Shingle

Thank you Brook, i have not taken Garbapentin since, just paracetamol and Ibuprofen,
Not as bad this morning although i was woken up at 4-30 by the cat walking over my face lol
I think the pain under my rib is due to constipation, i have taken something for that so hopefully that will ease, my upper stomach felt bloated thats why i think im bunged up, anyway it has eased plus wind pains,
Back is still aching but blisters are not bothering me much, although still using the virasoothe,
So hopefully wont last too long
Still taking ABs too for kidneys,

So sorry to hear you’re still in so much pain - how long ago was it that your shingles first started ? I had really bad pain for a full 6 weeks but then gradually went although I still have some numbness that doesnt bother me. I didn’t take Gabapentin so can’t help with symptoms of that. Hope you can get some sleep and wishing you a speedy recovery, take care ?

Well didnt have a better night really, slept a bit better ,but woke with intense pain back and under ribs
The Gabapentin made me very dizzy, and im supposed to take 2 during the day then 3 then 4 in the following days
I have not taken any more,cant get that dizzy that im falling over which i would ,
Chemist said the Dr has given a very strong one and to ring up and tell him,he might give me a weaker one
The chemist said just try the Gabapentin at night taken early then might not make me dizzy in a morning
My ribs at that side are numb as is my back now, cant feel a thing if i touch them
Googled best pain meds for shingles and co codamol was one, nut the numbness seems a common side effect of shingles,at least its not just me which is a relief
Sat with a hotwater bottle on my back just now

Have now got a kidney infection, and got antibiotics,and Gabapentin for the pain
Also my rib and around it is numb, very strange ,
Hoping to have a better night,

Been awake most of the night with this pain, could be trapped wind pains,all over stomach and back as well

Tomorrow is my last day of Acyclover, dont know what is causing this pain, but have a feeling its bowel pain, and i am belching a lot, but will call in at the chemist tomorrow and see if they have any idea,
All i know is Ibuprofen is ok to take, maybe with children it makes a difference
Thank you MawBroon,I will ask about this too

I found Acyclovir a godsend when I had shingles in my head, fortunately not spreading below my left eyebrow. It certainly shortened the consequences but had to be taken early enough after diagnosis.
This is the thing I saw about ibuprofen

grannyactivist so sorry to hear what a bad time you had with shingles, i think i have it quite mildly, the main problem now,and not sure if its connected but awful pain tonight and last night around kidney area and under my rib, my sister says thats normal with shingles, but it seems worse when i have eaten, the blisters are not so prickly but one are just itches so much,
Is this pain normal with shingles? has anyone else had this?

Oooh grannyactivist I feel for you so much - what a bad time you’ve had , hope things get much better for you soon , take care

I had shingles in my left eye and all through the left side of my face and head. I had the antiviral, but was so ill I ended up at the hospital on a drip! It took months for the eye to be treated with steroids and it's now permanently damaged and I have eye drops four times a day. The worst of it though was the exhaustion, which still bothers me six months since the start of my attack. I get so tired at times that it interferes with daily life.

Hi Valerie, my blisters lasted for about 3 weeks then they gradually fell off and the red rash faded bit by bit. You’re right about the capsaicin cream - it’s the chilli pepper cream that burns when you first apply it but you get used to it after a while. I’m so pleased it’s not as painful today for you - hopefully it will be gone very very soon - take care ? ?

Brook thank you for your input, i am hoping it doesnt last as long as 6 weeks,
I thought Capsain was hot, im sure its what i used to put on my back to ease back pains i have only got it on one side, just a little spreading round the back, and not as painful today, just a bit prickly
How long did your blisters actually last for
Hope you feel better now too,

Hi there
I had shingles for 6 weeks - started November last year. It was a really painful rash with many blisters front and back on my left side and general lack of energy the whole time Once the blisters healed the pain was still there so got the Capsaicin cream from the doctor that really helped once you get used to it. Luckily all pain seems to have gone now so I’m counting myself lucky as many people seem to have ongoing pain for ages. Hope you’re feeling better soon

I wont take Amytriptaline, i was once prescribed it and almost fell downstairs after getting out of bed,i was so dizzy
It is old fashioned now, but i know a lot of Drs still prescribe it

Sorry, yes i got the name wrong, couldnt remember exactly without going back to the page

No i live in England, it might have been an American site i looked at, a lot of health ones seem to be

Noxopran? Do you live abroad?
valeriej do you mean Naproxen?.

I took amytriptaline 10 mg and it helped greatly.

Tho I have just been to NHS for 'Medicine for the elderly"

Best bit was being given a 'Robin' a 3 wheeled aid, which has stabilised my 'falling over'.

When at the medicine course, a trainee , junior Dr said I should not take Amytriptaline , Its old fashioned'

Told my GP that and she said its her first go to medicine, I still have some on hand.

Hellsbella i hope you feel better soon, i dont feel too bad really,had a bad headache for a couple of days, and a bit under the weather, but then i dont have to go work etc, so i can take it easy if i want to

Just googled what pain killers to take for shingles and it says Drs may suggest Ibuprofen or Noxopran
So i will keep on taking it

Oh i will google that about ibuprofen, thank you, although it really does help,feels much better this morning, but something has given me the runs, not sure if its the antivirals,will have to check that out too
I wasnt given any advice at all about pain relief though,
I think i have got it quite mildly though compared to what my sister had

I have read on Facebook that you should not take ibuprofen for chickenpox, so presumably the same could apply to Shingles.
Worth a Google.

What about trying a bicarbonate of soda soak. Put it in the bath and just sit in it and use a jug to pour it over the affected part. Was great for chicken pox in children....very soothing.

I got flu over Christmas and then got shingles. It seems to leap on board when your immune system's compromised. The band of spots was right where my bra band sits so I couldn't wear a bra (and I NEED to wear a bra!). Someone gave me a gel-filled silicone strip that you can put in the fridge when I finally had to go back to work, which helped a lot. The area where the spots were still feels sore - as if someone's dragging a hot teaspoon over it and I still feel absolutely knackered - but that might be the lingering sodding cough I got with the flu that keeps me awake half the night. You get no sympathy or time off with post-viral knackeredness.
Nasty condition.

Woke up in agony this morning, excruciating pain, took some ibuprofen and my antiviral, and put gel on the rash, took a while to ease though
I also looked up about vaccination for shingles and you can only have it at 70 and 78 apparently
When my sister asked for it she was 69 and she had to wait until she was 70, she had already had shingles twice by then
I wouldnt wish this on anyone
Looks to be drying up now,

Well that's will be my next big birthday treat sorted out. Oh dear! Getting older is not much fun.