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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Have Shingles, Redness In Shoulder And Back, Bleeding, Dry Skin, Scabs. What Could Be Wrong?

Hi, I have had an area affected on my back that I have gone in 3 times to see my doctor over, for 5 weeks and 3 days now....and many of the symptoms and steps seem to point to a form of Shingles, but the area has not dissappeared as most websites says Shingles will in 2-4 weeks. Day 1-3 it was a raised red area on my back/shoulder blade about the size of a half dollar, or silver dollar coin with 4 or 5 red dots. Day 3 I went in and my doctor said he thought it was spider or insect bites and prescribed a steroid cream. I didn't get oozing or bleeeding but the 4 areas-dots did widen and turn into dark scabs that remained for about 2 -3 more weeks. I went back at week 3 and my doctor said he thought it was now Shingles (but it was not a big area or super painful (only about an inch and 1/4 to inch 1/2 diameter and just slightly stingy/achey). He thought the scabs were healing and felt it would fully go away. I saw him again yesterday (week 5) and they seem to slowly, slowly get better but still have red around the 4 spots, the scabs are mostly gone, just thin, light , dry skin scabs. He ordered a biopsy next week just in case and asked a Dematologist about it. *What would cause something that seemed most like Shingles to take so long to heal, and only be about 50% reduced/ gone after 5 weeks? THanks, just trying to get multiple opinions/ thoughts.
Mon, 17 Jun 2013
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Dermatologist 's  Response
Hello,I think u r so much in tension about this lesion.According to ur h/o lesion most probably they r shingles . Many time new vesicular lesion can be reappear in the healing stage of herpes zoster.Ur not mentioning ur age.As u say it is slightly stingy that symptom ususally seen in the age grp below 40.So don't worry shingles can take 4-5 wkto heal. Still u take opinion of expert dermatologist & if he advice for skin biopsy kindly go through.Also done ur routine count &other test .
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Have Shingles, Redness In Shoulder And Back, Bleeding, Dry Skin, Scabs. What Could Be Wrong?

Hello,I think u r so much in tension about this lesion.According to ur h/o lesion most probably they r shingles . Many time new vesicular lesion can be reappear in the healing stage of herpes zoster.Ur not mentioning ur age.As u say it is slightly stingy that symptom ususally seen in the age grp below 40.So don t worry shingles can take 4-5 wkto heal. Still u take opinion of expert dermatologist & if he advice for skin biopsy kindly go through.Also done ur routine count &other test .