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Shingles - help me through. Recovery stories

40 replies

Copenhagen · 24/10/2017 02:36

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

OP posts:
Copenhagen · 29/10/2017 07:59

Feeling so sore again. It will be two weeks on Wednesday & still feel awful with the pain. Starting to feel a bit worried

OP posts:
putputput · 29/10/2017 08:05

You need a neuropathic pain killer, normally Amitriptyline or possibly Gabapentin. Talk to your GP tomorrow. Paracetamol and ibuprofen are great but largely ineffective on nerve pain.
Amitriptyline is also used as an anti depressant but don't let that put you off!
Shingles is miserable and after effects can last a long time. Lots of rest and TLC at this point.

tinypop4 · 29/10/2017 08:52

There's nothing to worry about op. 2 weeks is a minimum amount of time to start recovery and 4-5 weeks is normal. It's not nice but it will go away.

Thymeout · 29/10/2017 09:34

putput

Yes - amitryptylene is the drug the doctor prescribed. I didn't want to say in case I'd misheard. Seriously, go to the GP. It does work and it might prevent further complications?

missy111 · 30/10/2017 07:56

I was put on gabapentin for the nerve pain. Worked a treat!

Copenhagen · 30/10/2017 09:14

Thank you. Slept last night but on the wrong side & it hurts. Rash is getting better. The sharp nerve pain has gone but the soreness & neve pain is still there. It's two weeks so will see how this week goes & talk to my doctor

OP posts:
Copenhagen · 30/10/2017 09:14

The rash is still there

OP posts:
kooshbin · 03/11/2017 23:20

How are doing now, Copenhagen?

I'm pretty sure I still have evidence of the rash, even several months later. I can see that there's still some discoloration in the region of the rash on my front. I can't see if that's the same on my back, unless I do some contortions to see it in the mirror, which I'd rather not do. But my back (where it was worse) still feels somewhat "gritty" to my fingers, and some areas where the skin is rather numb.

I don't think the skin effects ever go away completely. That's probably worth bearing in mind in terms of extra sun-screen, or clothing that could irritate those areas.

I hope the pain has lessened. That really is the worst bit, that many people don't really recognise.

Copenhagen · 06/11/2017 17:39

Thank you for asking :) rash going down. It will be 3 weeks Wednesday. Some irritation has gone but the nerve fibres are still jangling especially after I've slept. Is this normal to still feel sore?

OP posts:
Copenhagen · 07/11/2017 08:13

I'm worried that The nerve pain Is still jangling. Anyone had it for more than 3 weeks

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kooshbin · 09/11/2017 23:26

I think, for me, there eventually became a difference between the pain and soreness, which was about the surface of my skin, as opposed the nerves jangling. I did get to the point where I could wear a bra, but that might be because my bra fitted closely to my skin, so didn't move about and irritate it. You might find it a bit different, given where your rash is, because your clothing is irritating your skin by moving about and triggering your nerve cells. Maybe you could think about something like Spandex to keep a constant pressure on your skin, rather than the intermittent triggering of your usual underwear?

My jangling did abate something like 3 or 4 weeks after the onset. It has re-occurred on occasions, though very briefly, for a few months thereafter.

I think that as you've still got nerve pain, you should go back to your GP and ask for specific pain meds as others here have suggested. There's the view that shingles occurs because of a reduced immune system - lots of possible reasons for a temporary blip in the immune system, and stress is one of those.

Physical pain can cause all manner of problems, including stress, especially if you can't get enough of the right kind of sleep. So it can end up as a circular kind of problem. Good GPs have a better handle on that than some specialists, so if you have a good GP maybe ask them for some heavy-duty but short-term pain meds, just to get you back on track.

Until I had shingles, I'd never experienced an illness that could make me feel so low for so long.

Copenhagen · 13/11/2017 08:08

Thank you. It will be 4 weeks on Wednesday. Still sore & jangling but haven't scabbed over completely. They didn't blister as much due to I think taking the anti virals. I'm calling the doctor today about amytriptiline to help me sleep & calm the nerves. Really appreciate the reply. Just need some hope the pain will settle. I am still swollen & numb

OP posts:
kooshbin · 19/11/2017 22:38

@Copenhagen - sorry for not replying sooner.

How are you doing? Did you manage to get some heavy-duty pain meds from your GP? If so, have they helped?

I remember the lack of proper sleep. I'm sure that delayed my recovery.

Although it seems it's now just the two of us continuing this thread, I'm sure it'll help others who search for "shingles" to know that it's not a mild thing that only old people get. And if you have managed to get really good pain meds, it'll help others to know that they can ask their GP for that.

(Actually, I want to know for myself, because if I get shingles again, which could happen, then next time I want to go straight to the heavy pain meds. I really don't want to spend a few weeks feeling as miserable as I did.)

Giggorata · 21/11/2017 09:26

I am in week 2 of shingles... ow. I had deep pain for a week, with no rash, so I was worried I had kidney or bowel problems... then the rash appeared. I was almost relieved, even though it is shit, at least I know why and that it will end. Amytriptaline is brilliant.
Much sympathy for you OP, and all fellow sufferers.

kooshbin · 23/11/2017 22:44

That must have been scary, Giggorata, to have that pain and not knowing what it could be. But it's useful to know that shingles doesn't always present in a standard way.

Sounds like Amytriptaline is the go-to meds. I just hope I can remember that if I ever get shingles again.

Hope you're feeling a bit better now.

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