Is it possible to get a really mild case of shingles?

[Crunchy Frog]

I think that I've had shingles but I'm not absolutely sure. I've heard that it involves a severe rash and debilitating pain which I haven't had either of.

What I have had; about 2 weeks ago Tuesday I started having pretty severe pain around my left shoulder blade. Over the next couple of days the pain became more localised to my skin with a tingling/burning type sensation over my left back, side and chest, all at the same level. I also noticed that what I had originally though was a couple of bug bites on my back was seeming to be more rash like.

I did see the doctor a few days into this. She said it didn't look like "classical" shingles and sounded skeptical that's what it was, but she did prescribe a weeks course of an anti-viral. A few hours after I saw her I did have a rash with little bumps all over the affected area of my back. I also continued to have the burning pain there.

I waited for it to get worse, but it really didn't. I did go a couple of day of slathering Orajel on myself, but the pain and rash seems to have mostly cleared now. I also never got sick sick (like fever, malaise) and was able to continue with my normal activities.

So, did I have a case of shingles that just never got to be fullblown, maybe partially because of the medication, or did I just have some weird collection of symptoms for no good reason.

Just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience. Also, I'm about ready to stop putting of the chickenpox vaccine for my boys. I'm just too worried that they're going to get exposed one way or another (it doesn't help that there was some kid with an obvious case running around the playground practically on top of them today).

[kittynurse]

Sounds almost exactly like my shingles episode (except mine was on my leg not my shoulder). The ER doc said it was atypical but there wasn't really anything else it could be. (I had ocular symptoms which can be very serious which is why my doctor's nurse said to go to the ER, turns out it was unrelated).

I would wait at least a month before vaccinating your boys since there is a chance they may have caught chicken pox from you or from the child at the playground.

[balancedmama]

I think that sounds like shingles.

[Pogonia]

I had a mild case on my left shoulder blade, also. Looked like a few boils. Definitely had the postherpetic neuralgia for a l-o-n-g time afterwards, though.

[KMK_Mama]

I had a mild case too. An area of my lower back got tingly and itchy and then small bumps formed...almost like a cluster of hives. They itched like crazy and then after a few days they got kind of blistery and started to hurt when I scratched them. I went to the doc and he said it was most definitely shingles. I was put on antivirals and they went away. It's been 2 years or so and I still get itchy in that spot occasionally.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I posted about my mild shingles in April. I never even had the burning and tingling before the rash appeared just the rash that hurt on occasion and really hurt if/when I scratched it. I posted pics in that thread to. http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1218538

As far as I can tell my case was totally atypical because of the lack of pain before hand. I was unable to take the antivirals I had a reaction to them, itching all over + my left pinky finger went numb on me and still has yet to totally recover.

About the cp vax keep in mind that childhood shingles is on the rise since the cp vax came onto the market. From what I have seen it makes them more likely to get shingles in childhood when that was almost unheard of before the cp vax arrived.