Have you had the shingles shot if so it could be a very mild case. I would have it checked out though.

I have not had the shingles vaccine.

Jemdandy, that's hilarious! But I'm sure you didn't think it was funny at the time.

TV commercials and what I believe to be my own slight case is the only experience I have with shingles.

One night when I was home alone I was woken out of a deep sleep with what felt like a knife stab in my back. It totally freaked me out and I tore the bed apart thinking I had been bit or stung. When I reached around and touched my back there was a small bit of fluid, what I guessed where a couple of blisters. I had a rash about 4 inches by 1 inch. The next day my sister and co-workers believed it looked like shingles. It was slightly tender especially shirts rubbing on it. It lasted about a month.

I still wonder sometimes if it was actually shingles. Unless you go to the Dr, I think you will always wonder too.

Donna, a doctor should look at it. If it is shingles, there are medications that can be taken, I believe, that can help prevent a beginning case from progressing.

Too late for an anti-viral med. That needs to be taken in the first day or two, I believe.

Shingles rash could come later. sushi, it seems like the medicine can still work, even though, the sooner the better? I've not had it, but my ex had it more than once and he always good medication regardless of how late the progression. Doesn't help?

Skin sensitivity was how my doctor diagnosed my first case of shingles, but the skin sensitivity was accompanied by an incessant aching pain in my side toward the back, bad enough so that I couldn't lie down.

Shingles invades a nerve, which can produce terrible pain quite apart from a rash. It doesn't sound like this is what's going on, Donna, although skin sensitivity does make me wonder.

Rob, I think you are right. But get the meds as soon as rash appears. But if the OP's condition has not developed a rash after a week, it may not be shingles. I had pain in my back, kidney area, for two of three days before getting a rash. The rash lasted about 6 weeks, but I had that skin sensitivity afterwards for almost 6 months.

My (light case of) shingles started with an irritated skin pain right around my waist; I thought it was a belt I had worn causing it. About a week later a rash came out on my leg, far from the initial symptom. I got the anti-viral right away and had an easy recovery, so I don't think it's too late for that if a rash shows up.

Mine started with a non visible sensation on the back of my neck. I happened to be in the e.r. with my mil and the dr. was attending to her. My neck was sore and I sighed a

s I was speaking to him. He asked why I was holding the side of my neck and I told him the other side was in pain. He looked at it, said "you have shingles" wrote an rx and I was never charged. I have since gotten the vaccine as you can get them more than once.

The anti-herpes meds should be taken within 72 hours of the rash to be most useful.

I saw my shingles in the bathroom mirror one morning. There were red spots on my forehead, near one eye. DH had needed antibiotics for a brown recluse spider bite, and I thought I might have spider bites, too. The MD diagnosed shingles and sent me to the opthalmologist -- eye was not affected. I started the anti-herpes med immediately and had little trouble with the shingles. The rash was gone in about six weeks, but there was sensitivity a bit longer.

Go get a diagnosis. If it's NOT shingles, and you are 'at risk', get vaccinated!