So, I've felt like crap for the past week. I had a weird burning sensation all over the left side of my body, flu-like symptoms, overall aching, then the rash popped up under my left arm. I told my wife that I thought I had the shingles, and she laughed at me and said to take off my clothes so she could check me for a rash. (I told her that I was pretty easy and didn't need for her to use such tactics to get me out of my clothes!) When she saw the rash, she still wasn't sure about it. Anyway, I found a doctor who would take me on a Saturday, and he confirmed that I do have shingles. I have to take Valtrex for the next week, along with prednisone and lortab. It's hard to believe that this is all caused by the same virus that caused me to get the chicken pox 30 years ago!