Shingles 2 

Shingles 2

First signs of improvement

The balloon like swellings started to go down on late Monday (8 days after the 1st symptoms) and continued through Tuesday and Wednesday. I was just about well enough to go to a funeral on the Thursday. (My doctor confirmed that this was fine and that I was not contagious to anyone other than someone with an immune system deficiency. (This would include an expectant mother or someone with AIDS.)

The blisters

At first these appear to be filled with clear fluid, but this soon turns into puss and as you overcome the illness they crust over with the appearance of scaps (as if you had grazed the skin). Picking or scratching them may cause an infection, so try not to – it is difficult as they itch continuously.

Now Friday, 13 days after the first symptoms started, most of the swellings have all but disappeared. I have a large number of big and small scabs on my face and enough pain to persuade me to take pain killers before I sat down to write this.

My right eye remained free from the virus although the lids are still swollen and quite sore. The eye also seems very dry although the eye does weep at both sides. I put this down to the swollen lids preventing normal disposal of the tear fluid across the eye’s surface.

I still have a high level of sensitivity over the whole of the right side of my head, making resting my head on a pillow slightly uncomfortable, but sleep has been manageable for the last 2 nights.

The blisters/sores are offering an ever decreasing amount of pain, but do itch and look very unpleasant. My energy levels are however increasing and I feel far healthier than in previous days. Headaches are no longer continuous, but come and go and I can concentrate without the distraction of pain.

What you need to do if you think you may have shingles

You MUST make an appointment with your doctor immediately. Shingles is a serious illness and in the case of facial forms, it can seriously damage you vision and even your hearing if it is not carefully monitored.