Will this ever end!

Sorry to hear that you are having second outbreak of shingles. I got shingles in July. I am still having some nerve issues. My first visit to emergency with horrible back pain was diagnosed as pinched nerve, one week later back in emergency with pain and rash starting to show and diagnosed with contact dermatitis and again nerve pain. Two days later in to see family doctor and she said definitely shingles and the worst vCard she had seen. Started on lower back diwn my groin and down my leg. I was on antiviral for three times a day for five days. Prescription for Adasol 30 for pain. I was away from home while all this was going on. After two months I’m back to doctor with now burning pain and leg felt like it was freezing and pins and needles. I was given pregabalin for nerve pain three times a day. I took it for two months and just weaned off it. I am now about five days without meds. Still having some feeling of discomfort but I can live without the meds. I’m seeing a light at the end of the tunnel now.By the way still have rash covering all the area but more like dark red scarring. I hope you heal quicker than I. I also take Lysine and try and eat healthy. So my advice is get LOTS of rest and eat healthy and try not to stress. I’m not sure this will help you but I found this forum great to have support and realize that others were going through the same. 

Believe, I believe you. Sorry your having to go through this. I'm not a doctor but I had Shingles over a year ago and still remember the pain at first. I had it on my forehead and left scalp. Unfortunately I have post nerve pain thats in my eyebrow and scalp that no one is able to help me with. You have to be careful with any depression you might get and if you do you need to take something for it. Hang in there it's only temporary.

Shingles is the worst illness I’ve ever had, and that includes having breast cancer 6 years ago and enduring a mastectomy, reconstruction, and 6 rounds of chemo!  It took 3 trips to my doctor’s office to finally get the shingles diagnosis.  By then it was too late for the antiviral meds, so I had to tough it out.  A month later, I am still toughing it out...  Mine started in my mouth and throat.  That’s where my pain was.  It’s been gone for a couple of weeks, but what I’m left with is a dry cough, a horrible taste in my mouth, and weakness from not being able to eat and losing 22 lbs.  From everything I’ve read (and I’ve read more about this illness than I ever knew was possible), it can linger for a while.  Take my advice and just slow down and rest, if you can.  Try to get your doc to prescribe something that will help with the pain.  Then rest...

It's the worst pain I've ever had too-and I cannot imagine having it anywhere on the head.My heart goes out to anyone who's had to suffer that.Mine was from rhe spine all the way round to the front mid chest,following the bra line and extending into my L breast.Apart from the exquisite pain of that was the constricting nature of the pain around my chest,as I have COPD and couldn't take a breath .I was in hospital writhing and whimpering because the nurse wouldn't give me my Pregabalin(newer version of Gabapentin) half an hour early.It was like a miracle every time.20 mins after taking it ,the pain was bearable.I am still taking it ,two weeks before christmas,because I'm left with a gnawing and itch that is quite indescribeable,but liveable -with.The dose I reduced from 100mg 3 times a day ,to 50 mg,twice a day,and as the virus finally peters out ,I'll wean myself off the drug slowly.(the virus travelled from the spine and cleared from the spine.The last bit is the bust .I really don't know how you have been working through this.I wouldn't say that anyone could,or should.Rest is so important.I've never nodded off so much.I certainly wouldn't have driven anywhere distant,and I love driving.The L-Lysine is wonderful too,in recuperating.It can fade any irritation within haalf an hour too.I've got a huge bottle online and very glad I did.It's good to read other posts-detailing what other people have found helpful-and other advice-especially the posts written by Merry,who is a nurse practitioner,and has also suffered with this blasted virus.She helped me a lot .I'm grateful to everyone on this forum,as the docs don;t seem to have much idea about the herpes virus in general ,or shingles in particular.Take some time off if you can,Your body needs rest-and teaching is also stressful,which allows this virus to damage your nerves further.Good luck ,and try not to worry .

