Now look. This is too much.
Yesterday morning I noticed a few raised bumps on my arm which looked like acne. Then I discovered a whole patch of them on my shoulder and more at the top of my spine. I called my primary care doc’s office to see if he could see me anytime soon and ran into roadblocks, but I scheduled a video conference for next week Tuesday. To my surprise I got a call about half-an-hour later from the doctor himself, saying he didn’t want to wait to find about this rash until then. I described it and he prescribed some antibiotics, which I’m going to pick up today.
This morning I managed to take a couple of pictures of the arm and shoulder; I sent them to him. I got a response within an hour saying the shoulder in particular was classic shingles.
Now that’s annoying, because I’ve had both doses of the Shingrix vaccine. Obviously it didn’t prevent me from getting the virus, although so far there’s been no pain, so maybe it’s reducing that.
Good grief. The saying goes “into every life a little rain must fall.” I’ve had several thunderstorms this year.
I’ve had both Shingrix vaccines plus the older Zostavax, I’m not interested in hearing that you can have breakthrough infections! Hopefully they will at least help you beat this down.
Oh no, that totally sucks. However, as you know or do now, getting the Shingrix vaccines (and like your friend Harry I have had both the current ones and the older one several years ago) doesn’t mean you will not get shingles, just that if you do, it will be less painful and long lasting than if you did not. Not particularly encouraging but having seen what my grandmother and a few friends have gone through with the shingles before there was a vaccine, I am glad I was able to get the shots. Not pretty, not fun and extremely painful. Heal quickly.
Shingles is the worst disease I have ever had. If you are still upright and functional, Shingrix did its job.
That said, you should have a happy and healthy 2022, because you’re overdue!
thank you, Juli. Let’s hope!