Post-shingles pain. Anyone had it? Please share your stories.

[h0rsewithn0name]

My DH developed shingles six weeks ago, on his dominant hand, up his arm and across his shoulder. He had anti virals pretty quickly and the rash has gone. However, his post-shingles pain is as bad as ever, maybe even getting worse.

Currently he is taking Gabapentin, Oramorph and Paracetamol religiously and he doesn't feel it's controlling the pain at all. He's a self-employed craftsman, so without the use of his hand there is no prospect of him returning to work. His hand is constantly cold and numb, with no feeling at all.

Has anyone else got experience of this? The GP has been great, but has said DH is having the only treatment available. We're getting worried that he will be one of the unlucky ones whose pain never goes away and he won't work again. If anyone has any suggestions of what helped them, please pass them on. Someone has lent us a TENS machine - do you think that will help? Is there any merit in asking for a consultant referral?

Any thoughts appreciated.

Amitriptyline is commonly prescribed for this issue.

Thank you. Unfortunately he can't have Amitriptyline as it works against his epilepsy medication.

What about Pregabalin?

How long has he been taking gabapentin for? It did work for me but took a good few weeks to kick in properly. I'm nearly two years on and have what I'm assuming is now permanent nerve damage in that the nerve path across my scalp and down my forehead to my eye is still numb to the touch, I get some tingling in it but not pain as such anymore. I can put up with it now as an irritation, but the pain I had at the time was unreal, he has my sympathy. I also used uddermint cream, think they've rebranded for humans as mint ease. Gave some relief.

That's interesting, thank you for your response. I didn't realise it took so long for Gabapentin to work - he's been taking it for four weeks, gradually increasing. I'll look into mint ease.

I had this 11 years ago I still have numbness /pain in my arm, hand, shoulder, face, head and neck. It is however not as bad as the early days.
I had a lot of trial and error and now take pregabalin and tramadol. Heat helps but cold makes it worse.
I was refered to pain clinic I tryed acupuncture, tens machine, nerve numbing injections, anaesthetic gel pads.
The gel pads and injections helped but not enough for the NHS to warrent continued use.
I did see a neurologist and had an mri but was told nothing they could do.
I have to be careful when I pick things up and have burnt myself occasionally not realising how hot things are but have good use in the arm/hand compared to the start. I think the first year was the worst (until I got under the pain clinic and had everything titrated and also came to terms that I would never get 100% use/pain free).
If I had my time again I'd push for a pain clinic referral sooner (especially because of waiting lists).

Lignocaine gel pads helped my family member. I would ask for a neurology or pain referral, can you go private.