Shingles pain worse at night

[PerkyOchrePeer]

I thought my shingles pain was easing because I woke up at 8am with hardly any pain. I work from home and hardly had any pain all day. Today was the first time since having shingles a few days ago that I have not had to take any painkillers.

I finish work at around 5pm then at around 7pm I go and lie down because I feel quite tired. I wake up an hour later and the stinging head has come back more abd I have a headacgeso I take painkillers. I was disappointed that the pain gad returned. Can anyone explain why this happened.

I got shingles a few months after having my daughter. I thought it was something older people got, then I read up and apparently it’s not uncommon for new mums to get it due to stress and what your body’s been through for 9+ months. I couldn’t take anti-virals bc I was breastfeeding (my choice) but my god, the pain! You’re right it’s worse at night. Mine affected my whole arm and it felt like it was on fire while being electrocuted, no one has an any idea what nerve pain is like until they have it. Get anti-virals asap is my advice and regular pain relief round the clock til it subsides. Hope you feel better soon!

How did you cure your shingles without anti virals

I know what causes shingles. I know some people who have had chickenpox but not had shingles. A lady i know aged 86 had chickenpox when she was 10. She has never had shingles

You can only develop shingles if you've had chickenpox in the past as its a reactivation of the CP virus. Not everyone who has had chickenpox will develop shingles.

Ive had chickenpox but never had shingles. My son had chickenpox at 6 months and shingles at 3 years old.

I think the first time I had shingles I took the amitriptyline for nearly a month.

I’ve had shingles a few times subsequently and the next time I used a few left over tablets I had from the first time. It was only a small dose and only one tablet every night.

The last time I had it the pain was not quite so bad and I took normal painkillers, but the pain did go on for a few weeks.

I occasionally get random stabs of pain back at times when I don’t have a rash as well.

when I had it, I was in my 20s, and so ill I was off for 2 weeks, and fell asleep on the sofa in the middle of the day. I could barely move. I have never done that at any other time in my life, even post partum. It’s really nasty, you need a LOT of rest.

Well ive just woken up. I took my over counter painkillers anadin extra last night at around midnight. The work well and im not really in pain this morning. I will work at hone and I dont think I will need to take any more until tonight. Its easy to think the pain has gone completely which isn't true. Its just that it only comes on at night so I am by no means s fully recovered.

I have written down a list of things to speak to my GP about in friday

Do you have to rest with shingles? My 94yo dad has it and still walks every day. He has anti virals

I didn’t, I had to ride it out. It was weird how text book it was from appearing to going. It lasted 3 or 4 weeks but was still painful after that for a while. Luckily there was no nerve damage and pain stopped altogether after a month or two if I remember rightly.

If I hadn’t been breastfeeding a young baby I would have definitely had antivirals. I was told they wouldn’t cure it, as in make it go away once it had started, but would stop its progression and it from getting any worse.

Only in so much as you might want to rest with any virus. Trying to work full time with shingles is likely to cause significant fatigue. Having a nice walk at your own pace is likely to be helpful, so if your dad is not feeling overly fatigued don’t stop him walking!

I feel depressed today. I've been taking anti virals since Sunday and I was given a weeks supply. I still feel rough and dont think they are working. My head still stings and the side of my face feels like it's being pulled from the temple where I haad my swollen eye. I am supposed to be going on holiday in Marsh but am seriously thinking of cancelling because even if I am no longer contagious, I feel rubbish and wouldn't enjoy the holiday feeling g like this. Im seeing the GP on Friday to get assessed again and I will say I dont think the anti virals have done me any good and ask what she can suggest

My closest friend hasn't bothered to ask how I am and when I told her I thought she could enquire she said she had been busy. It takes 2 seconds to write a message and say how are you. She said I had no right to insist that she ask. She said if she sends someone a message she doesn't expect an instant response. But I think it's different when someone is not well. I had a friend offer to go shopping for me and he has no car. My closest friend has a car and has not offered anything

I had shingles years ago, on the inside of my leg from my groin down to my ankle. I can honestly say, i have never known pain like it. Doctor prescribed a mild tranquiliser as shiingles affects the nerve endings. Would not wish it on anyone.

Shingles is a viral infection of a nerve root

There's good information here that may be helpful https://patient.info/skin-conditions/shingles-herpes-zoster-leaflet