Shingles

What a weekend!  Tanner went to his Junior Prom Saturday (another post on that later today/tomorrow), and I was diagnosed with shingles.  My stomach and side had been itching since Wednesday or Thursday and I couldn't figure out why.  Nothing was showing on my skin, but it itched like crazy.  Joel thought it had to be dry skin, but I knew it was different.  On Friday, a raised red spot appeared on my side, and that's where it mainly itched.  By Saturday morning, I had another smaller spot on my side.  When Joel got home, I showed him and told him something wasn't right, and that's when he mentioned shingles.  We'd discussed eczema, psoriasis, dry skin, but never thought of shingles.  I texted a picture of it to Alaina to see what she thought, since Lou had shingles last year.  She thought it looked the same.  So, after running to Hettick to take pictures of Tanner and Emily before they left to eat, I ran back to Jacksonville Prompt Care to see if they could tell me what it was. 

Sure enough, it was shingles.  They asked if I had been around anyone with chicken pox, which I haven't (at least not that I know of).  He said it could be caused from a weakened immune system or stress.  I was sick (running a fever, aching, upset stomach) last weekend, and I've been a little busier with work the last week than normal, but I've been much more stressed than what I was last week.  He saw the scar on my back from where they removed my tattoo, and mentioned that could have triggered it also.  Taking that much skin off my back and sewing me back up would have weakened my immune system.  So, I don't exactly know where/how I got shingles, but I did, and they suck!

Not only does it itch, but it also burns and constantly just hurts.  If I scratch it, it burns even more and feels like someone is taking an ice pick into my skin.  My back also hurts, which I don't know if it's because of the shingles or the medication.  It hurts to lay down, and my back just aches.  I'm taking benadryl to help with the itching, which of course makes me tired.  I slept for most of the day yesterday, and am already tired again this morning. 

The doctor said the pain is a nerve pain and could be permanent, which is why I'm on medicine.  He said it should be completely gone in 3-4 weeks, and it will go through stages.  It will blister and then turn purple/violet, before finally healing completely.  It could also leave scars (like I'm worried about scars....I have plenty for everyone!) 

I'm not contagious.  It's only contagious when it blisters and it's the fluid in the blisters that's contagious.  I haven't started blistering yet.  He said that there wasn't anything I could have done to prevent it, because they don't recommend the shingles vaccination until you're over 60.  I know I'm ready to be done with them already! 

In case you don't know what shingles look like...here are a few pictures.  It started out as the two spots on my side, and then the spots on my stomach appeared late Saturday and yesterday.  I also have a spot on my back that came up yesterday.  I'm assuming they'll keep popping up as the days go on.