Shingles!

Oh so sory to hear about your poor daughter,i got shingles about 3 years ago on my birthday of all times
I was told by the Dr to get some calamine lotion, you can get it in a cream now, but i was also told about some gel, or spray called Virasoothe,it is adverised mainly for children with chicken pox, but it was so much better than the calamine
The spray is handy as you don't even need to touch the skin, and it is very cooling and stops the itch
The pain is terrible, and can last quite a long time,it felt like kidney pain to me as the rash was in that area,
My Dr gave me Gabapentin as that is for neurological pain, but the dose he gave me made me feel dizzy, the lower dose is better
Hope she feels better soon,i think mine lasted about 6 weeks, gradually getting better, but i had numbness in that area of the rash for a few months

Meant to say Drs can give steroids if caught early, but i wasn't given them and antivirals in the first 72 hours, which see she has been given

So sorry to hear this.
Our doctor gives Amiltriptilyne for nerve pain. She says the side effects of other medications are not good.
I hope she feels better soon.

My mum had this one Christmas many years ago - she was so poorly so I feel sorry for your daughter. I hope she soon starts to feel better.

dragonfly46 our doctor gives Amiltriptilyne for nerve pain. Amiltriptilyne doesn't always work. DH was given it for a trapped nerve, it had no effect what so ever. Specialist recommended gabapentin amd that did the trick. Yes, it has side effects, but DH was prepared to put up with them to be free from the pain until the problem could be resolved.

CBD oil is used for Shingles too as it reduces the pain and itching etc.

You can take pain-killers with the prescribed tablets she is taking, but check with the pharmacy first.
Surprisingly horribly painful, particularly at night.

My husband had it last year, much older than your daughter and unfortunately ended up suffering from Post Herpetic Neuralgia in his shoulder. He was perscribed Lidocaine patches and Gabapentin . Took a while but eventually pain subsided to a manageable level. Your daughter will probably be ok once she gets over the initial stage. She may need some amitryptiline at night to help with the pain. Half a tablet should be enough

Thank you for all the helpful advice!

I'm sorry for your daughter having just got over Shingles myself. I'm pleased to hear she got the antivirals which are really the only effective thing is prescribed early enough- I didn't recognise mine until it was well under way (on my back I thought it was more of the usual back pain. I just took co-codamol and quite a bit of gin!!!
I hope she feels better soon.

If anybody is taking Gabapentin it is a drug which should not be stopped suddenly- you must be weaned off it slowly.

It took my husband six months to wean himself off it , very gradual but no side effects whatsoever .