Shingles and Reoccurance

[josey1975]

I have been diagnosed with Shingles (visually diagnosed, I should mention) and was given a course of drugs to take.  Since then I have been having outbreaks almost every two weeks.  I have had these outbreaks once a month for the past seven or eight years, but never had it looked at because I just thought it was a regular reaction to PMS.  I recently (Sep 2008) was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had my thyroid removed in Nov 2008.  My husband has been tested for herpes and he is negative, I was positive.  I have been with my husband for ten years so, highly unlikely that if I had herpes he wouldn't have caught it.  I guess what my question is, is it shingles or is it herpes or is it some other random skin rash.  Would a herpes simplex test reflect the herpes zoster virus as well? I have all of the shingles symptoms, rashes on the right side of my buttocks, the pain, outbreaks lasting two to three weeks.  And also two separate doctors in two separate appointments visually diagnosing Shingles.  Is it possible to have this many outbreaks?  I would really appreciate any responses from whomever may have experienced this nonsense or who may have an idea of what this might be.  Thank you.

[jagesh50]

Sorry about the typing error- Shingles

[jagesh50]

You do not get singles outbreak that often ,but then postherpetic neuralgias do cause pain for prolonged periods.I have heard of herpes simplex in a zosteriform distribution,since you tested positive.Polymerase chain reaction test alone can establish this diagnosis.Visual diagnosis of herpes zoster alone can not establish this.If it is indeed  h.simplex zosteriform it could be most interesting.May not mean much to the patient because treatment may not change much./vir.sgmjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/65/9/1477 - Similar
by WA Blyth - 1984