Oh Shi...

Many years ago I had a brow waxing debacle that started with half of my face swelling up and ended with antibiotics. I will always remember the party we attended that night and the stories I concocted to avoid explaining that I would apparently rather look like a beaten pumpkin than Leonid Brezhnev.

Anyway, when I woke up yesterday and discovered that I had a warm, red spot on my neck I assumed that I had somehow gotten another skin infection although I could not for the life of me figure out how. The redness spread throughout the day and by this morning even Steve (who is always so brave in the face of my afflictions) was willing to admit that I might need more medical attention than google was able to provide.

I made an appointment with the first person who had time at our primary clinic and wound up seeing a guy who put the B in Breezy. He walked into the room, glanced at my neck, said, "Oh! So you have shingles! Let me print out some information for you. Where do you want me to send the prescriptions?"

I said, "Wait. What? Shingles? Nonsense."

He said, "Definitely shingles. Caused by the same virus that gave you chickenpox. Lies dormant for years and then... there you go."

"But I never had the chickenpox."

"Probably had such a mild case that you or your parents didn't even realized it."

I said, "No. Never."

He said, "Ah, well, did you ever get the vaccine?"

And I said, "Yes, actually, several times but... ."

He cut me off. "They don't do it several times. Just the once plus maybe a booster. Where do you want your prescriptions?"

I told him our pharmacy and then asked, "Prescriptions? Plural?" and he said, "You'll want to start an anti-viral right away and most people find that they require prescription pain relief. We use either k;jhhdf*^% or ueyruhf7fy [don't remember] although you'll want to be careful as they are both powerful sedatives."

I told him I was only mildly uncomfortable and would pass on the narcotics and he said, "Hmmmm wellllll just call if you change your mind."

Then he left and I was never able to tell him about my chickenpox saga but you'll listen to me, right?

I never got the chickenpox as a child, even when that entire slumber party was felled by them in the fifth grade. We assumed that I must've had a subclinical case at some point and left it at that until twenty'ish years later when we started trying to, you know, conceive. I went to see a doctor (because that is what the internet tells you to do) and he stared at me blankly when I said I was there because we wanted to start a family. I think he was afraid that I was going to ask where babies come from and when I explained that I knew that part I just wanted to make sure I was all optimal and whatnot he said, "Huh. Well. Start taking vitamins, eat well, exercise, drink plenty of water and how about a chickenpox vaccine?" I said, sure.

Several years later I went to do IVF in Maryland and they required either a chickenpox vaccine or proof via a blood test that one possessed some immunity. I opted for the titer and was surprised to learn that I did not have any immunity to chickenpox. So I got the vaccine. Again. OK? OK. Well! Mark this.

A scant two years or so later I did IVF in Minnesota and went through the whole vaccine/titer thing again. Since my vaccination records were in Maryland and it seemed like a hassle to have them sent I asked that they check my blood. Lo and behold, I was again negative for whatever it was they look for and at that point I said this is weird and I am not getting vaccinated again, what do I have to sign to waive it?

So! When I say I have never had chickenpox I mean that I have never had chickenpox and when I say that I have been vaccinated for it more than once I mean that I have been vaccinated for it more than once.

There. Thank you for not walking out the door before I was able to share that fascinating piece of trivia.

And yet now I have shingles so obviously somehow, some time I have had the virus. Damn it.

PS I just remembered Monthy Python and their sketch about Death and the dinner party. I'm the lady who trails out the door to the afterworld, saying, "But... I didn't eat the salmon."

Comments

[Shelly]

So sorry about the shingles! My husband had them and he was miserable for weeks. Antivirals to help, which is nice there is something to help.
That has happened to me with measles. I have had the vaccines and actually had a horrible case of them. I still show I have never had them, so I have to get a yearly booster MMR.

[a]

Or maybe a second opinion is in order?

[Mary S]

That's bizarre! Shingles are not fun. I remember my dad suffered with them when I was a kid and he passed chickenpox along to my sister and I because of it. Get better soon.

[Sarah Wynde]

Oh, call him back right away and get the narcotics! Really, truly, get the drugs. If you don't need them great, but if you do, you want them easily accessible. Shingles was...wow. One of the most miserable periods of my life. So, so, so painful. I was sick for five weeks and the nerve pain was agonizing. It's how I imagine being Tasered must feel. I refilled a Vicodin prescription three times, I think.

