Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

thinkingagain

(1,235 posts)
Sun Jan 26, 2025, 08:03 PM Jan 26

I'm having a bad weekend

Yesterday I woke up and had a painful rash just a little smaller than a quarter
First thought bug bite than I thought shingles ( I had them on my side several years ago).
I also was having some eye pain
I had some eye pain ear pain temple pain allergy symptoms for awhile leading up to the rash discovery
Went into to Dr at first he was like usually they see more so I think he wasn’t positive but he did diagnose it as shingles started me on meds
Sent a referral to an eye Dr to check that and said if it gets to the eye or start having vision issues go to ER
Currently My biggest problem is the headache
It won’t quit
Can’t take ibuprofen as I’m scheduled for a colonoscopy on Wednesday
Ty lonely doesn’t seem to help much for the headache
Has anyone had shingles of the face and what if they had the headache did you do for it
I can take migraine pills but only so many

As it is the weekend I can’t call my regular Dr to ask for suggestions

Just wondering if any others experienced something similar what they did

20 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
I'm having a bad weekend (Original Post) thinkingagain Jan 26 OP
I'm no expert but if I were you I'd postpone the colonoscopy if it's routine spooky3 Jan 26 #1
Yes will call tomorrow thinkingagain Jan 26 #13
lay down in a dark room mercuryblues Jan 26 #2
Yes thank you done that thinkingagain Jan 26 #10
can you cancel and reschedule the colonoscopy? orleans Jan 26 #3
Will call tomorrow and see what I should do thinkingagain Jan 26 #11
Damn, dear thinking again, that is a bad weekend. MLAA Jan 26 #4
Thanks thinkingagain Jan 26 #7
Just had them for the 3rd time after the vaccine and booster.. yourout Jan 26 #5
I'm so sorry thinkingagain Jan 26 #14
Thought I'd share some information thinkingagain Jan 29 #20
You need to contact your physician to reschedule the colonoscopy. That would be considered hlthe2b Jan 26 #6
Yes I will call them in the morning thinkingagain Jan 26 #9
Yes, I had shingles on my face, a terrible case. LisaM Jan 26 #8
Yes I got the thinkingagain Jan 26 #15
Actually, I didn't have a headache. LisaM Jan 26 #16
I had shingles but it was on my upper chest. milestogo Jan 26 #12
How are you doing today? Nt spooky3 Jan 27 #17
Sweet of you for checking thinkingagain Jan 27 #18
Glad to hear you're getting care. Nt spooky3 Jan 27 #19

spooky3

(36,933 posts)
1. I'm no expert but if I were you I'd postpone the colonoscopy if it's routine
Sun Jan 26, 2025, 08:10 PM
Jan 26

Sounds as if you have a more immediate problem and need your pain meds.

orleans

(35,602 posts)
3. can you cancel and reschedule the colonoscopy?
Sun Jan 26, 2025, 08:12 PM
Jan 26

sounds like you have a couple other pressing issues going on right now.
if you woke up on wednesday shivering and puking from the flu you'd cancel. just saying... sounds like the headache and shingles might be more important than (i'm assuming) a routine procedure


thinkingagain

(1,235 posts)
11. Will call tomorrow and see what I should do
Sun Jan 26, 2025, 08:35 PM
Jan 26

See post #9

Although the puking thing

Last time I had this procedure
I woke up with a massive migraine and tried to finish the medication and started puking
They still had me come in

First time I did the colo no problems

But I am prone to bad headaches / migraines - but usually they get better
With the migraine med and don’t come back a few hours later
I did read headaches are common with face shingles

yourout

(8,245 posts)
5. Just had them for the 3rd time after the vaccine and booster..
Sun Jan 26, 2025, 08:15 PM
Jan 26

So one more time....
(sung to the Sound of Silence)
Hello shingles you old pain
You've come to bother me again.
I thought you had left now I am..weeping
This nasty rash was only...sleeping
The Zoster virus that was planted in my brain
Still..remains
Now returns the pain...of shingles

thinkingagain

(1,235 posts)
14. I'm so sorry
Sun Jan 26, 2025, 08:41 PM
Jan 26

Once was enough

I had planned on the shots this month and then kinda put it off and forgot

Face is scary tho

thinkingagain

(1,235 posts)
20. Thought I'd share some information
Wed Jan 29, 2025, 10:07 AM
Jan 29

When I saw my the eye doctor, she told me about the fact that yes, you can get a multiple times and if I do, that you can take a maintenance pill of the same medication you take for the shingles only it’s much less dose and only one time a day instead of three times a day for the 10 days

She said she does this because she gets cold sores, which is from the same virus basically

I don’t know if that would help you to maybe prevent it from happening to you again.

