On Monday my wife noticed that I was breaking out in a rash on the left of side of my neck and lower jaw. That after I had been experiencing some pain in that region for a few days. So we went to the doctor, and guess what – shingles.
So I’m on the antiviral meds, but it’s still pretty awful.
Yikes. I’m sorry to hear that. 
That is awful. I was diagnosed (with the same rash and bumps on the right side of my face) in March of 2008.
Although, after a few months of constant, excrutiating pain, burning, tingling and shooting pains it subsided, I still have almost constant irritation (at varying levels), and my right side is the one I naturally try to sleep on.
It is not something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy and I mean that.
I had shingles a few months ago- a small patch at the base of my spine. Not much pain, really, but after the rash scabbed over my whole right leg itched insanely for a week. And (you probably don’t want to hear this) it left some nasty scars.
I had them a year ago. The medication worked almost instantly – like within two days I saw results. Within a week you’d never know I had them. And I had them in the exact same place as the OP: left of side of my neck and lower jaw. No scars.
I forgot to mention the crazy scalp and jaw/neck itching (including scratching into my scalp near nerve endings in my scalp and nearly passing out from the pain – you don’t want to do that although you might not be able to help it), and the scars left behind on my jaw and neck, including from shaving after the bumps developed and before I was diagnosed and told not to.
Sorry, and hope none of this happens to you.
Had it a few years ago - I sport a good dozen ugly scars on my left chest and rode the Percocet train for 2 months.
One of the more unpleasent medical experiences I’ve had, about equal to kidneystones, quite below the fractured femur…
I’ve been putting off getting the vaccine. Think it’s time.
I’m surprised how many people have had shingles on their face, I thought I was the only one. Actually, I have something called Ramsay-Hunt syndrome (aka “Herpes oticus”). Basically, it’s shingles along the facial nerve that comes and goes, usually when I’m overtired or otherwise run down. It also includes vertigo.
The neurologist put me on a cocktail of drugs for pain management (including Lyrica), but I quit because of the general dopiness it caused. Now if the pain gets bad enough, it’s off to the ER for me for Percocet. I’m an alcoholic, so I’d rather not have the unnecessary tempation of a standing prescription for narcotics.
No fun! Wishing you a speedy recovery!
I thought this was going to be about chipped beef on toast.:smack:
You have my sympathy. One of my sons had it once and it sounded like no fun at all. Hope it goes away soon.
Sorry to hear it. I developed shingles when I was 21 (started a thread about it, actually), and while it was pretty painful for a few days, as soon as I was on Valtrex, it got much better. No scars, no residual pain. I had it on the left side of my torso. Hopefully your experience will be similar! 
Make sure to call in: “I can’t make it in because I have Herpes zoster. I would be too contagious and don’t want to give anyone my Herpes zoster. I will let you know when I can come in.”
Good luck, get over it soon!
I had it over the summer. It was just after my wife left me and I was really stressed. At first I didn’t know what it was because I itched and hurt on both sides of my trunk. I went to the doctors and they thought it was a reaction to some meds I had just started taken. When I stopped and it got worse they told me what it was after seeing it. I was a bit too late to have the meds help out totally, but it did keep the pain down. I don’t think I have any scars, but it hurt like a mother fucker for two months. I hope it never comes back.
Had it in the early seventies, with no antivirals. It isn’t fun, but my scars have really faded, so that’s good. The pain was gone in a couple months, but I couldn’t wear anything fitting around my waist for a year or so.
The whole herpes family out to be wiped out. I say we take off, nuke it from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.
Ask your doctor if you have a vitamin D deficiency. This could be a painful warning sign.
Aw, that sucks, man. I remember the only time I ever saw my grandma cry was when she had the shingles on her shins. So painful.
I had shingles a little over a year ago…a rash traveling in a line under my eye. The doctor proscribed an anti-viral.
The rule at the pharmacy and my local Buy-A-Lot is that you have to have a consultation before getting the meds. The woman basically did what you did above, only her volume never went down.
“Let’s see…have you had this before? It for HERPES! Yup. It for HERPES. It not for anything else…just HERPES!”