I've had it twice, on my wrist in my 20's and lower spine in my 30's. I was advised to keep away from pregnant women, - not sure if that's still current advice.
I had it on my waist and lower back as a child and it was awful. I ended up in hospital for about five days on morphine and whatever they give you to keep your temperature down. When I got home I was sleeping on the living room chair because it was so bad lying down, and my mum had to put calamine lotion on them which was so painful. I have scars from it but I don't think anyone would notice them.
I'm worried now after reading this thread that I could possibly get it again
I had it round my waist at age 22 I set of a round of chicken pox to all my nearest and dearest and some not so nearest and dearest.
I didn't even know I had had it till I was almost better and went to the Dr for something else. I thought I had hurt my ribs from bending over a cot to see to my baby and thought the rash was from the elasticated dresses I wore. I had never heard of shingles before that. We were fuming at whoever had chicken pox and gave it to all our children ( and quite a few adults, one had to be admitted to hospital) without letting us know.
My ex husband's nan had it on her chest and was in so much pain she actually gave up and died. She was a strong lady for many other things but this just knocked her completely, she just went downhill. That was very sad.
My wife was diagnosed with it earlier this year. According to her doctor you can only get shingles if you have had chicken pox, if you haven't had chickenpox as a child you can't get shingles later in life. Cartainly when I was a child our parents had "chickenpox parties" so if one child caught it in a neighbourhood it was passed on to all the other children.
He said the chickenpox virus never leaves the body, it just becomes dormant. However because it is in your body it can flair up at any time, often because of stress.
I hope you are much better now OP. I had Shingles in my 20's, when I was run down and stressed. I had a crop of spots across my back right where my bra sits, so assumed I'd become allergic to my washing powder. Once the blisters appeared, the pain of the neuralgia was excruciating. I can't imagine how debilitating it must be to have them on the face - thank goodness they can offer something nowadays, I was just given talcum powder to dry the spots. I tried to go back to work after a month but was still exhausted for a good second month.
Sorry I can't post anything that will help you, OP, but just wanted to mention that there is a Shingles Vaccination available on the NHS right now for anyone aged 70, 78 or 79. Encourage anyone you know of those ages, to get it. My dad got his along with his flu jab, a couple of weeks ago.
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I'm worried now after reading this thread that I could possibly get it again
I didn't even know I had had it till I was almost better and went to the Dr for something else. I thought I had hurt my ribs from bending over a cot to see to my baby and thought the rash was from the elasticated dresses I wore. I had never heard of shingles before that. We were fuming at whoever had chicken pox and gave it to all our children ( and quite a few adults, one had to be admitted to hospital) without letting us know.
My ex husband's nan had it on her chest and was in so much pain she actually gave up and died. She was a strong lady for many other things but this just knocked her completely, she just went downhill. That was very sad.
He said the chickenpox virus never leaves the body, it just becomes dormant. However because it is in your body it can flair up at any time, often because of stress.
Crumbs. I thought that I was unusual in having had Chicken Pox twice, the second time in my mid-thirties when I thought I was dying.
I don't know if it is because of this, but I have had shingles on three occasions and, oddly, it wasn't too painful - more irritating.
Both conditions are rotten though, for most people.