Two friends have gotten shingles -- one in her 30s and the other in her 40s. Did they make another appointment for you?
I didn't know that shingles could be contagious.
I had a case of shingles back in March.
Shingles is contagious and is spread by the flaking of dry skin from the blisters. Only people who never had chicken pox or have not had the vaccine are vulnerable. While the same virus causes both shingles and chicken pox, a person who contracts the virus develops chicken pox not shingles. The virus stays dormant in your body and you can develop shingles at a later time. There's no way to eradicate the virus from your body.
Most cases of shingles are on the torso, I had it on the top of my head. It didn't itch but I had constant headaches for a week. Head infections can be dangerous because the virus can affect your eye and cause blindness. Fortunately I was diagnosed early and my doctor squeezed me in to see the eye doctor ASAP the same day.
If you're on immunodepressants (IE prednisone) and you develop shingles, see a doctor ASAP or go to the ER. This is a dangerous combination.