. Rash above my left eye, intensely freakishly itchy moving into pins and needles and stabbing pain in my left temple. Also swollen lymph nodes, et cetera et cetera. But I'm told shingles is excruciating, and this is more highly obnoxious. Could it still be shingles, or is that impossible? (FWIW, I've seen a doctor, and she was on the fence too)
posted by sarahkeebs to health & fitness (17 comments total)

You've had chicken pox before?
posted by storybored at 6:48 PM on March 17

I had shingles, and I had it on my stomach, it wasn't totally excruciating, and no lymph node trouble.. What makes you so sure it is shingles/may be shingles? Surprised the dr didn't know...
posted by sweetkid at 6:48 PM on March 17

The pain is actually a complication from shingles called post-herpetic neuralgia and often doesn't begin until after the rash has cleared up. I recently went through this with my father and the doctor also wasn't sure it was shingles initially - but prescribed a drug anyway, which was a blessing according to the second doctor he saw, who said it helped prevent a severe case of it. Sorry I don't know what the drug was and he's not reachable to ask. But best to go back to your doctor or see another one.
posted by meerkatty at 6:52 PM on March 17

I had shingles and it was never excruciatingly painful, just really irritating - itchy and sore.
posted by fire&wings at 6:53 PM on March 17

If the rash above your eye is on your eyelid or anywhere close enough to flake into your eye, please consider seeing your optometrist. If it is shingles, it can cause eye problems from the very mild to the very severe, but your optometrist will be able to advise you and prescribe anti-viral drops if necessary.
posted by amyms at 7:01 PM on March 17

A itchy, raw, red (but not at all painful) rash on my hip was diagnosed as shingles and cleared up within days of starting antibiotics. I never felt at all ill.
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 7:13 PM on March 17

Does it cross the midline? Or go below your eye? My mom just had shingles on her forehead in November, and similarly, had no pain other than obnoxious itching. The criterion that the doctor used to call it shingles, absent the tell-tale excruciating pain, was that it mapped to a single dermatome. The post-herpetic neuralgia did not kick in for her, thankfully.
Also, as amyms suggests, the one paranoia I did have was that during the outbreak the virus would infect new, sensory nerves, which can cause blindness or hearing loss. She went on anti-viral drugs shortly after her doctor saw it. It cleared up after a week and she seems none the worse for it today. She doesn't much like it when I refer to it as her "face-herpes incident" though.
So, no, it's not impossible for it to be shingles, but you should proceed with due caution and get your doctor to make a diagnosis so as to be best treated.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 7:13 PM on March 17

Sure sounds like textbook shingles. If your doc is on the fence I hope they at least considered a trial of acyclovir, and also an ophthamology consult. Please get another opinion asap. Even in the ED I suspect they see a dozen cases a week and could diagnose you blindfolded.
posted by docpops at 7:38 PM on March 17 [1 favorite]

I have also had light shingles. Kind of itchy. Gone in several days after a shot of prednisone.
posted by Zambrano at 7:43 PM on March 17

My very recent first case of shingles was not excrutiating.Itchy, obnoxious as hell, accompanied by pain and numbness. I thought it was hives. I wouldn't have even gone to a doctor if it hadn't been for this comment by kimdog.
posted by Coatlicue at 7:59 PM on March 17

If it's on the face and IF it's shingles (especially on the nose), you could have eye involvement with serious complications. Seek medical attention.
posted by gramcracker at 8:04 PM on March 17

A friend of mine had shingles near his eye and didn't report any pain; he thought he just had a minor rash or acne outbreak but happened to be having a physical with a doctor who thought it was worth investigating. He was lucky, because, as others have pointed out, it can cause very bad complications. So please follow through with your medical professional.
posted by synecdoche at 8:33 PM on March 17

Yes, Coatlicue's link was to my shingles thread from last year, and I too went to the dr thanks to kimdog.
posted by sweetkid at 9:04 PM on March 17

I had a small, mildly itchy patch on my arm, and my GP said she thought it was shingles. We didn't do anything, and eventually it went away. (No complications as far as I know, and I was pregnant at the time, and the baby seems to be fine too. No pain, and no recurrences.)
posted by leahwrenn at 4:25 AM on March 18

Agree with all the posters above. Shingles hit me on the lower back last week. Not extremely painful, but itchy and quite annoying (with the occasional stab of pain). However, as emphasized above, shingles on the face (even if only suspected) should be given immediate medical attention, particularly when anywhere near the eye. Blindness can result if the nerves near the eye become inflamed, and shingles often spread from the initial site of the outbreak. If you are within 72 hours of the first symptoms, you'll likely receive antivirals (such as Valtrex) that can significantly reduce the severity and length of the shingles attack and provide some symptomatic relief.

IANAD, but I would take a one-week course of anti-viral meds if my vision were potentially imperiled in any way. Your doctor should know best, but no reason not to be aggressive in treating this (and the Valtrex class of drugs have rather minimal side-effects).
posted by flyingrock at 7:24 AM on March 18

Shingles. Ribline. Hurt, not bad. Itched. No other symptoms. Went away. It's viral, not biotic. Be overcautious where eyes are involved.
posted by Askr at 6:43 PM on March 18

OP here.

Definitely heading back to the doctor then, since it's been a week with very little change, and yeah, I like my vision. It seems like it's too late for anti-virals, but best to have a doctor keep an eye on it (no pun intended). Thanks to all for the anecdotal evidence, since I'd been told "it can't be shingles because you haven't collapsed screaming".

More details for anyone who finds this post later:
- on one side, consistent from what I can tell with the c2 dermatome/supra orbital nerve
- first three days, madly itchy, and since then a combination of itchy and like someone's pulling hairs or pricking me with needles
- the sensations extend to the outer edge of my eye and my eye lid, but the rash ends well above the eyebrow
- also a hideous stabbing headache--like jaw-muscle spasms or ice-cream headache--behind it (possibly caused by several consecutive days of unconsciously tensing my forehead)
posted by sarahkeebs at 11:27 PM on March 21