hsv-1 or shingles?

[ontheywent]

I'm trying to determine if I have Herpes Simplex 1 or Shingles.  I got a rash in a strip on my face about two weeks ago (it goes from my jaw to my mouth, but is not on my mouth except for one red dot that falls in line with the rash, and which never blistered).  My inner ear and jaw hurt, but it isn't severe.  My eyes have felt "tight"--kind of like when you have a cold.  The rash developed blisters that filled with fluid and pussed (but the tiny red dot on my lip never did, but has just stayed a red dot).  Now it's starting scab over.  Before I got the blisters, but after I got the rash I had a dizzy spell that lasted about an hour.  The rash burns a little bit now, but it just feels like it's healing.  I've never had a cold sore before, have not been kissing anyone with sores (though I have kissed a guy recently--so he could have been shedding, so I've read).  I have had chickenpox as a child.  I'm 25, which I know is young for shingles, but my sister, who is 32, has had shingles.

[gracefromHHP]

untreated shingles can result in lingering and long lasting pain which is why being seen early and getting it treated properly is a good idea - reduces the risk of phn dramatically.

this sounds far more extensive than oral herpes going on which is why the follow up is important.  

[ontheywent]

Thank you Grace!  I will do everything I can to get in some place by monday (Luckily I work from home--so I haven't had to be around people, but I do still have people who call me during regular business hours, so it hasn't been easy to try and find the time to wait in clinics all week  (I don't have insurance or a regular healthcare provider at this time).  But you're right--I'll bully my way into a faster appointment.

[gracefromHHP]

oh you NEED to be seen before that - as in monday at the latest. This isn't something to mess around about and honestly you should've been seen over a week ago.

abreva is pretty much useless even on cold sores. it has no effect on shingles. you wasted money on something that isn't healing things any sooner than they would've on their own :(  


the odds of this being this severe of a hsv1 infection are pretty darn low. as I said, this isn't something to mess around with and it needs proper medical follow up.

grace

[ontheywent]

Also (and I swear I'm not trying to be a spammer--just give you guys as much info as possible), I've now got tingling on my neck (that falls in line with the strip on my face)--even though the stuff on my face is scabbing over.  I'm using abreva (the pharmacist said that it doesn't hurt you if used on healthy skin) in case it is simplex-1.

[ontheywent]

No, I tried two days in a row to get into a free clinic but couldn't get seen.  And so I scheduled an appointment but they can't get me in until the 19th (I'm betting it will be cleared up by then).  But I've been taking pictures of its progress to bring to the doctor when I go.

[gracefromHHP]

please be patient. this forum is all volunteer and not getting a response in a half hour certainly isn't unusual.  this is all explained in our read before posting post on this forum.

have you been seen yet and had this looked at?

grace

[ontheywent]

Anyone?:)

I've been doing a lot of reading, and I can't seem to find something that makes it definitely swing one way--except that with the length of time I've had it, I'd lean towards shingles.  But what do I know?  Not much:)  When I look up pictures of shingles and pictures of hsv-1, they look pretty much the same.

[ontheywent]

Actually, it was a little more than two weeks ago that the rash started to appear.  It had been there by September 12 (I remember I had to cover it up for an event).  It looked a bit like a curling iron burn.