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Shingles another challenge for me. Five days in hospital in mid October was an unpleasant surprise for me. I was meant to go out for lunch with my best friend but that morning, Woken up in sharp pain at 5.30am and not able to get back to sleep, changed the plans and just continued with resting and hoping the pain would pass. However, that night trying to get to sleep, it was unbearable. I called the NHS 111 they said they were passing onto a doctor and to wait half an hour. If no call came through, then they told me to go A&E.

So woke up my husband and we arrived at 2.24am. I  had blood test, blood pressure, and was examined by a doctor. She told me, that she was referring me to one of the surgical doctors. Who told me, I needed a CT scan of this area, and she had already looked at my other CT scan at the beginning of the year.

I was told that it could be appendicitis or a problem with one of my ovaries. Then I was moved to the Surgical Emergency Ward. We arrived there by 8am the same morning, with no sleep for over twenty four hours. Visited my numerous doctors and was put on a drip and was given pain relief. The second doctor told me that it was an ovarian case, and I had to wait to be moved there.

I stayed there all day, in a bed waiting. By 16.45 that day, I was moved to genecology where the doctor there told me. Something had collapsed on my left side. But the CT scan was not clear. He added that he had booked me in for a ultra sound to get a clear picture and put me on antibiotics.

Unfortunately, one of the antibiotics, a green pill made me so ill. The next morning, again waking up in pain, I was given some basic paracetamol. I threw that up. I had a slice of toast with marmite, I threw that up too. I felt so rough, was given anti sickness medicine that worked but I was so careful with what I eat that day.

Compression socks were added as with my high blood pressure, as I am high risk for blood clots. Not attractive and I have to wear them all the time. Blood thinning injections were also added which are not nice either.

Weekend No Answers

The weekend was spent in bed, with no doctors, just nurses who should get a bigger pay rise in my opinion. They are the ones who do all the work.

Finally A Diagnosis

Monday morning came around with again, new nurses and new consultant. One of the nurses had a look at a rash that had appeared on my right side. She said it was shingles. When the doctors did their rounds, she too confirmed I had singles. And I had to be moved into what they called a side room. I called my own ensuite.

Then medication was changed, and I was discharged on the Tuesday. Sent home with four new meds to take. This new medication make me pass out so much during the day too.

I feel so ill all the time. There was a letter at home from the hospital, it was for my capsule endoscopy. This was booked in for two weeks time, right in the middle of my shingles recovery of six weeks. Thankful, my mum told me to did call them and they told me it was not a good idea until I was healed which should be near the end of November.

Shingles is challenging me so much at the moment. I never saw this coming but what can you do?