Shingles - help me through. Recovery stories

[Copenhagen]

Last weekend my hip went numb & had sore skin. The Monday (a week ago) had the rash on groin, hip, bum. Now the most horrific pain on groin, hip. It's 2.30 & I can't sleep. Please tell me it gets better. On anti viral medication. Hurt so much. Need sleep

[RosieMapleLeaf]

Oh OP :(. I had shingles on my head and face about three years ago. I was in agony and the pain meds didn’t really help! I was also on anti virals. I was over the worst of it in 2 weeks but those two weeks were very long for me.
I hope you feel better soon! It really does go away but the pain was quite shocking. I would say number two after gall bladder attack!

[coconutwater1]

I had shingles quite a few years ago and it hurts, really hurts, like having a red hot poker rolling over your skin, but it will get better and go away.

My pain lasted quite some time and I felt really off colour for many weeks, but not everyone reacts the same.

I know others who after the medication recovered very quickly and fingers crossed you will do to, you have my sympathy, get well soon

[Copenhagen]

Thank you. I couldn't sleep til 5.00 this morning. When I lie down the pain is worse. Really finding it tough, I thought I would start to feel better by now. Just want to feel better.

[notheretoargue]

Are you also on painkillers? The pain is extraordinary but I promise it doesn’t last forever

[Copenhagen]

I'm taking neurofen. The rash has tiny blisters but with the anti viral I don't think they are going to blister like the pictures. I don't know if I'm feeling more pain because of this or this is normal.

[coconutwater1]

Your lucky that they dont, fingers crossed your getting over the worst bit now.

I did find putting a thin towel over my skin (lower back) with a bag of frozen peas did help but just leave on for a short time, just to help with the feeling of burning coals

[Copenhagen]

Can't believe the amount of pain

[kooshbin]

I had shingles earlier this year. I was surprised at how painful it was. I think the worst was over after about two weeks, but I certainly didn't get a lot of sleep during that time.

I think it was nurofen and paracetamol that I took, up to the maximum daily dose for each, but staggered the pills. So, I took nurofen, then two hours later took the paracetamol, and so on. That did help in dealing with the pain during the day, but I'd often wake in the middle of the night but didn't take anything before starting the pills again at breakfast.

My rash was around my chest, so wearing a bra was impossible. Thank goodness for loose, baggy tops! It might help you if you wear loose pyjama bottoms so there's no seams to irritate the rash.

When the pain disturbed my sleep, I would go and sleep on the sofa on my non-painful side. That might help you as well, as I found it impossible to inadvertently turn over on to the painful side when asleep.

It really is awful. You have my sympathy.

*Best to check with someone knowledgeable about what painkillers you can take together.

[Ansumpasty]

I must have been pretty lucky with it. I had it when I was 23. The pain was a bit like sunburn with a few little prickles but nothing bad and recovered really quickly. I was able to still go to uni and work in a school as long as it was covered. Mine was on my back and on my boob and chest.
My brother got it when he was 21 and his recovery and pain was similar to mine. From what I gather, the younger you are the easier it is but regladelss of that, I'm sure you'll start feeling better quickly.
I do feel very sorry for those who get it around their eye, though!

[Copenhagen]

Thank you. On the nurofen & paracetonol. Had a better night my skin around the area feels like I've got sunburn & cant have anything near me. Did anyone else have that & does it go when the rash goes?

[tinypop4]

Aw op. Just under 2 years ago I had shingles on the roof of my mouth, gums and throats. It was horrendous and the antivirals made me sick too.

Good news is despite thinking the contrary, I survived. I had acupuncture in the second week which I feel sure helped.
Hang on In there

[kooshbin]

Yes, it's a lot like sunburn, but with some sharper pain which I guess was where the blisters were. That did fade away once the blisters had healed over; for me, that was two to three weeks or so. (But I'm older, in my 60s, so it might have taken longer for me.)

I think that shingles doesn't get enough sympathy, even though it can be incredibly painful. But maybe it's because it doesn't last very long.

I think I was lucky to get it where I did. RosieMapleLeaf and tinypop4 - eek, that sounds awful.

Bear with it as best you can, Copenhagen. The worst will be over very soon. Though I did feel more tired than usual for several weeks after, so you might need to factor in a bit more recovery time after the blisters have healed.

[Copenhagen]

Thank you all for your positive posts. I know it's a time thing & I'm looking forward to feeling better. The sunburn feeling was worrying me as it close but not where my blisters are so thank you for making me realise that it is part of it & hopefully it will fade when the rash fades

[Tableforjuan]

I've had it twice on stomach. Itching lasted a week but the worst of it only for a few days. Didn't find ibuprofen or paracetamol helped much. Hope you feel better soon!

[Copenhagen]

I've improved a little but still so sore. Feels like I'll never wear clothes again! Roll on when it feels better

[tinypop4]

Good news is op you're not going to get any worse.
If you can get something on, do try acupuncture. I was sceptical but I felt so so much better the next day, and I was in a terrible state with shingles.

[Copenhagen]

Up again. So sore & burning. Not as bad as 1 1/2 weeks ago but still :( want to wear clothes again. Thought I was on the up. So fed up

[missy111]

I had shingles just over a year ago, and I’m fairly sure I’m having a flare at the moment.
The only thing is time and rest! The acute pain went after two weeks, but the exhaustion lasted about a month or two

[Copenhagen]

Thank you. Starting to feel a little bit better. In the right direction so hoping I'll feel much better in a week or so & still take care. It will be amazing to wear clothes again & sleep a whole night!

[Thymeout]

The GP can prescribe a special drug for nerve pain. It's not a stronger painkiller than over the counter remedies, which might make you feel woozy, but specifically works on the inflamed nerves you get with shingles.

[Copenhagen]

What is it called?

[kooshbin]

Good to hear that relief is on the horizon, Copenhagen. I think that those who have never had it don’t realise how debilitating it all can be.

That’s interesting, Thymeout, that’s there’s a more effective painkiller for nerve pain. Can you recall the name of the drug? That could be useful to know if I get a repeat visit, as missy111 is experiencing.

I didn’t do a great deal of research into shingles (only enough to realise I needed to see the practice nurse for anti-viral meds), so I don’t know what the likelihood of a repeat actually is, or if it reappears in the same place. And I’m not sure what the trigger factors are – I’ve read that it’s to do with a reduced immune system, possibly stress. I don’t think I was stressed earlier this year, but who knows?

I’ve been looking into the shingles vaccine, and it looks like I can get that in two years’ time when I turn 70. Not that I’m looking forward to being 70 years old, of course, but it’d be worth it to not go through shingles again.

[Copenhagen]

I'd take it tomorrow if I could. I am so sore & haven't been out of the house for 1 1/2 weeks. My side feels so swollen & sore. Really miserable

[Thymeout]

Sorry - I don't know the name of the drug. My SIL's partner has shingles at the moment. He's been v poorly - was actually abroad on a camping holiday when the spots arrived. Foreign doc gave him anti-virals but still in a lot of pain. GP prescribed the drug on his return.

I also have a relative in the USA who was given same drug after open heart surgery which nicked a nerve. She was on opioid prescription painkillers which didn't work. The nerve drug zapped it in two days.

[Copenhagen]

I'd definitely be interested to know the name of that one. I'm still swollen so that's not helping. Even going to Tesco would be an achievement at the moment. Going to see how I am in another week to see if I'm actually improving!