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shingles without a rash

Is it possible to be diagnosed with shingles without having an external rash?  The pain is on my left side only in a band near my waist line.  The pain is horrific - even to the touch.  All symptoms seem to be consistent with shingles but after 2 weeks of this, there is no rash.  Narcotics, vicodin and darvocet have helped some but not completely.
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Avatar universal
I personally don't get any swelling or blistering, I simply get a field of pain similar to having a steam burn with no visible effects and no way to curb the pain.My attacks usually sneak up and I don't realize what the real cause of the pain is until the 2nd or 3rd day when it starts to peak. I can't imagine having blisters or swelling on to of it. Did the doctor say weather you would be susceptible to infection during an attack.
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Avatar universal
     Whether the vaccine helps or doesn't is the question.  At first we were told that once you get shingles you never get them again.  That was a lie.
    The shingles shot can cost anywhere from $250 to $500 depending on where you live and what is available.  it it not covered by insurance, not even by the military or Medicare nor Medicaid as we found out.
     My mother got the shingles shot but I didn't.  I have post herpetic neuralgia ( pain after shingles)  - when it gets bad I go to Urgent care and they give me Acyclovir to prevent getting the shingles again.  Usually works right away. (and it is covered by my insurance.)  
  So , there you have it.  Your decision.  

      Hope this helps you decide which way to go.
Wishing you the best.
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556885 tn?1245088527
This information has been very helpful, though, saddening to hear about how painful most are when afflicted with shingles. I was told I have shingles under my eye this past Friday, but I was not in the kind of pain many have described. It started after a very stressful event with stinging pain, prickly to touch, and radiating stings, swelling soon started under my eyelid. I took Ibuprofen to sleep, but it was not excruciating. My doctor sent me right away to an ophthalmologist, and he said it could be early shingles, but my eye itself was great. He said not take the anti viral Valtrex my Internist prescribed unless another vesicles erupted. I developed a low grade fever and more swelling. My husband a dentist suggested I start the Veltrex, I started it on the third day of these symptoms and finally today after five days, the virus feeling is waning as well as the facial and eye swelling. I am perplexed if I do have a mild shingles, but caught it before it worsened. Any thoughts or insights would greatly be appreciated. I am 56 years-old. I am thinking I should get the vaccine???
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Avatar universal
  If a doctor suspects you have shingles with no rash and he gives you the anti-virus meds - take them immediately!  Don't wait to see if you will break out with the rash.  The pain is immediate - so take the meds and don't wait.
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Avatar universal
  At 25 years of age I had chicken pox, a week later after the sores healed I had burning pain over 20% of my body mostly the upper . It even hurt to have my shirt touch my skin. I worked out side in construction it was almost unbearable. I now am 49 years old I have dealt with it so long that I am now accustomed to it's frequent appearances. early on it came on aprox. 6-7 times a yr ,4-5 days at a time now I have dealing with many work injuries, and the shingles seems to attack areas that are stressed. I will also wake with an ear ache that will grow to feel like an ear infection , it will even hurt when I swallow. A day later no pain at all.this lasts about 4 days.  I have a lot of nerve pain from pinched disks, so I take a narcotic which doesn't do anything for the shingles. but my doctor prescribed me Lyrica which has stopped it completely. I had stopped taking it because I was taking to many meds and the attacks came back, now I am back on the Lyrica and it has stopped it.
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Avatar universal
   Sweetie, I am sorry that you have shingles.  It can last for a very long time or a very short time.  Sorry. We can't know how long.  It's different for every person.  It is especially sad when you see a little kid with it.... how can they tell you how badly they hurt?  
   it is so frustrating when you don't have a rash and the doctors can't diagnose you.  I was very fortunate to have doctors that recognized it before my first "pimple".  But that was so many years ago that there wasn't anything except NSAIDs they could give me.
No anti-viral meds.
     I have since been to the urgent care at least twice and because I had shingles before, they gave me Acyclovir for my pain - just in case I was getting them again.  Thankfully it worked for me.
     L-Lysine works against Herpes Simplex and does afford some relief.  And the Apis helps with the pain.  Available at a health food store.
     Hope this info helps you.
Wishing you the best outcome
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