... belly and on my lower back. I don't have much pain at shingle site. But I have stomach and lower back stomach pain. My stomach is also bloated. Does anybody have the similar experience?
I have shingle for about 10 days now. I have some shingles above my belly button , on the side of my
Question posted by Oldtsan on 30 Sep 2012
Last updated on 28 March 2022 by Tuffy106
Added 30 Sep 2012:
Oldtsan 57 seconds ago
I have been to a doctor five days after I have the rash. He told me that I had the shingle. Since it had been more than three days after the on set of the shingle outbreak, he did not prescribed any anti viral medicine and told me just let the disease run it's course.
My shingle blisters are very small. They do not itch much. It seems to me it is a mild case. I started to take L Lysin a couple of days ago. L Lysin helped me to get over canker sores very quickly before. Both shingle and canker sore are caused by herpes virus. I don't know if it is related, but my muscle pain seems to have gone. I have not eaten any breakfast, i don't know if my stomach will be bloated today. I have no fever. I don't feel run down. I don't think I have another infection besides shingle. Thanks for the advice.
7 Answers
Tuffy106
28 March 2022
I have shingles.now with swollen abdomen on left side where rash is. Very painful. 4 1/2 weeks now. Took Valtrex for first 7 days. Hoping this is over soon. How long does this last?
tonyb5
23 Jan 2022
how can anybody here say that shingles does not cause gastric distress, bloating etc... of course it does... shingles all have to do with nerves and the nerves surround and branch out to all the organs and other parts of the body... the digestive system is loaded with nerves... if you have shingles in your lower extremities like your lower spine or flank, i can guarantee that you will feel stomach upset and digestive issues... this is just common sense... the shingles virus lies in the nervous system... how can anybody be so naive to say that shingles does not affect the stomach... i am going through the shingle virus now and my back pain is unbearable... my flank feels like im being stabbed 24 hours day and my stomach is upside down and i look pregnant... shingles can mimic kidney stone pain and sciatica...
im on anti-viral medication and prednisone and slowly but surely and after the 3rd day of being on these meds im finally starting to feel better... but yes, shingles can cause bloating and can also make you urinate more... it all has to do with the nervous system... an inflamed nervous system can do very weird things to your body... i have noticed that even when i pop a xanax, i feel better because it relaxes the muscles and nervous system... when you have shingles, its important not to over eat so you dont make your stomach expand to much because its loaded and surrounded by nerves... everything is connected ladies & gentlemen when it comes to the nervous system and this is where shingles attack the most... I would also suggest taking vitamin B-12 to help heal the nerves from any damage that shingles might have caused so you don't feel the after effects long after and continue to have pain even when the rash is gone...
Kearing
24 Nov 2019
I have had shingles for 5 weeks now with a swelling of my abdomen and the same pain you are talking about. I take pain pills all day long to get through this. I still have a rash on my stomach and side and back. I also have back pain. I had shingles for 9 days before the rash appeared and I started on antiviral medication for 7 days. Some of the pain got better but still have bad abdominal contractions and pain all the time.
Brandymae 78
5 Sep 2019
I just found out I have shingles. Started with lower back pain and stabbing pain in bottom stomach 4 days ago. Yesterday started seeing blisters. The doctor said that the pain in my stomach wasn't caused by shingles so issued a CT scan. Found nothing. But today my stomach is extremely swollen with stabbing pains. It feels like my side is going to tear where the blisters are every time I move. And now the pain in my lower back has moved to my spine. I can't get any relief from the pain and ibuprofen is not touching the pain. Anybody having this problem. Please advise
kaismama
30 Sep 2012
Just because you'd had them for 3 days was no reason to not treat with anti virals. They can still shorten the course of the illness. Shingles don't cause stomach pain other then a burning pain at the site of the shingles. They definately don't cause bloating.
winkleya
1 Jan 2013
@kaismama It most certainty does cause a feeling of being bloated!!! If you have the shingles virus in the upper stomach area that is where your muscles will stay contracted and feel sore and long with this is that feeling of being bloated!!!
kaismama
1 Jan 2013
The feeling of being bloated and bloating are two different things.
winkleya
1 Jan 2013
I agree and maybe this will help someone understand better now but it sure does cause external and internal pain in the upper stomach area not the actual stomach more like the muscles being contracted and sore due tot he nerves being out of balance.