[Cagey]

I had the same issue with the rubella titer and vaccine. They always tell me I need to be vaccinated again, and now I just refuse it. I ALSO had a doctor seem to think that perhaps I didn't know where babies come from. I had been charting and we had been unsuccessful getting pregnant and I was mentioning it to my doctor, and she looked at me all sideeyed and asked, seriously, if I had been having vaginal intercourse without a condom. Later I asked for my records to move them to another doctor and saw where she had written in my chart that I was terribly uptight and high stress for asking about fertility, and that was why I wasn't pregnant (turns out it's actually endometriosis and blocked tubes, not "stress" - hence switching doctors). Anyway, I hear you.

[Courtney]

Long time reader who NEVER EVER comments here. Get the drugs. I'm 25 and got Shingles when I was 23 and recovering from H1N1 and it was one of the worst experiences of my (short) life. It was my last semester of college and there was no way for me to stay home sick from class without not being able to graduate so I had to go to class(and work) braless in oversized sweatshirts for 3 weeks. My shingles went right under my bra band and there was no comfortable way to sleep, sit, stand or be. Just get the drugs, even if you don't need them, it's better to be safe than sorry. :)

[mar]

I too had shingles, except that instead of having it someplace inconspicuous, I had it on my FACE. Yes, my face. Swelled my right eye closed, scarred my face, and left me still with tingly nerves years later. Get. The. Drugs. Even if you only use/need them at night - truly worth it. Take all of the anti-virals, and even if you are not a fan of prednisone, it will help if the itching gets out of control.

[Amanda P.]

Third or fourthing the "get the painkillers and take all of the anti-virals." I had a very mild case of shingles (or as the nurse said "oh, I know what that is and I'm not coming near you" but waited until the doctor was present to tell me I had herpes zoster. It took 30 minutes before someone actually said "shingles." That was almost a decade ago and I STILL get phantom nerve pain when I get stressed.

Get the pills.

[Anne]

So sorry.
When I got the shingles shot several years ago, I was told that people who had had shingles could get it again, but could not have the shingles shot.
Now I hear that the thinking has changed, and you can have the shot some six months after you are over the shingles.
Considering your history, you might not benefit from it. But maybe you would.

[Jayne]

I had shingles 40 years ago when I was 12 and I had what I still say are the worst headaches I've ever had in my life. I was OK for the first couple of days, but then for 10 days I couldn't bear to be touched. Couldn't even have a sheet covering me in bed. Shingles pain is worse than an impacted wisdom tooth.

Seriously, get the drugs.

[Erica]

On a sunnier note, I had shingles when I was 17. It was right under my bra band, and it was irritating but not debilitating and went away fairly quickly without me doing much of anything. I didn't need a pain killer stronger than Advil. So maybe it'll be like that. (I was in high school and a 34D and there was NO WAY I was going to school without a bra, luckily Mom and Dr. agreed and I got a note to stay home for a week or two.)

[Jillian]

I don't disagree about getting the drugs, just in case. But I wanted to offer that I had shingles a few years ago and it was fairly uncomfortable, but definitely not terrible. It could go that way for you, too.

[Sara]

I also had a doctor (who was herself pregnant at the time) look at me verrry funny when I went in asking for a preconception check-up because it had been like a decade since I'd had bloodwork done. It seemed reasonable to me but I guess it was a strange request? I still don't understand why. I then received a very uncomfortable lecture about how the menstrual cycle works. I may be a (sortof) young parent but I also have a graduate degree in developmental biology thankyouverymuch and I understand where babies come from.

[DA]

Get the drugs! My dad had shingles and it was very painful. I think it hurts more when the redness goes away. I had a doctor harrass me to go on birth control at my postpartum visit after we spent 2 years and $60,000 on the highest level of IVF. She was concerned I would get pregnant again right away. There was NO chance of that in our case and I told her I'd be thrilled if that happened. I could save a ton of money. Why would I fuss with (and pay for) that for no reason?!

[Just Me]

I'm with you on the cannot gain immunity thing. I actually had a few pox but I was an infant with my mother's immunities. Between that and not catching them when only 2 other kids in my 2nd grade class didn't, sharing a bedroom with a sister had them, babysitting 2 children as they sat on my lap and watched the spots form, and years of exposure to shingles at work, I was pretty certain I as immune. A couple years ago I had pertussis. I was allergic to that shot and so while they tried to give it in divided doses this was not shocking. Pertussis gave me asthma, which led to my family dr. suggesting a titer, saying it would certainly be positive and that to be 35 without it was incredibly rare. A few days later I got an email with an all-caps notification I was not immune. With 2 immune failures we tested all my immunities and I had sufficient by barely immunity to one other, I think rubella. I've since had 1 of the 2 varicella vaccines and due to a possible issue can't have the 2nd. So I may never get shingles butI maybe the only adult to get chicken pox and pertussis as an adult in a very long time.