X Beth

ps: I think Merry syggested Lidocaine with aloe vera

I'm so sorry Believe, yours is a common nightmare as there's a lot of misinformation about shingles. I had a similar story (even tho I diagnosed it in my husband and my father). I had the pain in my back and chest area. The virus is re-activated from the chicken pox in a nerve. The pain "generally" follows that path, but as nerves get inflamed the pain can also come from the opposite side or areas near it. I had maybe two tiny spots on my back and two weeks later four tiny spots on my lower left breast. The pain appeared, was miserable for one evening, then disappeared until weeks later. Two weeks after the initial pain is when I found the spots on my breast. I was told as I had no pain now, it couldn't be shingles. I did have some discomfort but attributed it to other things. A week after that, the pain was worse and I got the diagnosis. It was at this point when the pain was unbearable. That was a year ago. I now have PHN, which is pain which lingers due to nerve damage from shingles.

I've learned a lot here, but I also had a background as a medical secretary which has helped me. Here's what I can tell you. The Gab will help, but it needs to be slowly increased to get the optimal effect of pain relief. It's a drug that's also used for seizures so the side effects can be VERY difficult to deal with. You may end up with choosing either them or the pain. HOWEVER, the longer you have severe pain, the higher your risk of developing PHN. Generally, it's found more often in people over 60 (I was 61). So do as much as possible to take care of yourself!

1) Your entire body is dealing with this virus, so you  may feel nauseous, have headaches and extreme fatigue.

2) The pain may feel generalized, but depending where the rash was or the most extreme pain, that's the nerve affected. It may help to look at anatomy drawings. Do as much to avoid aggravating that nerve as possible.

Where is your pain? Is it back/chest, down a leg or arm? If back/chest, avoid lifting, leaning, bending etc.

3) Rest, rest, rest. Do NOT try and power thru this. It will likely last 4-8 weeks, as like me, you didn't get the anti-virals. The more you can sleep the better and don't feel guilty for it. It's an invisible condition for people like you and me. Try and distract yourself with anything that helps, watch movies, read, stroke your pet. Anything that can give your mind respite from the worst discomfort. IT WILL GET BETTER!

4) My regimen is, Gabapentin 3 times a day, extra-strength Tylenol 3 times a day, Aspercreme with 4%Lidocaine pain cream (OTC) 3 times a day. a prescription NSAID I've been on for years for another condition. Some research shows using and NSAID in addition to Gab enhances the pain-relieving effect. At my worst, the Tylenol and Aspercreme were 4 times a day, which was pushing it, dosage wise. You can also use the Aspercreme patches, but they're expensive and can only be used for 12 hours. I found the roller-ball works easiest and is most cost-effective as you don't use as much.

Unfortunately, this IS the new normal for you for a while. It can take a bit to accept this, hey I didn't either! It took me three months to realize I had PHN, when I clearly did.

Did you tell your doctor about the new rash? Is it in the same area or a different area? This is very difficult as it could be a new case of shingles or a reaction to something else. If it were me, I'd strongly encourage the doctor to give me the anti-virals. They have to be given in the first 72 hours after the "symptoms". This danged illness has SO many twists and variations to it, that's one reason why there's so little research and so much misunderstanding. I'd err on the side of taking the meds.

Dear Believe,

I am so sorry you are going through this nightmare!

I would request a different antiviral, Famciclovir 500 mg three times daily for 10 days. It is a newer drug with less resistance and better efficacy to the Varicella virus.

I would also ask for an Opioid analgesic as Shingles is one of the most painful afflictions of mankind. Physicians have stopped prescribing Opioids due to the overdoses, but people who have agonizing pain from Shingles need the Oxycodone during the acute episodes.

I would only rest and sleep during this episode as any activity and work increases the pain.

Please have your Physician check your Vitamin D level. Low levels of Vitamin D play havoc with your immunity and can cause recurrent Herpes Zoster-Shingles.

Also, Google High Lysine Low Arginine Diet and Herpes Zoster-Shingles. Following this diet and being on Vitamin D3 have changed my life.

I am a Nurse Practitioner in the States and 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.

Since following the diet and taking the correct dose of Vitamin D3 for approximately 18 months, I haven't had Herpes Zoster-Shingles for almost one year. My Vitamin D level was 14- very low before.

Best wishes

Merry Juliana