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In need of help please!

Posted , 8 users are following.

Lovinlife17
Lovinlife17

Hello everyone! Im in need of advice with these shingles. I had my first outbreak last year December 2016. I had rash on my forehead,scalp,and right eye..which had swollen up. I went to the my family doctor and she said it could be a allergic reaction..she gave me some meds for allergic reaction. Maybe 2 days later I went to the Emergency room because my face was red and itchy/burning. They diagnosed me with Shingles..gave me a prescription for Antivirals..and told me to go to eye doctor asap. I went to eye dr. He gave eye drops after doing tests..all was well. Long story short: Since then I have had 3 shingles outbreaks along with pain all over my body.(Diagnosed with PHN due to the late initial diagnosis) I have been given Amitriptylin and Valacyclovir..which help..but not to well with this body pain. I can tell my Dr is not to familiar with any of this.. Im doing more talking and self diagnosing telling her what I read on google..lol! Im at my whit's end with my dr! Im needing better help with this because its really becoming nerve wreaking and depressing for me! As of today I am just getting over a outbreak,but this time I think it was in my scalp! I had some antivirals left over so I took those.. I have to make a appointment to go see the dr..but i dont want to cause I feel like Im going for nothing. Can you tell me if there is a specialist doctor for this? I've been reading alot of these post and have gotten lots of great information like the diet,the medications you guys are taking etc.. I will be trying this and I plan on showing my dr. This thread.. Yall are experiencing the exact pain and symptoms I am..so maybe she can see what yall are being prescribed. With PHN. Is there anything I can do at home for the pain. .besides meds? Any info yall can give I appreciate it..thank you!

2 likes, 29 replies

29 Replies

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  • sheila24138
    sheila24138 Lovinlife17

    Posted

    Hi loving life sorry that you have had to suffer as the rest of us had. I too got shingles back in July 17. I was misdiagnosed twice and when diagnosed I was put on antiviral but it was too late. I still have faded rash on my thigh and have phn more burning pain than hard pain. After two months I went back to doctor who put me on pregabalin (Lyrica) 50 mg three times a day. At first made me sleepy but within a couple of weeksy body adjusted.  I stayed on it for two months and when I was not getting more pain I weaned off it. Then within a week the burning pain returned. I am now taking it again but only once a day at bedtime and it is helping somewhat. I get a little numbness with a slight pain once in awhile nothing that I can’t live with. I also take turmeric capsule once a day plus vit D, C. B12, and Lysine and multivitamin..  If needed which is rare I take xstrength Tylonal.   Hope you find some help through this forum as for each person it is different. 
  • Lovinlife17
    Lovinlife17

    Posted

    Thank you all for the information. Im 41 yrs old and my doctor told me its not common for my young age tp have PHN. Well lol! I will definitely seek out a pain magmnt doctor. My Antiviral meds say " Take until better" it doesn't say take 6 days etcc.. So once the pain and rash go away I stop taking them..and they only give me like 25 pills. Ill have to ask for more that way I dont have to keep going back to the dr. Office. Again thanks

  • emily73419
    emily73419 Lovinlife17

    Posted

    Hello to everyone. I was diagnosed a week ago with shingles. I thought it was impetigo bc my son just got over it. Well, to my surprise, it was shingles. However, I only had 3 small spots under my left breast that never really hurt. Just a little sore to the touch. I started the antivirals and within the next day they didn't even itch anymore. They never blistered. I've been feeling some burning tingling in my armpit and around back but its very faint and comes and goes. Well, I woke up 2 days ago with what I thought was a stye but it had stopped hurting by this morning. I've got a little red sore by my eye but I'm not sure if I scratched it bc that eye has had some drainage that dries up and when I go to get the crusties, it hurts sort of. I've got I think only a day or two left of my meds but I'm scared to death it's moving up in to my eye. Anyone else had another rash a week later in a different spot? I'm still not experiencing any pain so far. However, I am under a whole lot of stress right now. I went to Dr today but didn't show him my eye bc I didn't even think about it. I'm very unhealthy and I smoke so I know my immune system sucks right now. What are some good foods y'all recommend? Please help. I've got to work to pay my bills and I need this to come back.

