Shingles feeling so down and miserable

[Icepinkeskimo]

I had been feeling 'low' for some time but last week just felt awful. On Thursday the left side of my leg started feeling like every single nerve was on fire, and got so painful that even if my top brushed against it just sent surges of pain outwards. Literally the pain was so bad I thought I was losing my mind.
Saw the doctor (let's not discuss that just to say the system is broken in so many aspects).
I'm now dosed up on antibiotics, anti something or other and pain killers.
I'm just feeling so miserable and down, normally in the past when I've been ill or been through some really tough times I have always just clung on to little bits of happiness and good thoughts for the future.
No illness has ever made me feel like this I'm flatter than a pancake.
What do you do if you've been feeling like this?
I'm lonely too, I look such a rotten state right now, it's probably a good job my family aren't local.
I need to pull myself together don't I?

Im still getting over a 10 week bout of shingles. Im chronically ill and had cancer amongst other things and can honestly say i have never felt more pain or more low than during the first 4 weeks.
Be kind to yourself, most people will say its the worst pain you will ever feel, you dont need to pull youself together. Pratical things-
Painkillers. You need nerve painkillers like Gabapentin or Amytriptiline.Nothing else will touch it. Your GP can prescribe
Warm baths with porridge oats really helps soothe it. You can buy the sachets from Aveeno from Amazon or just put some porridge oats in the foot of an old pair of tights and run under hot water
800mg of antiviral tablets can help it clear up quicker. Again your GP can give you those.
You will be knackered. Sleep when you need too.
I found firmly bandaging the area so clothes etc dont brush against it really helped. Make sure you use sterile gauze and bandages. Again, i just got mine from Amazon.
Cold Calamine lotion or good quality Alie vera gel is soothing.
Find a box set or play some music or whatever to distract yourself.
Hope you feel better soon. PS 10 weeks isnt usual, im severely immune suppressed, you should be feeling better in a couple of weeks.

Try not to think too much, it sounds like you are really poorly and need some emotional uplift. My go to is always Shaun the Sheep - its only 10 minutes an episode and quite witty. Good old Shaun the Sheep always fixes things.

I remember my Dad having shingles and he wouldn't even open his bedrooom door to me and had socks on his hands - he sort of lived in his room like a cave for a few days. I've never had measles so had to stay away. I hope you feel better soon.

Thank you so much Redannie and Misty, I'm going to place an order from Amazon hopefully get it delivered tomorrow. The bandaging suggestion sounds like a god send, definitely going to do it.

The doctor did give me a prescription for the Amitriptyline, but the pharmacist made a few comments and put me of taking it! My mind was a bit foggy at the time, but I will take one later and hopefully it will be fine.

Thank you both so much, for the advice and kind words, it means the world to me.

My mum used to get bad shingles outbreaks and now takes daily anti-viral suppression; this stops them happening as frequently/altogether in most people. At you can up the dose to lessen the outbreak severity/length once you get the onset symptoms. Herpes is an awful virus, leaving you physically and emotionally affected. I hope you feel better soon.

My neighbour had shingles a while ago, she is normally very healthy but she looked so so down. It's a horrible illness. You will heal, try to rest as much as you can.

Shingles is utterly grim, I had it last summer, also on my leg. It was SO painful. Do take the painkillers and rest up, go to bed and watch Netflix if you can.

The antivirals are usually very effective, I felt much better 3-4 days after starting them.

Amytryptiline is commonly dispensed for nerve pain. It's not addictive.

Honestly if the pharmacist wanted to be a dr they should just have done medicine shouldnt they? Makes me so cross.

I know it's too late for you poor folks upthread, but can I just say that if you are fortunate to be able pay for it, you can get a shingles vaccination for about £175. (I understand that they are NHS funded after 70) I had mine done at a local private hospital, but I see that Superdrug offer the service, too.

I can report that I had no side effects from my vaccination, not even a sore arm. If you can afford it, it has to be better than the possibility of months of suffering.

@Oldandcobwebby

I know it's too late for you poor folks upthread, but can I just say that if you are fortunate to be able pay for it, you can get a shingles vaccination for about £175. (I understand that they are NHS funded after 70) I had mine done at a local private hospital, but I see that Superdrug offer the service, too.

I can report that I had no side effects from my vaccination, not even a sore arm. If you can afford it, it has to be better than the possibility of months of suffering.

Thank you so much for this information, I wasn't even aware that I could have been vaccinated against this privately. Never crossed my mind. This weekend I felt half 'normal' I even cooked a proper dinner but could only manage about 5 mouthfuls, my love of food has abandoned me. Today though worn out again so more talking pictures TV! I will never take anything for granted again that's for certain.