Will rest/inactivity help heal??
Posted , 6 users are following.
It's SO hard to find good information on how to deal with the shingles pain and I'd like your advice about what my doctor suggests. Background: I've had it one month, very minor vessicles, but pain in back and chest. I'm on my normal RX or an NSAID, Tylenon, Gabapentin and lidocain cream. I'm now up to 600 mg 3X a day of the Gab. My doctor wants me PAIN FREE, which can almost be accomplished by doing, well almost nothing. His theory is that keeping the nerves from firing, will help me and them heal. I know for most people this is almost impossible. However, I've been very lucky that my husband's semi-retired and is fabulous. We found that last 48 hours as I visited my daughter for Thanksgiving my "job" was to sit in a comfortable chair and avoid any activitiy that caused pain i.e. heavy water glass (use a straw or smaller cup) twisting or turning. I was actually pain free for hours!!
So, that was wonderful, but it's also extremely discouraging to have to keep bothering others to do simple things like helping me get a bowl from the cupboard, unpack a suit case etc. So, will this help!? Is there ANY info out there I've missed? My Pity Parties are getting more frequent and harder to deal with as I realize how much my life has changed. Trying to stay positive, but as you all know, it's hard.
I've been off of work now for 3 weeks, per the doctor and between the fuzzy brain, sleepiness and pain with any movement, I agree. However, I also expect to be told this week that I've lost my job. As a part-time worker, I have no protection. That's just the way it is. Gotta go, can't sit any longer.
2 likes, 24 replies
ihavenonickname babs99203
Posted
joseph34465 babs99203
Posted
Shingles on my face for going on 3 months. I take 150 milligrams of Lyrica 3 times a day I take Percocet Three times a day can I take one vodka in the morning. I can't do much but lay on the sofa. I go to a pain specialist. This is the most painful thing I ever went through. Good luck they tell me it could last for years but I sure hope not.
babs99203 joseph34465
Posted
I'm so sorry Joseph, you didn't seem to be getting much relief. Is it possible a different type of medication could help? I know if it's PHN, there's not much else to offer, but could Gabapentin work better? Also, personally I found that adding extra-strength aceteminophin has helped a lot.
ihavenonickname joseph34465
Posted
You physician can prescribe a fourth dose of Lyrica for a short time...I found morphine sulfate extended release 15 mg more effective than percocet. ...do not take alcohol with either drug
hugs
babs99203
Posted
I have another update. I am slowly recovering. As you all know, it's so incremental it's hard to keep track of the improvements, but they are there. I'm following my same regimen of my normal prescription NSAID, 2400 mg of Gabapentin, Extra Strength Tyelenol, lidocaine pain cream and most importantly, rest. My supervisor has been supportive and so far, I still have my job, I'm still following my doctor's advice "if it hurts, don't do it" and taking things very slowly. My thoracic nerve is affected so the pain is in my left side of my back and my chest. If I do lifting of anything that weighs more than a half pound, leaning, twisting, bending I'll cause pain. I'm using a straw to drink, as lifting my heavy drinking glasses cause the burning/twinges. Obviously, normal activities such as getting dressed,walking, eating etc. fire up the nerves, so I try to minimalize anything else. I learned the hard way what to avoid. (Sitting at the computer and typing sets if off, so please excuse typos, I've got to hit "send" and get up.)
I wondered if this plan really did help, and I have at least one other doctor's opinion that it does. I have a sister on disability due to degenerative disc disease who sees a very good pain specialist. The doctor confirmed that I should try and avoid ANYTHING that firest up the nerves or this may become PHN. The doctor also felt that Lyrica was the drug of choice vs Gab, but it would take too long to titrate me down from the Gab and onto the Lyrica and the Gab + rest is helping.
I realize I'm extremely lucky to have the support of my family, physician and employer to follow this treatment plan and others may not be able to. But when dealing with nerves, if you can rest as much and prevent further aggravation it may have a tremendous effect on your outcome.
Due to my age, and severity of the pain, I'm at higher risk of PHN, so I'll do anything I can to put the odds in my favor. Good luck to you all.window.post_1482418436380_20 = function(win,msg){
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tiffany60896 babs99203
Posted
Babs,
I just read your lastest post and it is so helpful to me. I wrote an earlier post on here. After reading your story, it seems like I have been doing everything wrong since getting this illness. Now, I have very painful PHN. I work as a college professor and I took no time off after getting shingles even though I was in pain. I pushed myself to work the five weeks until the end of the semester. It was so stressful. It wasn't until the sixth week after getting shingles that I could relax. But, now so stressed out about worrying that I will have PHN forever that I can't relaly relax now either. I cry a lot because I can't live my life as I once did. Being stressed, I am sure makes my recovery more difficult becasue I don't sleep well. But, when I read that you are starting to feel better, it really helped believe there is hope that nerves can settle down and repain themselves. I will now concentrate on rest, sleep and not doing anything that aggravates my pain. I will also not go back to work until my pain is not so intense. I cannot take the normal pain meds so I have to practice alternative ways to live with my pain. Gel ice packs help and I found a cream that lesses my itch.
