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Shingles pain and itching HELP pls

Posted , 39 users are following.

Jubs_UK
Jubs_UK

my shingles blisters and rashes have fallen off and skin that was left raw and open is healing BUT the pain and itching has worsened and intensified. The prickling pain and twitching feeling is so intense and irritating I've given into itching. Does anyone know of anything I can do....the other day I was awake till 5am. It felt mild wen I had the blisters but now I'm so uncomfortable. The doc give me amithriptyline and that helped with pain in my throat , ear and and head but does nothing for skin. I'm so confused...has anyone else experienced this. Please share ur recovery stories with me and if there's anything u found soothing I'd be grateful to hear from you. 

This is such a terrible illness....I think there should be (optional) vaccination for everyone from childhood....it's so bad that's why I'm thinking along these lines....losing my mind. My shingles started two weeks ago and I have completed the course of acyclovir. 

Hope we to hear from anyone who has suffered from shingles and or Post shingles pain

many thanks

jubs

1 like, 83 replies

83 Replies

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  • antiguaden
    antiguaden Jubs_UK

    Posted

    Hi Jubs, I have had shingles on my back for just over a week and the itch is crazy...doc gave antihistamines and aciclovor cream. I have found most helpful calamine lotion and strapping one of the blue freezer packs onto my back with an old muslin nappy! Driving home from town the other day, I had to dash in to a shop and buy some frozen spinach so I could stick it behind my back and relieve the itch. It works very well, and unfroze the spinach nicely for supper.hope that helps you...you can walk around with the pack and pop it behind you on a chair. Hoping this will just go in a few days....
  • Silkwings
    Silkwings Jubs_UK

    Posted

    I agree - this is a horrific illness! I just completed my 4th week and the pain is unbearable at times. My doctor put me on 7 days of Valtrex then Gabapentin for pain. I did take the vaccination about a year ago and clearly it didn't help. I have since read that it helps in only about 50 percent of people. In fact, last night I read a report that cites a much lower success rate than that and that report went on to say that in some cases the vaccine can actually cause an outbreak of shingles!

    • babs99203
      babs99203 Silkwings

      Posted

      Hi Silkwings, I'm about 10 weeks into my back/chest shingles, not Valtrex (too late after diagnosis) and I can tell you in my case it has gotten better. I eventually got up to 800 mg of Gab 3X a day for a total of 2400 mgs. Yes, the drowsiness and confusion were miserable, but it helped. I also used 4% lidocaine cream on the nerve path on myb back to the front every 4 waking hours plus Tylenol. Also, REST, avoid any activity which sets it off, in my case lifting, reaching etc.

      If you got the Valtrex in the first 72 hours of symptoms, it should greatly help. Previously someone mentioned the help and information they got on this website. Yes it IS outstanding. I worked as a medical secretary for over 30 years so I picked up a few things so I can more easily understand the articles, but there's not much out there, doctors have various familiarity with treating it and every case is so individual. Keep reading here, find GOOD info online and be very, very patient. It's a long road to recovery. Yes, I get impatient, discouraged and down too, but I can not look back and see an improvement. Take care.

    • Silkwings
      Silkwings babs99203

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply. The urgent care where I went first just called to check on me and all they have to suggest after the initial Valtrex prescription is gabapentin. I'm taking that but I've also found that warm compresses on the nerve pain also helps. Walmart has fabric hot and cold packs that I heat in the microwave for 30 seconds that really do help.

    • babs99203
      babs99203 Silkwings

      Posted

      Glad the compresses are helpful. Some prefer warmth then others prefer cold. I found hot showers helped.
  • Kadenza
    Kadenza Jubs_UK

    Posted

    Hi, just been told I have shingles, didn't know what it was, but used Aloe Vera Gel. It works wonders cooled the rash down and helped the tingling and pain. It's a Natural Plant so should be ok, I use it a lot.it is not expensive in the UK. Good Luck 

  • Eliza48
    Eliza48 Jubs_UK

    Posted

    I also have shingles and it is now 2 weeks. I bought anti itch lotion and it helps with the itch. Hope this helps you.