Apparently I am weird with this but it makes me wonder because how often do people do full titers? I only did because we needed to be sure hep B was covered with where I worked and I wasn't immune to pertussis it just seemed wise to check.

[Lizzie]

I had shingles in my thirties and it started a lot like yours (I asked the doctor "hey...what's this weird patch" and it turned sort of annoying for a few weeks and that was it. So you may not need pain meds.

On the other hand, when I finally decided to try to get preggers at forty one and a half, I found out that I was not immune to rubella. Lovely. And I lived in Manhattan where lots of people are probably not up to date on their vaccinations. So I gulped, got the shot and waited all that time until I could safely get pregnant. (Which luckily I did.)

[Sarah]

I hope you have started the anti-virals ASAP and if you haven't, stop now and run and take one IMMEDIATELY.

Otherwise, yes, you may end up in excruciating pain. However, if (like me) you found the rash first and started anti-virals early, then it's pretty good odds that you won't have much, if any, pain.

Most people's shingles start with the pain, then the rash. And that's agony. However, rash, drugs, then some mild pain is quite possible. Also, I think younger helps, too.

I'm 43 and my shingles were unpleasant, but not bad. And I have a low pain tolerance. You are not fated to a fate worse than death.

[Brenna]

Another soprano in the Get The Drugs chorus...

I had shingles when I was pregnant with my first and it was worse than the morning sickness. I couldn't have the good drugs and was miserable. I did find that moist heat helped me the most (damp washcloth sandwiched between skin and heating pad).

[Just Me]

Sara with the sex lecturing dr....My dr. has been my dr. from the first month he was practicing. We're about the same age. During the first year of our relationship I had a few things going on in combination that made it really hard to diagnose my nausea, food aversions and vomiting. He came in the room and said "now you're SURE you aren't pregnant?" (knowing this was pretty impossible from my history). I said absolutely not and he said "well, it only takes once". I think the look on my face was priceless but also reminded him of my biology degree and general awareness of the body as a healthcare professional. He turned bright red and backed out of the room, just before I started laughing. He's never asked again...

[Heather]

Get the second opinion and the drugs. Fingers crossed.

[Jamie]

I also found shingles a drag but not misery. OTC pain relief worked just fine. By all means get the drugs if you are hurting, but it's possible you won't need them.

[Jen]

Huh. Now I'm wondering about my rubella. I was tested before I got pregnant and told that while low, it passed the threshold for immunity. So, we got pregnant, moved, and the blood tests done after I was pregnant showed that I *wasn't* immune. Couldn't ever tell if they were just using a different higher cut-off or what.

But I do know they gave me the MMR shot within 12 hours of giving birth. That seemed mean.

I wonder -- do we trust this doctor? Is there something else going on? I'm assuming your face matches up with google images of shingles patients?!

Heaven knows, google is as good as a doctor and hardly EVER capital B Breezy about illness. Generally, quite SERIOUS.

[Clarabella]

I am NOT a doctor, and I have NOT had Shingles, but I am going to hypothemotize that the two vaccines canceled each other out and therefore you had a theoretical case of chickenpox.
I am so sorry. I hope it is not a severe case. I have a friend who got it repeatedly for a couple years (maybe she didn't know about the vaccine?), but it was always just inconvenient and itchy, but not debilitating. That's the case I'm wishing you. Weird to wish you inconvenience and annoying itching.
But for real.

[BethF]

All I can say is holy crap! I always thought only old people get shingles. You will have to let us know what kind of shingles you get, the nerve pain one, bra band rash, disfiguring kind or diabilitating headaches. Or, fingers crossed, the mildly uncomfortable kind. I don't think you should have to pay for a doctor's visit that is so unsatisfying. I would have called a friend immediately & made them listen to my story.

[Jenny F. Scientist, PhD]

Well, a few things:

1) The varicella vaccine is a live attenuated virus.

2) You are supposed to get two doses about a month apart, which miiiight account for the low antibody titers though it seems unlikely.

3) The varicella vaccine is well-established to NOT prevent shingles. Which is why there's a separate vaccine for shingles.

4) I wouldn't trust that doctor, either.

As for the commenter above with low rubella titers- immunity wanes with time - that's just how biology works- which is why, for example, pregnant women and their families are now advised to get a DTaP booster to prevent pertussis. Or why you need a tetanus booster. And so on.

