Herpes Zoster or Zoster Sine Herpete?

[mariegray]

For about five years now I have suffered off and on from what everyone believes to be Zoster Sine Herpete (Shingles without the rash)  It is textbook, it's like everything I've read in medical articles and journals and forums online.  Intense, severe nerve pain with underlying muscle aches, throbbing, stabbing pains, fatigue, and sometimes flu like symptoms leading into an outbreak. 

There are a couple of problems here though... 

1. I'm only 37 years old
2. It sometimes happens frequently (last outbreak was almost exactly 5 weeks ago today)

I have an appointment in October with a neurologist.  They've pretty much told me if that's what I suffere from there is little to nothing that they can do.  ANtivirals (bunch of bullsh*t, they've never helped before) and Narcotic Painkillers (noooooooo thank you!)

 

This outbreak and the last have been particularly dififcult because they originate in my left pubic area, wrap around my hip to my butt, and up my back and front to about bottom rib line.  The cutof is always exactly @ midline.  THIS outbreak started in right pubic area, butt, but my entire right leg hurts, aches, throbs, even the very bottom of my right foot.  Imagine getting stabbed in the crotch repeatedly by a very sharp knife.  That particular flavor of pain comes in waves, it's not constant, but it's enough to make me sit up straight and gasp out loud, which is tough when you'r the front line in your office..LOL.  SOmetimes these outbreaks last a month or more, sometimes only 24 hours.

 

I've tried to reason this out so many times in 5 years, is is menstrually related? Is it stress related?? I even thought at one time that it was related to wheat consumption.

 

 I am supernaturally healthy, I MIGHT get one cold per year, I can't remember the last time I had the stomach bug...my immune system has got to be rock solid and iron strong, so NONE of this makes sense.

 

There was a murmur of ruling out MS from a primary care Dr., but she didn'tmake that note in my neuro referral (I almost NEVER go to the Dr. people....except for ongoing maintenance for my asthma, but I'll tell ya, I'm hardly EVER sick)

 

Just frustrated, and in pain.

Anyone else struggle with this??

Marie

[Bet]

I have had several outbreaks of shingles, so I literally feel your pain. Would a shingle vaccine help you? My doctor recommended one after a year passes after my last outbreak. I do get the rash, with the pain, it's there, usually before the rash. For years, I had no idea what it was. I thought it was bug bites or poison ivy. I was on anti-virals once, I don't think they helped (I still had the rash for weeks) and I do believe they really messed up my digestive system. The only thing that helped me was topical lidocaine. I used OTC gels, but I've heard you can get dermal patches of it.

 

Shingles is thought to be brought on by stress. I used to also get herpes sores in my mouth when I had my period, so it could be menstrual related. I hope the neuro can help you.

[mariegray]

I have had several outbreaks of shingles, so I literally feel your pain. Would a shingle vaccine help you? My doctor recommended one after a year passes after my last outbreak. I do get the rash, with the pain, it's there, usually before the rash. For years, I had no idea what it was. I thought it was bug bites or poison ivy. I was on anti-virals once, I don't think they helped (I still had the rash for weeks) and I do believe they really messed up my digestive system. The only thing that helped me was topical lidocaine. I used OTC gels, but I've heard you can get dermal patches of it.

 

Shingles is thought to be brought on by stress. I used to also get herpes sores in my mouth when I had my period, so it could be menstrual related. I hope the neuro can help you.

 

Bad stress? I mean gosh, i can definitelyt hink of times in my life of greater stress than now, or 5 weeks ago..when the last outbreak happened....  Never have I seen so much as a blister or a bump or a hint of a rash......

 

Thanks for your input.