Mystery condition

I’ve had shingles twice and both times it presented differently. First time it was a rash of sorts, itchy inner ear and my face dropped with palsy, so rushed to A&E at 7am in morning as thought I was having a stroke. I was given antibiotics and anti virals and diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt Palsy and shingles. Second time I came up in loads of spots on one side of my face, head and unfortunately both arms (weird, but I did pick as I was extremely stressed) again diagnosed with shingles and put on antibiotics and antiviral tablets but the spots looked awful and lasted a year, probably not helped because I couldn’t leave them alone. It’s a horrible feeling, itchy stinging and painful all at once so I do hope you get over it soon and feel better.

My two year old granchild arrived for usual Tuesday care with hand,foot and mouth (see NHS website for info) - ulcers in mouth, little appetite, lumps/spots on face and bum/hand/toes, and not very happy at all. She slept most of the morning. she enjoyed lots of cold yoghurt and cold scrambled egg eventually. hope you find something which helps soon.

A lady I know was diagnosed with "Hand, Foot and mouth" recently - (see NHS website) . More common in children but can affect adults too.

This is such an informative post and the information shared is very helpful. Thank you.

Has it been diagnosed yet GagaJo ?
My DD had shingles on her face aged 9. I could hardly believe it. Blisters and pain. The doctor said it was relatively common in children.
I had a vaccine against it last year. I hope it works
Get better soon you and Blondiescot
Thank goodness for facemasks.

It does sound a lot like Shingles.

If anyone on here is over 70 and not yet had their anti-shingles shot, do go for it. Shingles can be so awful and debilitating.

They still think shingles. I do have scabs in my ear, so maybe it is. The facial ones are a bit dry and flaky now and the large area that was infected has a huge black scab on it. Really unsightly so I've put a skin coloured plaster over it for when I'm teaching on screen.

I do have the nerve pains so it does have some similarities with shingles. Just as well I didn't know at the beginning what it was or I'd have taken unpaid time off work (self employed) and as it is, I've only missed a couple of lessons.

I think I got it because I'm not eating much and had stopped taking my vitamins and minerals and so got run down.

Thank you icanhandthemback. I’ll put on the medical list again and pick up courage to ask why if refused as it sounds horrendous what people are going through.

Not sure what it could be. I don't trust doctors/hospitals.

If it's like small blister like / hard small lumps, it could be dermatitis herpeteformis (related to coeliac disease). My mum had this and so does one of my brothers. My other brother and I just have common coeliac disease

GagaJo

Shingles turn to blisters though don't they? And then scabs? I don't have that.

Usually, yes, I believe they do, but we are all different, and some of us react in ways that doctors rarely or never see with ordinary infections etc.

I hope you get better soon.

Have you tried dabbing the lumbs carefully with a little pure glycerin in liquid form? This cures blisters in the mouth, so it might just work.

I had hand foot and moth many years ago. It was a very small pin prick rash, nothing like you are describing.
I second trying to see a dermatologist. They can take biopsies to determine the cause. If it is shingles definitely get anti-virals. Hope you get the help you need soon.

mouth!

Too late for anti virals. Had it for nearly 2 weeks as it was hard getting NHS healthcare.

Gagajo, I've had shingles twice, and didn't have bumps or scabs either time, more a red slightly raised rash. It sounds as though people experience different rashes, very unpleasant all the same.
I really feel for you, which is no help at all.
BUT, whilst researching Google (don't tell me - bad idea) about my husband's toenail fungus I read that it could have several unpleasant since effects, one of which was hives and other dermatological problems, some of them really weird.
It might be worth following up on that first nurse's suggestion?

PS - cellulitis was one of them. It was a bit frightening so keep going with the treatment.

A timely reminder to get on a book the vaccine. Shingles lurks in our system from early exposure to chicken pox. I had shingles on face and got the acyclovir on board in time. Apparantly it does not protect me from further attacks and there is a one in three chance of an adult getting shingles. It is quite expensive and now is a double jab.

GagaJo - sorry for your condition and I have no answers but I can say that covid, and the covid jabs have left many people with immuno problems and this is predisposing illnesses of all types that vary from one to another. The evidence is now becoming available of statistically significant increases in minor ailments (and major ones) that occur because of low immunity (not to covid) but in general. Hope you soon feel better, take lots of food with vitamin C and B.

Katy03, that sounds rather like giant cell arteritis, also known as temporal arteritis. it can affect the optic nerve if not treated promptly.
i suppose they ruled that out in your case.
it is often experienced by people who have long standing rheumatology problems.

just looked up the cost of shingrix vaccine, £600,
for both doses, which is complete course.
so maybe i'll wait.

Milliedog

If it's like small blister like / hard small lumps, it could be dermatitis herpeteformis (related to coeliac disease). My mum had this and so does one of my brothers. My other brother and I just have common coeliac disease

Or pustular psoriasis - my neighbour was showing me these small lumps he had on his hand that he said were full of pus - and I recalled he had told me he has psoriasis (as do I). But I've only seen it on hands, no idea if it's plausible elsewhere.

I have suffered with hives on and off for the last 50 years and have had every test available. Still no diagnoses. I have a course of prednisone available at home that I take as soon as they start, it is the only thing that helps to stop them getting infected as I scratch in my sleep. I always wear gloves in bed as my skin particularly on the face has started to break down badly in places. It Is just horrible I really emphasise with your dilemma.

Many years ago I had a nasty embarrassing rash on my face, saw doc and skin specialist. No luck. I started taking flax seed tablets from Holland and Barrett and it was gone within 3 weeks. Worth a try as it’s non evasive and not drug related. Good luck

No idea what it could be! But I did have very strange lumps and bumps that appeared on my body - in ears, on legs arms and trunk - not loads like a rash but more isolated. My GP did a biopsy of one on my rib cage, which came up with no definitive result. However the biopsy site became infected, I think I was allergic to the dressing they used - that was worse than the spots, tender, raw, itchy and weeping - so I was given antibiotics to clear that up - and hey presto the spots disappeared in three or four days! No real solution as we never knew what it was....I think it just shows that our bodies can react to so many things in different ways and there is not always an answer. Do hope you get better soon.

Jannipans I too had Hand, foot and mouth caught from one year old GS in Spring. Had blisters in my mouth which were fairly short lived but then developed an extremely itchy rash on my buttocks which spread up my back which lasted a couple of months before some medication finally got rid of it. So it can affect adults too.