[Jojo]

Maybe it's not shingles. I know, outrageous for me to think that after the thorough exam you had from a medical professional and all.

When I had shingles, it started as an itchy, bumpy rash, not a warm red area. The horrible pain came later (like, I can't stand having a strand of hair brush across that area of skin because it causes so much pain, kind of pain.)

[Kirste]

Wow, sorry to hear about the Shingles. Hopefully it won't be bad. My kid can't develop titers against the mumps. And because they no longer allow you to get just the mumps vaccine, he has to get the whole MMR repeatedly. Fun.

[Carie]

Well that doesn't sound fun at all - I hope you get a mild case and it goes soon. I know I had chickenpox because even at the grand age of 32 I can still see the scars so at least you escaped that by not having it as a kid.

[Kathy]

Please start the anti-virals immediately.

I had my shingles vaccine last month after having shingles last spring.

I sure hope you get off lightly.

[Naomi]

Not that I'm telling you not to take the antivirals and get your narcotics to keep handy or anything....

But I am really skeptical of this diagnosis. You basically CANNOT get shingles if you've never had the virus, and I just don't buy that you could have possibly have contracted a case of the chicken pox at some point in the last few years and failed to notice it.

It's extremely rare that someone who had the vaccine and never had the virus would develop shingles -- not impossible, but weird as hell. The vaccine apparently didn't give you immunity so you COULD potentially have had a case of the chicken pox but you really truly would have noticed.

I think you should get a second opinion, because if this is a bacterial skin infection, the antivirals are going to do jack squat for it. (I mean, in the mean time by all means take the antivirals and so on but ... yeah.)

[Amy]

Hmm. I've actually had shingles twice, and both times it was caught well in time to take the antivirals, and both times it was gone within a week and I didn't really feel a thing except quite ill the first two or three days, with a good bit of achiness around the site (on my face), but not terrible nerve pain, and only until the antivirals kicked in. So, your mileage may vary on the pain thing, since you caught it so early. I hope you feel better soon!

[Chi-An]

Oh, as long as we're in for the sharing... I had shingles two years ago, when I was 39. Owing (ahem) to the location, the first diagnosis was that I had herpes. Which was even more of a problem than you might think, given that I had been monogamous with the same person for 17 years at that point. Who was also monogamous with me. Right?!? Hell yes says the hubby, completely convincingly.

So I was actually relieved it was shingles, even though it meant I couldn't really do things like walk, sit, or stand comfortably for a couple weeks. For the record, I didn't need the heavy painkillers, but anti-vitals definitely.

Good luck!

[Sue]

My doctor keeps telling me to get the shingles vaccine. Because of these comments, I will now follow doctor's orders. I'm itching already. thanks, everyone

[Nancy]

I'm pretty stoic but the pain was excruciating. Maybe get another opinion and if you have Shingles, get the drugs! Neurontin and a patch finally helped.

[Sarah]

It's funny to see the title of your last post right under this one. Like mother, like son! ;)

[Mert]

I think the chicken pox/low infection link has some truth. I had the chicken pox, which doctors say isn't possible. But I did! Once the normal amount, and once a very slight infection....then.....I had shingles in my twenties! Very unpleasant, but not life alteringly so. They only gave me a topical pain cream (lidocaine?) and no anti-virals or narcotics (bastards!). The pain was intense, but I learned to ignore it as best I could. It took many weeks to completely clear up. In my thirties, I got a twinge in the same area and ran right off to the Dr. (topical pain cream again). I keep meaning to ask my GP if I can get the (old person) shingle vaccine now!

[Mert]

Oops, it should have said 'I had the chicken pox TWICE, which doctors said wasn't possible'.

[Sandra]

I had shingles about 10 years ago - we caught & treated it *really* early and I never needed high-gear pain relief. Wishing the same for you.

[A Random Person]

I have to admit, I feel from your description of the doctor that he did not listen to you, and did not really take a lot of time to actually, you know. DO THE THINGS THAT MOST DOCTOR'S DO, like take history, ask probing questions and then make a diagnosis rather than pulling one out of his ahem, well, you know.

I'm going to second the calls for a second opinion, or at the very least, monitoring of your condition and an immediate return to a (different) doctor if things don't improve or at least, don't stop progressing within a short period of time of starting the anti-virals.

[Ellie]

I do hope you get a second opinion. It doesn't sound like shingles. Nor does it seem likely that you have had chicken pox in the last few years and somehow didn't notice. Even the mild cases of pox are noticeable!

[Tine]

What the...? How is that possible? Sounds like a question for one of your many friends at Mayo.

