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It Started with a Rash. It Ended in the Worst Pain I’ve Ever Felt
If you notice these symptoms, go to a doctor immediately
Initial symptoms
One night in 2018, I noticed a persistent stabbing pain in my chest. It felt like being continually stuck with barbed wire. Painkillers didn’t work, so I rubbed the affected area, relieved at least that the pain was in the right side of my chest — had it been the left I would have been really worried.
The next morning the pain was gone, replaced by a trail of blisters starting on my chest and running down my right arm. “Huh”, I thought, “I should see a doctor about this”.
Diagnosis
Luckily my GP surgery had an appointment available that morning, so I told work I’d be late in and went down. “It looks like shingles”, the doctor said, “but I’ve never heard of it affecting someone so young before.”
She took a photo of the rash and went to consult with another doctor before returning 5 minutes later with a definitive diagnosis:
“Yep, you’ve got shingles.”
The doctor was young, clearly only just qualified: I think that’s why she wanted to stick rigidly to the NHS guidelines. She told…
