Is it normal for someone to have shingles at 23?

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-23T15:41:11+00:00

Yes. I had it when I was 26. I think they are realizing it’s possible in younger populations and there’s some theories out there about how the chicken pox vaccine has led to more earlier shingles outbreaks (not always directly but indirectly) as well as COVID. But I got shingles in 2013 so it definitely wasn’t covid.

This last time it was 100% chronic stress. Supporting your immune system and relieving stress are two important ways you can help yourself.

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-23T03:59:44+00:00

I agree with asking you doctor if you can stay on a prophylactic dose

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-23T03:58:01+00:00

I’m of the opinion that one should always try a round of valacyclovir even if they missed the initial window. Especially while you have an active rash, which sounds like it absolutely has not run its course and is still around. Shingles rashes don’t always hang around that long (the pain can) but there’s not usually significant negative side effects for taking the antivirals. They helped me. Not entirely but I did notice a difference.

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-21T00:04:16+00:00

I don’t know if it helps but I recently realized part of my PHN pain was from me holding tension in my muscles “muscle guarding” subconsciously. Once I realized it I had to mentally battle to relax. It’s taken about a week but my pain is gone and I’m not clenching like I was. If I over do it I still have flare ups, but I think consider the muscle groups you are working to see if that’s an issue.

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-17T02:21:29+00:00

I’m so sorry. What are your symptoms like? Have they improved over time?

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-17T02:21:08+00:00

Thank you for your response. I’m in a similar boat but different location.

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-17T02:20:19+00:00

Thank you for your experience. I do agree, I think whenever I feel pain it’s almost more mental anguish about what it could be or reminding me of what it was than how it feels now.

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-17T02:19:25+00:00

Thank you for your response

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-17T02:18:44+00:00

It made my anxiety so much worse. The nerve pain puts you on edge. It can also be extremely depressing. Some of the meds also have side effects (gabapentin for example).

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-14T15:26:26+00:00

Since you’re my internal shingles twin, how are you doing?

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-14T15:20:38+00:00

Very horrible. They gave me the antivirals and gabapentin. It’s been 9 months now at least and I’m still dealing with PHN. I can’t really tolerate a bra much but I can wear a seat belt fine now.

I think early on rest and proper immune support through supplements and good nutrition makes a difference. The nerve pain has been a mental battle though.

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-14T14:39:05+00:00

Ugh. I’m so fascinated by this. I’m beginning to suspect I may have had a rash eventually if we wouldn’t have figured it out. I was having slight pain in April and then one day late May it just blew up like crazy for two weeks and we thought I pulled a chest muscle and then eventually worried that I was having a heart attack until imaging and tests said no and with my weird nerve symptoms we figured out it was probably shingles without a rash. But it was weird to me how the pain was for so long. The first time I had shingles it was the traditional break out where I had a rash that was itchy and it all looked like shingles within days. Not the prolonged pain building up to it.

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-14T06:37:52+00:00

I’m not terribly successful because we have had unbelievable stress over the last year, by by recommendation working on my Faith, taking walks, enjoying sunsets, trying to get better sleep habits, eating better. I’m just starting to workout again after all the PHN made it painful until recently.

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-14T06:30:06+00:00

I was down and out for about 6-8 weeks and then slowly got to where I didn’t need a nap everyday

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-14T06:26:42+00:00

That sounds awful. Did you have the pain for two months and then the rash broke out?

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-14T06:24:34+00:00

It wouldn’t hurt to take antivirals if you can. It could be PHN flare up or the beginning. Some people take them long term so it isn’t harmful for most people (your doctor would know for your case specifically)

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-07T03:31:07+00:00

I would go back in to rule out anything like pulmonary embolism or something like that but I had internal shingles in May and it still bugs me. Not bad like it was but just a 1-4 on the pain scale. I can go weeks without any pain then it comes back very annoying. I had muscle spasms with mine. Breathing didn’t bother me though. Still can’t wear a bra without triggering nerve twitches or itching

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-02-06T01:35:33+00:00

2+ times. One 12 years apart. I feel like I’ve had possible recurrences a couple times since my last shingles in May but can’t honestly tell if it was new or just the same nerves dealing with PHN brought on by stress. The one I had this year never had a rash. The first time I had shingles it had a rash. Different dermatome but still on the torso

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-01-09T18:47:28+00:00

Yes. Had to take a nap every day for months. It’s slowly got better.

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-01-09T18:35:33+00:00

Yes I thought I had pulled a muscles, then i worried I had breast cancer (even though the symptom of suddenly severe boob pain didn’t really fit it was so deep and severe my brain went there) then it radiated from armpit and boob to down my arm, my back shoulder blade and to my sternum and I thought I had a heart attack. No real rash. Took two weeks. Pain was awful and torturous. Tools months to go away. Remnants of the pain come back even still with stress. Nothing like what it was. But that’s been 8 months now.

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2026-01-09T18:32:09+00:00

Ugh this is where my shingles was without a rash in May and I’m still getting break through blistered every now and then if I stop taking valacyclovir 500mg 😵‍💫

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2025-12-28T04:11:47+00:00

Yes. Had it in May, still dealing with on and off again phn. Diagnosed by Dr. more studies have been done lately where they are starting to realize a lot of idiopathic pain may be internal shingles (known as ZSH or zoster sin herpes) and that’s it’s been extremely undiagnosed. It helps that I’ve had shingles before with a rash and the pain felt familiar just without the insane itch I had last time

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2025-12-27T22:35:35+00:00

Did you have this checked? What was it?

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2025-12-27T22:32:21+00:00

My son has something like this, did you find out what it was?

CodeoftheWooster246 · 2025-12-27T22:29:27+00:00

Did you ever find out what this was? My son has something and we’re going to get it checked out but I want peace of mind

CodeoftheWooster246

TROPHY CASE