    Eliza48

  • joy19171
    joy19171 Jubs_UK

    Posted

    Hi Jubs,I'm in the middle of having Shingles,my rash was small in area and not 'angry' but the pain that goes with shingles can only be described as excruciating torture. The rash has almost gone. ( right collarbone) but the pain has worsened on my jawbone and neck,also having trouble with my waterworks,with an urgency to pee but very little there,I don't think I've had a full nights sleep in 3 weeks now,it's 4-17am on a Sunday morning and I'm up with the pain,like you I was given Amitripyline and was recently told by my GP to increase the dose fro 1-2 to 3-4 each night but nothing works,for the rash I used Tea Tree Oil from Holland and Barrett, you're think in this day and age a cure for the intense pain,

    hope you're well soon

    • babs99203
      babs99203 joy19171

      Posted

      Yours is a similar situation to mine. It WILL get better. It takes a while to get the Gab to a therapeutic level. For some people (me to some degree) it causes problems when you need to urinate. I imagine as Gab affects nerves and the brain it disrupts those. Is it the pain keeping you awake or insomnia ? It can also affect sleep, usually it causes fatigue and drowsiness, but also insomnia. You can use either lidocaine pain patches with a prescription or OTC. I stopped using them and switched to Aspercreme 4% OTC. On my worst nights I found showers helped. It distracted me and helped me relax a tiny bit. As the song says, Whatever Gets You Through The Night. Take care.
    • joy19171
      joy19171 babs99203

      Posted

      Many thanks for your message babes,it's reassuring to know that my symptoms are assimilate to others,I too have found showering to be a great help,I'm 70 past November and can honestly say this is the worst pain I've ever suffered  and I can't wait for some normality to come back,sat in my lounge at 3-30 am with a coffee till pain subsided via painkillers which only numbs the pain slightly,I think sheer exhaustion takes over.

      Joy

    • joy19171
      joy19171

      Posted

      typo error should read babs not babes,sorry
  • Texas1976
    Texas1976 Jubs_UK

    Posted

    Hi Jubs,

    From my understanding, PHN is classified as if you are still having pain, sensitivity, tingling, and stabbing sensation on the affected areas after 30 days of the first shingles rash outbreak. Normally, it takes 2-4 weeks for all the stages to compete including the headaches, pricking needles feeling, pain, rash, blisters, scabbing and skin healing. However once the rash is gone and skin is healed after 30 days, if you are still having the pain and any other symptoms, that will be classified as PHN.

    I'm currently on day 19th, my scabs has started to peel, skin still looks red but it's more of a maroon. Hopefully, it won't scar! As far for pain, I still feel a lot of sensitivity and slight tingling/pricking sensation when I put on a shirt or move on a certain way. Whenever I eat, I can really feel the temperature. I lost like 7 pounds from this because I lost my appetitive but I also stop working out and I'm thinking I lost all my muscles too since muscles weight more than fat.

    I'm hoping to get better because i been off work for a month. Shingles sucks! I hope you and everybody else dealing with this will get better!

    • Eliza48
      Eliza48 Texas1976

      Posted

      I still have the side affects of shingles. The rash is gone but I still have the pain inside and the itching. I found that if you use Aveeno lotion with oatmeal (which all the Aveeno's have oatmeal in them) it really helps the itch.

    • Silkwings
      Silkwings Texas1976

      Posted

      I can't imagine trying to work while suffering with shingles.

  • Eliza48
    Eliza48 Jubs_UK

    Posted

    I have shingles as well. The rash is gone but not the pain and the itch. I use Aveeno lotion because the oatmeal in the lotion helps a lot with the itch.

    It is 3 months now. I take a pain killer for the pain.

    Unhappy

    • joy19171
      joy19171 Eliza48

      Posted

      Oh my Eliza that is a long time, I'm only going into my third week and I'm fed up with the nasty pain,I hope it goes very soon for you 

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