Shingles

[Circledancer]

Hi everyone,

I had terrible pain in my left hip and down the thigh to just above knee last week and was worried in case it was to do with my hip replacement. However on Sunday I noticed a crop of lumpy red spots on my hip which were itchy.

Called the surgery Monday morning and got a call back from GP who diagnosed shingles. She prescribed Acyclovir anti viral and told me not to take my MTX for a week. I emailed my rheumatologist though and he says to stop the MTX until I am better.

I'm also on HCQ and take paracetamol and cocodamol for pain relief.

Has anyone any experience of shingles and how long it may take to clear. My hip and thigh are still very sore and the rash has joined up into a nasty dark red colour but hasn't scabbed over yet.

[Madmusiclover]

Yes. Sadly had it on my face in September. I was over the worse in about 2/3 weeks but was painful for weeks after and still have 2 patches that itch and tingle; but no lesions. Sadly these might never go away. 🥴 We are all different though. Good luck.

[Hidden]

A friend of mine had it on her face a couple of years ago. she was in agony and it took ages to go away. Her mother had just died, so I think it was brought on by emotional upheaval. I hope yours is mild. Take care.

[Neonkittie17]

Hi CD, Had them in one clump in the same place you describe. (Happened November 2019 just after a Rituximab infusion.) Never had shingles before. No real pain, just red hot and fiery, soon followed by loss of nerve sensation in a 3x3ins area over most of that hip. Took Acyclovir 4 -5 days after I found the blisters, as no one from the GP’s or rheumy responded fast enough, so went to see my hubby’s private dermatologist who diagnosed it day 5 of blisters. He phoned my GP saying prescribe this med NOW. Those worked great and nerve sensation returned in a few weeks once blisters were healed and shingles subsided. I didn’t have blisters anywhere else but I did feel slightly out of sorts. Not unwell as such. I know of people who’ve had much more troublesome experiences so hope yours is milder as mine was. Took the blisters 4 weeks to heal over fully as they weren’t all healing same time. Good luck. 🙏🏻

[Circledancer in reply to Neonkittie17]

Thanks Neonkittie, I thought it was quite an unusual place to get them so interesting to hear you had them in same area. The rash/blisters have all kind of joined up into an angry red area about 5 or so inches but luckily aren't itchy but hot and irritating. What's worse is the shooting, sharp pains in my thigh above the knee. I also have swollen lymph gland under my arm on same side which is painful too. Painkillers help a bit but through the night is awful as can't get much sleep at all. I'm not a great sleeper at the best of times.

Thanks everyone else for replying 🫂

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Circledancer]

I thought I’d been bitten at first as I’d been in the garden. When my hip went numb and a deep purple and then tiny blisters, I was very sure it was shingles. I’m sorry to hear it’s affected your thigh and lymph gland, under arm. I expected to have more feeling of being unwell but apart from feeling tired (which I actually attributed to the recent infusion of Rtx) I wasn’t too bad. I have just remembered that at the crusting, healing stage, the dermatologist recommended some 2% menthol soothing cream for them but not until when the blisters were scabbed over. You could phone and ask your pharmacist if you can put anything on them and when, to soothe them? Many people say they can’t stand their clothes or bedclothes touching them. Even that hurts for some. I hope you are soon feeling much better.

[Circledancer in reply to Neonkittie17]

Thanks Neonkittie👍

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Circledancer]

You’re welcome CD 💗

[sylvi]

Hugs darling thankfully i have never had them. xxxx

[VeronicaF]

funny enough I had that in my right hip last week too, but no spotsits better now

[liveinwoods]

Hugs to you! I remember having shingles on my head and down my neck. I had a toddler to take care of and it was 45 years ago and no antivirals. Rest up and know you will heal!

[medway-lady]

I've only just seen this and had exactly the same in 2016, the pain was awful so got admitted to hospital. I was prescribed Pregabalin which worked well and am still on Acyclivor half dose as a preventative. For me it went on for weeks, I used to get intense neuropathic pain but its now just like pins and needles in my leg sometimes.

[Circledancer in reply to medway-lady]

Sorry to hear that your shingles is still causing problems years later, medway - lady. I'm praying mine just toddles off and stays away. The pain in my thigh last night was intense burning interspersed with electric shock like pains. I was almost in tears 😢. Xx

[medway-lady in reply to Circledancer]

Sorry liking this is not how its meant. If the scabs are dry then I found Deep Freeze cream worked for a while. But Pregabalin was best and back then the NHS's Capisacum ointment was not available as the chilli harvest failed. I know its such awful pain. I too thought my hip was cracked and did you know its the only place on the human body the nerve endings can be clearly seen on the surface? I had medical students visit to see my left leg and photograph it. Please don't put up with the pain its worth asking the GP for help as I found paracetamol didn't touch it. I even tried Canaboid cream again didn't do anything but cost a fortune. I really hope your feeling better soon. x