[juliag]

No conspiracy theorists on here? I try not to get too suspicious, as I have a good friend that is high up in the vaccine world, but the chicken pox vaccine (in particular) seem pretty shady to me. I think they are charging a lot for sugar water shots...and you are the proof!! ;) Kidding. Kind of.

[Robyn Foster]

Oh friend, I had shingles in December of 2010, inside my left ear. I was left bedridden with pain (and I have a high tolerance for pain - I delivered a 12# baby vaginally with no meds - for weeks. I took the anti-virals, plus hydrocodone. Even now I have ghost pains behind my ear, and I still have much remaining face paralysis/nerve damage from the random in-ear placement of the deranged shingle virus. IF you have shingles, I hope you don't have the pain I did, but IF you have shingles, don't be a hero! Take the pain pills!

[Kristin]

I have exactly the same chickenpox history as you. (I know they say you are supposed to get two vaccines a month apart, and I kept screwing that up.) I always assumed that my lack of chickenpox meant I didn't have to worry about shingles. Damn.

[Stephanie]

I had shingles on my face (ahh, so lovely) when I was 28. I actually didn't need any pain killers... it didn't really hurt at all, and it was only in the one spot. To this day, though, I can occasionally feel it tingling on the nerves there (like right now, reading all about shingles!)

I hate when doctors are dismissive when you tell them your medical history. Obviously you got the shot multiple times!

[Queenie]

Start the and get the second opinion. I had singles last winter, and I was fine without pain meds, but your presentation sounds a little off. Mine was raised, red, itchy, and pain radiated along the nerve around my body in a line (it was on my back). Singles generally appears in a line, as I understand it. But anyway, I was officially misdiagnosed (by so-called "great" European public health system), and by the timemy (American) doctor correctly diagnosed me, it was too late to take the antivirals. Although minor, I still have phantom pains a year later. My doctor said the antivirals would have likely prevented this. He also had a patient with long-term, debilitating pain because she missed the antivirals and ended up with a severe case of shingles. Thankfully, mine was minor. Don't mess around on this! Time is of the essence if you have it.

[Hannah]

Okay, so, this summer, my husband broke out in a horrible, blotchy, red, itchy, painful rash. He went to the doctor, who said it was shingles, prescribed antivirals, and told him to keep it covered and to take long, hot showers to something something something medical blah blah blah.

So he did.

And it kept getting worse. And worse. And his entire chest and face looked like a war zone, and itched like FIRE.

So he went back again, and this time, the doctor took a look at it and said, well, hey, what do you know? You've got poison ivy. And everything I told you to do was the exact opposite of what you should do for poison ivy. And it's infected, too! (he was apparently very inappropriately cheerful when announcing this).

All I'm saying, is DON'T GOOGLE MYSTERIOUS RASH. And if you're doubtful that you could have it, go see someone else. Because it just doesn't seem likely that you'd have poison ivy. Given the weather. But you could. Maybe. DON'T GOOGLE.

[KeraLinnea]

Yet another one clamoring for a second opinion, here. Doctors that don't pay attention, listen, and actually discuss the dx with you are my pet peeve. This doc sounds like he was in a hurry, was dismissive of you, and CUT YOU OFF. (Big sin in my book!) I would double-check his diagnosis.
I was foolish enough to wait until I was 15 to catch the chicken pox. I had pox inside my ears, on my eyelids, in my throat and um, other mucous membranes. Yes, there. I couldn't eat because the pox in my mouth and throat hurt too much. I sipped broth, but that stung, so I switched to pudding. Chocolate pudding stung, but vanilla was ok. I lost 15 pounds, (I only weighed 95 to start with--I was wee as a teen) and was so sick the doctor made a housecall. He told my mother if I wasn't eating again in two days he was putting me in the hospital. That's what started Operation Pudding at Every Meal. I managed to stay out of hospital, but I missed 4 weeks out of my sophomore year.
I am terrified of shingles...if that was my chicken pox experience, how bad will shingles be?

[Beth]

So I'm not clear - do you definitely have shingles? Do you suspect you don't? I agree with those suggesting a second opinion. Does the rash hurt or itch? This is a longshot, but when I had pityriasis rosea, I had an apparently typical "herald patch" on my neck that precedes the rest of the rash that usually covers the torso. Good news: not painful, no drugs required. Bad news: very itchy, kinda ugly, lasts many weeks.

[Brooke]

Oh, Keralinnea, that was even worse than my case. I got them at 13. I was so, so sick. And yes to the pox on the other mucous membranes. Oh God, so painful. I too live in fear of shingles.