For the past 5 or 6 days I've had a very sore area of skin around my shoulder blade and extending under my armpit on one side. It feels kind of like bad sunburn. It's not going away but not getting worse either.
Has anyone experienced something similar as a symptom of B12 deficiency? My B12 was 122 (range 180+) in November, 5 loading injections, nothing since.
My first thought was shingles. The pain and the area effected sound exactly like it, but I don't feel any worse than usual and I would have thought if it was shingles the spots/rash would have shown up by now.
I am particularly exhausted and run down at the moment - just been made redundant and both children have been ill...
Thanks
BI
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BlackInk
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I've not had that with b12 defiency. I have got sore lumps from b12 injections. They are large bumps that look like they could pop or be squeezed. They can you and just have to be kept dry. I expect you can get anywhere. I have them on my face neck and hairline. I've had shingles before and they are around the nerve in the area you describe. They look like oval bites to start with then ate blisters. Very painful around the nerve. I was very run down when I had shingles. A doctor wouldn't recognise shingles quickly and give you a sprays or cream to paint on.
Thank you. I also got sore un-squeezable spots after loading doses but this is completely different, feels like deep sunburn but no rash or spots, nothing to see or feel at all.
I think it’s certainly worth an early visit to the doctors for them to decide whether or not they think the rash could be shingles.
Whilst you’re there you can also point out that you haven’t been given your follow-up injection since your loading doses. I assume you should be having repeat injections every 2 to 3 months.
There's no rash. It feels like sunburn but skin looks completely normal. My dr has refused to give me regular injections and want to retest my B12 6 months after the 5 loading injections to see whether it's fallen again. I've tried to dispute this but got nowhere. So I'll just have to wait. Can't even take OTC supplements as this might make my test results look better than they are in May.
I know just what you are talking about - I sometimes have a weird tender feeling on my skin on one side of my body, usually my scalp and face and sometimes going down my neck and onto my shoulder. The skin looks completely normal but sort of stings and feels tender to the touch, like a sunburn. I can't say for sure it's connected to B12 but I have been diagnosed with low B12 and one of my main symptoms has been neuropathic pain.
Shingles without a rash is the name of my game.
* I urge you to explore this possible diagnosis to all ends. Living with constant nerve pain debilitates and limits life. I wish this on no one.
The nerve pain (sunburn feeling) and helpful b12 you speak of is familiar to me. I am going on year 3 of trying to complete this puzzle. My symptoms (nearing 50 now) started in the left side of face, wind hurt like an awful sunburn, water in the shower was like ice cold needles, chewing and talking were like being hit in the nose and mouth. Currently, we are looking into b12 for helping to regenerate the myelin sheath (protects nerves from exposure to blood vessels). My injury is on the left facial Trigeminal nerve, but this can happen at any nerve ganglion just like tradition shingles infection.
Shingles on the trunk is usually in a horizontal, dermatomal pattern and vertical on the face. The official title of this virus is ZOSTER SINE HERPETE.
We think if I had received medical treatment for shingles, sooner than 24 months (more like in first week or at least first months) I would be in a recovered/dormant state for herpes zoster virus (HZV). Treatment is often Acyclovir, but I had to try 3 variations in the drug class before finding that VALAcyclovir 3G daily works best for me.
It should be noted, shingles without a rash cannot be definitively tested (at least I haven't met a doctor who knows one yet). The active lesions need aspirated to get a positive test. Without the rash, you are going on clinical diagnosis. I had all serum levels drawn, even a nasty pimple tested (just in case) all came back within normal limits.
I recently had b12 tested it is normal-low, but my CBC shows signs of anemia, and more specifically pernicious anemia. In the current steps of having that tested now. My point being, without the proper absorption of b12 nerves damaged by HZV can be left exposed, causing constant pain similar to that during the highest point of active virus.
I urge you to explore this possible diagnosis to all ends. Living with constant nerve pain debilitates and limits life. I wish this on no one.
I think my chances of getting my GP to consider the likelihood of invisible shingles are pretty much zero. I'm having enough trouble getting them to take me seriously at all.
The burning skin feeling in my shoulder and armpit is still there, but less than it was. It seemed to ease after about three weeks and is now just there at a lower level but not going away.
Shingles does not always produce a rash. Research zoster sine herpete, to see if that fits your symtpoms.
Some of my symptoms match, although the pain was never unbearable. Even if it was zoster sine herpete there's no need to treat it now that the pain has almost subsided is there? I can't find any NHS or NICE information about it really, which makes me think they wouldn't be overly keen to diagnose it!
Agree with you on all points. Glad you are well. However, requesting acyclovir round of dosing for shingles wouldn't be out of the question, especially if you urged it. I've suffered for 3 years before it was discovered I had this. No, there is hardly any research on it.
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