Shingles???

I know many of you have had shingles and I have a bunch of questions.
First let me give some background. I had what is suspected of being Shingles that never produced a rash in Feburary. I still suffer pain from this. On Thursday both of my legs went numb. It felt like having a sock between my skin and whatever w touching me. Also maybe a week ago on my right leg above the knee but below the hip I had this weird pain a bunch of separate times. I would describe it as like a Charlie horse but closer to the skin and not relieved by moving the spot.

So tonight the spot on my right leg is on fire. My leg still feels kinda numb but underneath the skin it is on fire. It is spreading up my leg and now affects my hip and pelvis. This is just on the right side. However every once in a while I will feel burning for a min on the left side. My mom says that She has seen people who have shingles on both sides of their body. However I just (let me put this nicely) would like to know if anyone else has seen/heard of this. So my questions are

Have you seen/ heard of shingles on both sides of the body at once?

Have you heard of shingles starting in the legs?

Do my symptoms ring any bells on any other problems that you might know of.

Have you heard of numbness or the feeling of neuropathy with shingles?

Thank you everyone. You guys help me so much. I was just in the ER Friday morning and I do not want to go back for fear of being labeled a drug seeker but right now I can barely move. I am just laying here crying.

Yes I am on 30 mg of Cymbalta and 75 mg 3 times a day of Lyrica. I don't think all my problems are from shingles. I think I had a shingles outbreak in Feb. then now whatever started on Thursday night Fri morning might be a second outbreak. I have heard once you have had shingles you are more likely to get them again. I also have a compromised immune system because of the Humira.

The doctor is running tests for diabetes and all the vitamin deficiencies you mentioned. I will mention to her MS. I actually thought I might have Fibro and went to my Rhemi. I was scared to outright ask because I thought it would be like when you out right ask for a certain pain med. they think you are doing their job, faking, or don't take you seriously.

I may go to the ER. I just don't want them to think I am just seeking drugs. I want an answer. I did get a little relief, I have cream that is gabapentin, ketamine, and lidocaine. I rubbed that basically on my whole right side and now my teeth aren't clinched in pain. Thank you so much for your response.

May I be permitted to post even though I am not conversant in the area of Fibro, other than I know 3 or 4 people who have it and I'm given to believe it's extremely painful.

I'm not sure there's anything I haven't had, but I don't want to bring bad luck by suggesting such a thing. As a baby, I had the croup and Mom made a makeshift croup tent that I "lived" in for a while. I got the mumps, the chicken pox,...(and more, so moving forward). The FIRST time I had shingles I think I was around 8 (I wrote it before but cannot quite recall) and quarantined. Initially I had no pain or itch, just this bizarre blister behind my shoulder. Within a short time, my entire flank was covered in blisters and rashes that were both painful and itchy.

Fast forward. I've had shingles outbreaks more than once, including on my face and because it was near my eye, I learned it could cause permanent blindness and was (once again) rushed to the hospital. (I should have my own gosh darn wing at that Hospital given how often I'm there and how many admissions I've had).

In all occasions I had the blisters and rash and burning pain that was at a level higher than I could assign a number to. Each incident, the Shingles followed the nerve pathway, and limited itself to one side of my body. Spread greatly, like butter on a knife, but still, one side.

To this day (I'm 50 now, and my last Shingles out break was merely a few weeks before my hip surgery,...I took my last Prednisone tablet the day before admission). As always, all practitioners kept in loop.

I've never seen or heard of Shingles without any form of rash of blisters, but heck, I'm not a doctor and haven't seen all there is to see.

I developed post-herpetic-neuralgia ever since the first episode 42 years ago, and to this day I still have it. I may get little pink areas that get itchy above the neuralgia, but nothing compared to the pain you're in.

I learn something new every day.

Best of luck to you.

Sookie

Sherrie, I have had fibro for decades and this sounds excessive. My guess would be this is being caused by Humera. If you google "Humera and pain and burning" you will see why I'm thinking this. Humera and the other biologic drugs can affect the nervous system.

My rheumy wants me to take it for ankylosing spondylitis but I won't do it. The possible side effects are an eye-opener. So, this definitely would be something I would talk to my doctor about if it were happening to me.

I do hope you get to the bottom of this. It sounds like you are in so much pain. Feel better!

Sherrine