Rockter
23 Dec 2013
I also have definite bloating and have heard that many other have, on other blogs. It is very uncomfortable. It seems that shingles can affect internal organs.
sharindashar
10 Jan 2017
I have had shingles for over a month now and the rash has faded but there are still sores on my spine, the worse thing is the tingling feeling and the feeling of your skin been stretched in the stomach area where the rash is/was, I am on Lyrica and panadeine forte. I have tried calamine lotion which didn't work, Bedadine lotion didn't work. If anyone has a suggestion please tell me I am going crazy !!!
angel1662
30 Sep 2012
Hi oldstan,
if u can hit the comment button and add as much into as possible as to the meds the doc has u on and so fourth and how long this has been getting worse etc... there are alot of very educated people on here maso being one of them, once u add the additional info maybe alot of our support team maybe able to answer u more, but i would go with maso right now for he is very good, i also agree with him as to going to an er and having them take a look at u, don't put off till tommorow what u can do today, get in there and take care of your health, if u have no way of getting their i would call an ambulance if u are suffering this bad!! i will keep u in my prayers please keep us updated as we at drugs.com truely are a team of people who care deeply!!
Inactive
30 Sep 2012
Great help Angel.
angel1662
30 Sep 2012
Thank u maso,
I think u are one amazing person, i come on here each day and see all the support u give and GOD will bless u for all of you loyalty,love, caring, and knowledge
good night my friend
Inactive
30 Sep 2012
Good night Angel, and thank you.
Oldtsan
30 Sep 2012
I have been to a doctor five days after I have the rash. He told me that I had the shingle. Since it had been more than three days after the on set of the shingle outbreak, he did not prescribed any anti viral medicine and told me just let the disease run it's course.
My shingle blisters are very small. They do not itch much. It seems to me it is a mild case. I started to take L Lysin a couple of days ago. L Lysin helped me to get over canker sores very quickly before. Both shingle and canker sore are caused by herpes virus. I don't know if it is related, but my muscle pain seems to have gone. I have not eaten any breakfast, i don't know if my stomach will be bloated today. I have no fever. I don't feel run down. I don't think I have another infection besides shingle. Thanks for the advice.
angel1662
30 Sep 2012
hi oldstan,
glad to here u are feeling a little better, when i was a child my mother had shingles, and she said it was very painful, i just don't remember what it looked like other then these red blotches on her arm etc... i have eczema, i get these relly tiny ulcer type pimples they look like and they itch so bad i want to rip my skin off when i have these out breaks, once i start scratching, it's like a blister that pops open with fluid in it, it's disgusting, thank GOD i don't get it that often, but i can only imagine what u feel!!
i wish u nothing less then the best of health and life
Oldtsan
1 Jan 2013
My doctor did not give me any medicine.
Oldtsan
1 Jan 2013
I am fine now with no complication. Singles can have different symptoms own each individual. I did have upper stomach muscle cramps(that's where my singles sores are located) but did not feel like having diarrhea for a few days.
Inactive
30 Sep 2012
Have you seen a Dr.?
Are you being treated for this viral infection , with what medication and what dose and for how long?
I suspect you have an infection besides the shingles, and that you have not and are not being treated for the herpes nor the potential infection, which by the way I hope I am wrong.
Oldtsan can you please clarify the situation, and answer my doubts? so we can try to help you.
If not I suggest you seek immediate medical attention, better safe than sorry, specially with health issues.
Thanks,
maso.-
endlessPred
30 Sep 2012
Shingles does not come from herpes. It is from the chicken pox virus.
Inactive
30 Sep 2012
Thank you very much for the information.
endlessPred
30 Sep 2012
There are treatments for this very painful condition. It always presents on one half or the other half of the body and does not cross the midline.
Maso, secondary infections are common just like with chicken pox. The only relief, if any, is through a good physician with appropriate meds. It is the number one reason to be vaccinated against chicken pox. Foolish people hold chicken pox parties for children. Later in life it becomes debilitating for some. Not to mention the scaring.
Oldtsan
1 Jan 2013
I have recovered from shingles for a couple of months now with no complications except some dark spots on my waist and back. These color spots are fading gradually. What I had was a run of the mill shingles as my doctor told me. Shingles is a latent viral infection from chicken pox infection one got when one was a child. I never have sexually transmitted herpes. I did have canker sores when I was young which is a different kind of herpes virus (herpes simpex type 1) infection.
Related topics
pain, herpes zoster, stomach pain
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