My case was diagnosed by my primary physician on the basis of symptoms and blisters. He thought the outbreak was severe and referred me to an anesthesiologist at the hospital. I went to the day surgery unit and had a nerve root injection with lidocaine at the base of the nerve they thought was affected. We could watch the blisters dry up almost immediately. The pain was also relieved. I had some discomfort around the area and granular drying for several days but it wasn't too bad.

I saw my doctor when I had those lightning-like reactions after my breast cancer surgery -- mastectomy with reconstruction in 2000. I had similar pain after a colostomy that same year. My shingles definitely recurs. Valtrex helps with symptoms, and rarely now do I get the full-blown blisters. My grandmother told me she had it in her groin area during her 80s; my sister had a bad attack of it before age 60; I was 49 when I got mine.