Hey everyone new here, just been researching Shingles on the net as I'm one of these people that likes to be nosey with anything that I got!
I'm on day 5 of Shingles now and I'm worried it's not getting any better! The rash first came out on Monday, there was nothing on Sunday, I also don't recall any pain before the rash developed?? and then bam it's there Monday at first I thought it was due to me sweating in my sleep and it being prickly heat, so I didn't really do anything about
it. I had work then on Tuesday (I work in a Supermarket as a Supervisor) and I asked one of my work colleagues for advice on it, could it still be prickly heat, allergic reaction or a general rash? One of them said straight away it looked like Shingles. So on my lunch break I went to Boots Pharmacy and saw a lady who also said it looked like Shingles but wanted me to get a second opinion. (Which I suppose is the right thing to do?) anyway, I eventually got an appointment on Wednesday morning at 9am! The doctor gave me Aciclovor tablets and it's a 7 day course. 5 tablets a day. The rash is soooo irritating I can't cope. It does not seem to be getting any better.
I know I'm only on day 3 of taking the tablets but I've been reading up it takes weeks to heal in some cases. I have such an active lifestyle, I'm a young boy of 21. I regulary work out at the gym, I'm constantly running and my job itself is a 40+ a week job. I can't afford to be off work with it - and also can someone please tell me at what stage am I NOT contagious anymore. I feel like I have the plague already and I'm getting huge cabin fever from being stuck in all day and night. It's a huge change from my normal, busy lifestyle!!
How else do I stop the itching? Is there not a cream for Shingles. At the moment I'm using Calamile Lotion and it's not really helping much!
Any help is appreciated please!! I think I'm losing the will to live!
Oh the rash is on the right side of my chest just under the nipple.
Post Edited (Rossus) : 5/10/2012 5:15:55 PM (GMT-6)