Shingles not improving

Hi Nicole,

I am from the uk as well. Was much the same as you as got anti viral meds from GP. Its on my tummy . Last week went to chemist  as looked much worse & said nothing I could have.

Went to out of hrs yesterday as so much worse & now got infection on top of the shingles . Got medication so hopefully now will improve.

Go back to your GP, they have to keep emergency appointments every day. If not go to out of hours. But get seen just to check it out.

Kind Regards

Kathy

I was the same as you I used old fashioned coalmine lotion you know the pink stuff we put on kidsit did help I had the rash for 8 weeks and now have some red blotches left where the rash was I am still getting pain in the never seen that were damaged by shingles I'm afraid to say it's just a waiting game and each person is different hope you recover soon

Dear Nicole,

My advice is to go to your A&E ie urgent care for an evaluation.

I am so sorry you are going through this right now. I understand the agonizing, lancinating pain, sleepless nights, and suffering.

I am a Nurse Practitioner in the States. I have had Herpes Zoster-Shingles in my right ear every three to five weeks for the past twenty-one years and twice in my right eye. I also am now getting it on my right scalp area.

This is a summary of the stages, signs and symptoms of Herpes Zoster-Shingles, and medical management of the disease.

During the Pre-eruptive Phase, you may have some of the following symptoms:

Duration 1-10 days, but the rash occasionally takes much longer to appear

Headache

Photophobia

Generalized Aches and Pains

Fever, Chills, and Sweating

Enlarged Lymph Nodes near the pain and rash

Fatigue and Exhaustion

Pain usually preceding the rash, but not always

Itching

Description of pain: deep burning or aching pain, or electric shock–like pains.

Acute Eruptive Phase

Rash of grouped vesicle-blisters in a dermatomal pattern.

Occurs in waves or crops over a period of 5-7 days.

Vesicle-blisters look dissimilar and are of different sizes.

The rash is on a red base.

The pain may continue to increase into the second and third week.

The clear vesicle-blisters cloud over, look like pustules, scab over, and turn black. This process may take between 2-4 weeks. Once every vesicle-blister has scabbed over, you are no longer infectious!

You are considered infectious (contagious) if your rash is open to the air, ie not covered, to anyone who has not had chickenpox. This includes all pregnant women! Remember, not all women know they are pregnant!

Chronic Phase (Post Herpetic Neuralgia PHN)

30 days after onset of rash. Definition varies

Duration may last months or years after initial episode of Herpes Zoster-Shingles.

The resolution of the scars can take up to a year to heal.

Management and Medications

ANTIVIRALS: THE CORNERSTONE OF TREATMENT

Famciclovir 500 mg 3x daily 7-10 days, sometimes 14 days.

Smallest Tablet

Convenient dosing

Least Resistance

Valcyclovir 1000 mg 3x daily 7-10 days

Large Tablets difficult to swallow for some

Based on Acyclovir

Acyclovir 800 mg 5x daily 7-10 days

Inconvenient Dose Schedule

Growing Resistance to Varicella Virus

Acyclovir is the antiviral most often prescribed in the UK

What dosage of the medication are you on? Sometimes, the Physician places the patient on a lower dose, but needs to increase it to help with the pain-itching.

Sometimes, you need to be placed on a cocktail of medications, as they will work synergistically to help you. These are all by prescription. I have grouped them according to class. A clinician would start with one from the Anticonvulsant class, taper the dosage up, then one from the Antidepressant Class, etc. This list is by no means complete.

ANALGESICS

NSAIDS

Ibuprofen

Naprosyn

Acetominophen

OPIOIDS

Oxycodone

Hydrocodone

Codeine

CBD

ANTI-CONVULSANTS

Gabapentin-Neurontin

Pregabalin-Lyrica

ANTI-DEPRESSANTS

SNRIs

Cymbalta

Effexor-Venlafaxine

Heterocyclics

Nortriptyline

Amitriptyline

2. I would find 100% cotton knit clothing. Make sure there are no seams to irritate your skin. The cotton knit is the most breathable, least irritating cloth to most individuals.

3. Use Lidocaine Cream or Spray OTC topically to help with the pain- itching, eg, Solarcaine with Aloe or Bactine. Many on this forum feel either Lidocaine or Benzocaine help with the pain-itching. The cream might soothe the inflamed nerve endings better and last longer on the skin. You can only use Lidocaine 12 hours on and 12 hours off, as the usefulness will extinguish itself.

4. Use ice or cool compresses. Do not take hot showers, as it will only increase the pain-itching

5. You need to rest and sleep. You cannot power through this disease. Do not go back to work! This virus is way stronger than you are, and you will only get more pain, the more exertion you do.

6. Most Importantly, get the Shingrex Immunization. It is a two phase vaccine, two months apart. It is given intramuscularly. It is highly efficacious in stopping Post Herpetic Neuralgia PHN and recurrent episodes of Herpes Zoster-Shingles.

Shingrex is available in the US at the pharmacy and covered by insurance if you are over 50 years of age. If you are younger than 50, and have had a documented case of shingles, it is still covered.

If you are in the UK/Canada/Australia/NZ, I know it has been distributed there, but the national health insurance may not cover it until age 70, which is ridiculous. It is expensive, but I would have paid thousands not to have recurrent shingles.

Best Wishes

Merry Juliana

My GPs, and Ii think other GPs, keep urgent appointments for the day. Anything which may be an infection is urgent, and I have had to use urgent appointments a few times with this shingles. I am recovering from shingles and had the blisters more than 2 weeks. I took the old-fashioned route of making a poultice from just mixing bicarbonate of soda with some water and putting it on the blisters for a while and rinsing off with water; also cool baths. I had read that colloidal oatmeal in the bath is soothing. but couldn't get any, so bought Aveena moisturing bath and shower oil, which has this as ingredient. Could not wear a bra due to discomfort but bought soft ones for when I really had to wear one. M&S had new range, just right. Could only wear natural fibres, e.g. cotton or bamboo, next to skin. Bought great pair of bamboo pyjamas on Web. The pain went on longer, but that is another story.