So I started feeling lousy on Thursday morning. I noticed what looked like a large zit on my forehead above my left eyebrow while I was getting ready in the morning and thought, "Crap! I have a client meeting this morning and look like a teenager!" As the day went on, I felt worse and worse and the skin in the upper left corner of my face started burning like it was sunburned or windburned. By 9pm I was in enough pain to take some extra strength tylenol.
Ned (as the kids affectionately started calling the large bump on my head) started getting bigger and weirder on Friday, but I was just too busy to get to the doctor. We had my nephew James' birthday party that night and everyone in the family took turns examining Ned under the light coming up with a diagnosis.
Saturday morning I woke up with a swollen and sore lymph node below my left ear. A quick call to the doctors office (thank goodness they have weekend hours) got me in for a morning appointment. Without even looking at Ned, the doctor thought it was shingles based on all my other symptoms.
Good news is that he thinks we caught it early enough that the antivirals (huge pills 5x a day) will shorten the length of the outbreak (he's hoping 10 days to 2 weeks). Bad news is that he thought I'll start feeling worse before I start feeling better. His prediction was spot on and I've had all the classic nerve pain, chills, other flu like symptoms and fatigue. L announced this morning that Ned now has cousins forming other areas on my face. None of these things work with being a mom to the minions.
This weekend K was in NC with D for a soccer tournament which was not ideal. A definitely stepped up and took charge of his little brother. M had a soccer tournament and I was able to get a ride with a teammate so she could sit the bench and cheer on her team, but more importantly keep out of my hair. Friends (thanks G!) are stepping in today and helping with the kids. Sister C is getting crickets today for me (I buy 74 every week for the animals) and bringing little boys home from school.
So shingles totally suck. I feel so old (turning 44 on Saturday). Doctor thinks it was triggered due to stress. Sigh.
I'm going to try to chill out today and rest. I have to get some mojo back to function at some level. It's just not realistic for me to totally step back. Trying to ignore the underlying reason for this happening in the first place.
Oh...Peg. I'm SO sorry. Jess can have a shingles outbreak when she's insanely stressed. She had her first one at 28 and was miserable.
ReplyDeletePrayers for a quick recovery. Hang in there. :o(
I had my first shingles outbreak when I was in my late 20s and they continued once/yr-ish through my 30s and then took a break. I've had them a few times in my 40s (I'm 48) and will tell you that once you get an outbreak you are likely to get them again and again, almost always in the same spot.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry for you (mine run down the nerve track on my neck) and advise requesting a re-fill and keeping a supply on hand (because catching them early is the KEY to reducing the severity of the outbreak (and given your placement, I'd be worried about traveling to your eye which would not be good).
And, yes, the feeling worse before your feel better is also spot on. Even if you contain the outbreak, the herpes virus that is causing it is taking its toll on your immune system internally.
Ack! I am in fear of getting shingles, and I asked about the vaccine, but insurance won't cover it until you're in your 60s. I'm starting to wonder if it's worth the hundreds of dollars out of pocket to get it anyway.
ReplyDeleteFeel better soon.
Oh no! Singles are horrible! I'm so sorry that this is happening to you.
ReplyDeleteAcupuncture helped me with both the pain and even the rash (she BLED me, I'm not even kidding. It was a miracle afterwards how much better I felt.) If you have a good acupuncturist or know someone who does, go. I've had shingles several times, always on my face, and anything that can mitigate the potential for neuropathy/paralysis/eye and ear damage without side effects is worth trying. I took antivirals too, mind you, and painkillers as needed, but the acupuncture seemed to help the most.
ReplyDeletePoor you.