I appreciate you sharing your story becasue it gave me hope, something I have not had in a long time. I only want to believe there is a chance I can have a normal life again.
babs99203 tiffany60896
Posted
It's SO hard not to second guess or beat ourselves up about what we or our doctors did or did not do. I do the same thing, But try to focus on the present and moving forward, Tiffany. You say you can't take pain meds, what do you mean by that? To me, that could be opioids like Vicodin or Percocet, but could also include Tylenol or anti-imflammatories. Is that what you mean? There are other drugs.
Gabapentin (Neurontin) or Lyrica are not actual pain meds. They deal with the brain and the nerve impulses to break up that pattern to prevent or at least decrease the pain. Has your doctor suggested these? Those are the standard treatment. It takes a while (possibly several weeks) to get to the dosage that gives the most relief. They really do help. Not all doctors are familiar with shingles.
Personally, I feel the depression, crying, being discouraged is part of the pain or even the illness itself. I thought it was just the meds, but having this is "depressing" enough! I did reach out to an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) and spoke to a counselor as I to was really down. You probably have resources like that, REACH OUT! It DOES help. I resisted that advice from friends and family at first, but I felt so much better just talking to someone on the phone.
I also believe that every case is individual. I too worried that delaying the Gab (it was 3 weeks to my first very low dose, as I didn't realized what was going on) would cause a long-term problem. I don't think so. Each body reacts differently.
Another UPDATE! I have been cleared to go back to work. I only work half-days on a job share, usually only two days, but with someone retiring I'm working a bit more. My doctor decreased my dose to 700 mgs 3 times a day, so my brain fog and confusion are better. However, the discomfort has increased a bit--warning to others--and I don't bounce back from doing the wrong thing as quickly. My hubby has a bad knee, so if I can, I carry things to the basement fridge or for the wash. Bad idea. Carrying two different 3 pound hams on two trips (only 3 pounds at a time) set me way back yesterday.
So, now I know that I've again got to be very careful with lifting, reaching and bending because the lower level of Gab won't block the pain from movement. Good news, I can think and function better, bad news, more pain and discouragement. I'll try this for a few days and if it's too bad and talk to my doctor about increasing it again until I'm more healed.
But Tiffany, I too thought I couldn't improve, I was at almost the same level of pain for weeks, then one day I realized I was getting better, so it does happen. Rest, patience and the right meds do work. Take care.
babs99203
Posted
Another update. I'm learning the hard way, recovery is not even. Somehow I keep forgetting that, but there are good days and bad days and whichever one you're having seems to be the one you think will last!! Both the illness and the meds mess with our minds, so that's easy to understand. I've been working now for almost two weeks, 5 1/2 hours a week, which doesn't sound like much, but sure feels like more.
I had to decrease my Gabapentin, to be able to function at work 2400 mgs per day made me too foggy, I went down to 2100. By the third day, I called my doctor and we increased it to 800 mg in am 700 in pm and 700 in the evening. I was in too much pain and it was wearing me down. It did help, but my memory and processing is affected.
So now after a week of that, I'm still in a lot of pain, but if I increase the meds more I'll be too confused to work. My job is sedentary, but constant typing and sitting is very uncomfortable, so I keep trying to get up, helps a bit. So, I'm between a rock and a hard place, increase my meds and feel better and NOT work, or suck it up, be miserable and wait for my body to heal more so I feel better. I am very lucky that the hours will drop in two weeks (we hope) when the new person is hired. I'm trying to just hang in there until then. I was out of work for two months, so it's good psychologically and financially to be back at work, but it's taking a toll.
This condition really stinks, doesn't it? People see me working, assume I'm back to normal and they don't seem to believe me when I say that is still months away. I've stopped looking forward to that and to the things I can resume, as it doesn't seem real. It seems the best way to deal with it.
I know many of you understand this, and for those of you new here, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Yes there IS healing, but if you didn't get the anti-virals, it is a VERY slow process, so just accept that and do what you can to stay positive and take care of yourself.