Shingles at 50: My Experience and Recovery Timeline

Note: I normally include lots of photos in my posts, but I am sparing everyone this time. Since these involved blisters on my eyelids, some of them are pretty gruesome.

This is a personal shingles story, not medical advice. I am sharing it because I hope to spare anyone else who might experience something similar.

While I am not a clinician, I am not brand-new to the world of healthcare either. My sister is an RN, my dad was a hospital administrator and I spent 2 years in pre-med. My godmother had it, so I knew that shingles was no joke, but I didn’t know how rough it could be until I got it myself.

Early symptoms and initial misdiagnosis

I requested the vaccine when I was 49, but was told they could not do it without a doctor’s note, so I figured I would get it on the other side.

I turned 50 in March. I got shingles in April. I spent most of May hating life in a blur of pain and wishing I could just sleep through it.

The weekend before, I was camping and noticed blisters near my eyebrow and thought it was poison ivy. Even the telehealth doctor thought it was and prescribed steroid cream.

Shingles near the eye: why this is urgent

The next day things looked a lot worse, so I scheduled visits with my primary care physician (PCP) and an ophthalmologist. That was one of the few smart moves I made. Not going in sooner was the biggest mistake.

My ophthalmologist diagnosed shingles and told me my vision could be at risk. “If you feel anything on the tip of your nose, no matter what time, call me.”

Shingles tracks along nerve pathways, and that meant it had probably reached the eye.

The next few days were scary as my eyelid puffed up and I could not stop thinking about how I might go blind from this. It was terrifying to realize I might have a life-altering issue and could not control it.

The pain never relented. It felt like lightning running through my scalp every few seconds. Sometimes it got so bad I would just sit there twitching.

The weird part is this was not like a normal sickness where I could just lie down and sleep through it. The rest of my body felt fine. I even did core workouts with weights just to focus on something other than the pain.

Desperate, I will admit I went to AI looking for suggestions. Anything that could help. Most of it was stuff I was already doing. For the most part, this was pain I just had to survive, but one suggestion I had not considered was acupuncture.

Acupuncture

I had never done acupuncture because it seemed weird to me. At this point, I was willing to try anything. It was covered by my insurance, and we had already hit the deductible for the year, so why not? That was the second smart thing I did.

Before the session, he had me lie on my side and placed about seven needles on my right side (behind my ear, in front of my ear, on my temple, on the back of my hand between the index finger and thumb, and one near my knee). He hooked a few needles to a machine that sent a small electric current.

I am no fan of needles, but I was willing to try anything. The electrical current felt weird, but he turned it down to make sure it was manageable. Then he put a heat lamp on my head and feet and told me to take a nap.

Before I fell asleep, he said it should help reduce intensity, duration, and frequency.

I woke up surprised that my pain dropped from about a 7-8 to a 4-5. He sold me some herbs, which I did not have much faith in, but I was so relieved that I did not care. I scheduled another session a few days later.

Recovery timeline: pain, sleep, and treatment adjustments

I kept up sessions, meds, and herbs. I think that combination of Eastern and Western treatment made a difference.

The pain got less intense, less frequent, and shorter. But I seemed to have a second wave. The lightning sensation continued and spread through my eyebrow and eyelid area.

It is hard to sleep when you are constantly moving from scratching, itching, or pain. For roughly the next week, I could not fall asleep until around 4 AM.

By day six, Kathy came to check on me and found me crying on the couch.

I went back to my doctor and explained what was happening. We increased gabapentin to 300 mg and added trazodone. That first night, I got six hours of sleep. The next night, I slept ten hours and woke up feeling human for the first time in weeks.

This was not college-level sleep deprivation. The combination of pain and no sleep made that first normal morning feel huge.

Mental and emotional impact

As I climbed out of the worst of it, I realized how angry and edgy I had become. Mostly short-fused and exhausted from too much pain and not enough sleep.

Other stories put my month in perspective

During recovery, people started sharing their friends/relatives/personal shingles experiences with me. Some had outbreaks in places that were much harder to talk about or treat quickly: inside the mouth, in the gut, in intimate areas. One person delayed speaking up out of embarrassment and had a much rougher road afterward.

My month was pretty awful. But hearing what others went through reminded me how severe this can get when diagnosis or treatment is delayed.

What to do if you suspect shingles

If you are close to vaccine age, ask questions early and be persistent about access.

If a rash appears near your eye, treat it as urgent.

If your pain escalates or sleep collapses, tell a doctor quickly. Do not wait for some imaginary threshold where you are “sick enough” to deserve help.

This can flatten even sturdy people. Getting support is not overreacting.

While I am still frustrated I did not get vaccinated sooner, hopefully this helps someone avoid what I went through.

If you want a lighter read from the same “turning 50” season of my life, here is my trip post: Level 50 Unlocked: Japan Edition.

Frequently asked questions

What did shingles pain feel like for me?

For me, it felt like electrical jolts or lightning through my scalp and face every few seconds. It later abated to a dull ache with occasional sharp bursts. It was constant and intense enough to disrupt sleep and daily activities.

When should shingles near the eye be treated as urgent?

Immediately. If you have rash or pain near the eye, contact a medical professional quickly and ask whether ophthalmology follow-up is needed.

What helped most during recovery?

Fast diagnosis, medical follow-up, sleep support, and a treatment plan that adjusted as symptoms changed.

Helpful resources

• CDC: Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
• CDC: Shingles Vaccination (Shingrix)
• American Academy of Ophthalmology: Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus

Medical disclaimer

This is a personal experience, not medical advice. If you think you may have shingles, contact a qualified healthcare professional as soon as possible.