I plan on talking to my primary doctor about it

hlthe2b

(107,818 posts)
6. You need to contact your physician to reschedule the colonoscopy. That would be considered
Sun Jan 26, 2025, 08:15 PM
Jan 26

contraindicated in a patient with active shingles (or really any major rash).

Are you on antiviral therapy for the shingles? (Has to be started within 72 hours of onset of rash/symptoms).

thinkingagain

(1,235 posts)
9. Yes I will call them in the morning
Sun Jan 26, 2025, 08:33 PM
Jan 26

As well as my regular Dr

The walk in clinic Dr didn’t thing there would be an issue with the colo

It is nearly a year behind when it should have been scheduled due mostly they are backed up and short handed - so concern with that as
I was on a watch first a three than a five

Just trying to think of something to get me Through with less
Head Pain until tomorrow

Oh yes the walk in clinic gave me an antiviral I actually started it within a few hours of when I first saw the rash

LisaM

(28,968 posts)
8. Yes, I had shingles on my face, a terrible case.
Sun Jan 26, 2025, 08:31 PM
Jan 26

Did they give you the anti-viral medication? That did help me, and also, I just basically went to bed for three days.

Unfortunately the pain has never really gone away. They started in 2020 and I still have facial neuralgia, though that finally seems to be receding a bit.

thinkingagain

(1,235 posts)
15. Yes I got the
Sun Jan 26, 2025, 08:56 PM
Jan 26

Anti viral

Been mostly sitting in a chair

Did you get the he massive headache?

I I know the nerve pain and linger. I did pretty good with my side pain I suppose sometimes there could be a nerve reaction there that I always had tribute to something else but my mom also had them about the same time I did and she lived with massive pain till the day she died.
I was lucky the last time I had them because I was starting to break out on my side and I went into work and I was telling my coworker about it and she told me get to the walk-in right now.
I had shingles and she was right and the doctor when he looked at it goes we usually don’t see someone come in with it this fast.
As possible, it was the same with my face because the doctor yesterday was having a hard time I think saying for sure it was shingles because he said something along the lines. We usually see more and he had to leave the room for a long time I think to go and try to figure out with somebody else if that’s what it was.
He did say, if it wasn’t shingles, the antiviral wouldn’t hurt me

LisaM

(28,968 posts)
16. Actually, I didn't have a headache.
Sun Jan 26, 2025, 09:05 PM
Jan 26

I remember because it was during COVID and at first they wouldn't take me because I had pain in my head area, which they described as a headache, even when I told them it wasn't, it was pain on my face. So my treatment was delayed by several days (the doctor apologized for that).

I don't tend to have very many headaches and when I do (they are shortlived) it usually signals a cold is on the way. I can take aspirin, so that's what I do.

I have had a million trips to the eye doctor because they thought I might suffer vision loss. I didn't, but then I learned I had cataracts! So I had cataract surgery and my vision is better than it's been in decades.

milestogo

(19,376 posts)
12. I had shingles but it was on my upper chest.
Sun Jan 26, 2025, 08:36 PM
Jan 26

I get migraines and take sumatriptan or aleve. I would not want to go thru a colonoscopy if I had shingles because the prep is so awful.

thinkingagain

(1,235 posts)
18. Sweet of you for checking
Mon Jan 27, 2025, 12:48 PM
Jan 27

Headache not as bad as last night
Heading to the eye Dr
Then I will see my primary back up for the headache
Colo went ahead and cancelled
So one less worry for now
But pushed it out till April

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»I'm having a bad weekend