Shingles

Click on the thumbnails above to view larger pictures.

The photographs above were taken at approximately 7:30pm on Christmas Eve, 2003, and I am updating this site with the computer on my legs in the living room. Dedicated or what?

Without any exaggeration, they are painful.

I had chest pains for a couple of days to start with, then on Sunday morning, at around 4:00am, the pain was unbearable, and of course I immediately thought I was having a heart attack.

The symptoms that I had were like someone holding you in a very tight bear hug; one that you couldn’t breath in.

I got up, and at around 6:00am, I went to Antrim casualty to get checked. At this stage, I had no visible marks on my body: no itch or anything.

I was diagnosed with muscle spasms and after extensive investigation which included x-rays and ECG tests.

They gave me painkillers and tablets to stop the spasms, and off I went.

On Monday, the pain got worse and small marks started to appear; so late in the afternoon, I decided to pay a visit to Fern House (Chemo Clinic), at Antrim Hospital, with the hope of seeing my consultant, unannounced. (I had been warned about the possibility of Shingles by the nurses at Belfast City Hospital after the Stem Cell Transplant. Non Hodgkin’s suffers are very susceptible to Shingles.) I missed my consultant by minutes, and arranged to come back the following morning.

Yes… it was shingles. They had developed even more overnight, and I could hardly walk with the chest and back pain.

I was prescribed antibiotics, and painkillers.

As I write this; after being on the pills for two days, I am in a lot less pain, and the tablets are working.

Update.

After two weeks, the rash has virtually disappeared, although it’s itchy in one area, but thankfully the pain has totally gone.

Overall, I would have to say that it is painful 7/10, so if you suspect that it might be starting on you; see your consultant immediately.

Back to the homepage or Hit your ← return key to go back to the page you came from.