    • colin1147
      colin1147 emily73419

      Posted

      Hi, I am coming up for 4 months with Shingles and have facial PHN :-(   

      My shingles started out with a few days of mild headaches, and then what I thought was a `zit' on the right side of my nose. Within 36 hours that `zit' had become a larger `sore', which became red and weeping. Within 48 hours, my Son looked on the Web and decided I had Shingles. Went to the Doc, who promptly confirmed Shingles and arranged for a same day appointment at the urgent eye care clinic 20 miles away. Luckily, all was well with my eye, and I was put on anti-virals. The rest, scabbing, etc followed in predictable fashion. So it is VERY IMPORTANT that you get your eye checked out ASAP. Oh, also I was advised to get some `eye lubricating ' drops `over the counter' from my local Chemist. (similar to that which contact lens wearing people sometimes use ?)

      Regards, Colin, England.

    • Lovinlife17
      Lovinlife17 emily73419

      Posted

      Go get your eyes checked asap. I only get shingles outbreak in the same localized area. But my phn is feeling like its my upper body.
  • emily73419
    emily73419 Lovinlife17

    Posted

    I also want to add that I am very sorry that you are all going through this. And that I know I am very lucky that I have not had any pain due to this. God has heard my prayers for sure. How long after y'all were diagnosed did you start with the PHN bc my doctor told me that I would be the one to end up with it bc of my health.

    • gayleen65023
      gayleen65023 emily73419

      Posted

      Emily, get your checked asap. The fact you were already on antiviral medication us a good thing. There is no need for anymore but wouldn't hurt to have a prescription on hand in case of a future break out. Stress is the enemy with shingles, easier said then done but try to decrease your stress. Eating healthy is so important can't stress that enough. No junk food or preservatives if possible. Take lysine daily. Vitamin B's , turmeric if possible. Sleep is important but I also still walk a lot as it helps my stress level . As your under a lot if stress quitting smoking now may not be a good plan but cutting back may help. Hope this helps. Know your not alone and good luck! Gayleen

    • gayleen65023
      gayleen65023

      Posted

      Oops last message should have said get eye checked...Lol
    • Lovinlife17
      Lovinlife17 emily73419

      Posted

      Emily I cant remember the first episode of phn..i want to say it was my 2nd outbreak..after that. I just know its slight painful,irritating and with me..it causes me to miss a couple of days from work.
  • emily73419
    emily73419 Lovinlife17

    Posted

    Thank you all for your responses. I did an e-visit with my urgent care doctor and he said he is pretty sure it's not shingles but went ahead and called in another script of antivirals just in case. And an antibiotic cream. My eyes have been extremely dry for awhile now so hopefully it's nothing and I just scratched it. I worry only bc my other sores never blistered and this looks alot like the others. From what I've read, most don't get another rash in a different spot within the same week and especially on medicine. Is that right?

  • colin1147
    colin1147 Lovinlife17

    Posted

    I thought it all depended if it was all on the same nerve `branch'. But I am not medically qualified .......

  • marcia_budde
    marcia_budde Lovinlife17

    Posted

    I have PHN and on week 11 its horrible. Mine is in the left ribs all the way around the ribs the paun is un- bareable. Was on gabapentin and i had bad reactions from it for 7 weeks now switched to lyrica. Much clearer head . Last wed. I went in and had a spine nerve blocker done i think it helped about 30% some relief. Not gone entirely but works different for each one. Try that.
    • colin1147
      colin1147 marcia_budde

      Posted

      I too have been on Gabapentin, but weaning off because of side effects - I have nearly fallen down the front door steps a couple of times - all of 18 inches !  And only say a 10-15% in pain reduction whilst on it :-(  Colin, England.

       

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