Antivirals not working

[PerkyOchrePeer]

The Sunday before last I woke with a swollen eye and red forehead but no rash. Saw optician who said eye fine. My eyelid was red and sore. I had itchy head. It took me several days and multiple trips to different doctors to fet diagnosed with shingles. I started antivirals 6 days after symptoms began because nobody thought I had shingles so
I am now taking them bùt I dont thi k they are doing any good. Is it because I took them too late? I have nerve pain in head and eye and im on over counter painkillers. The nerve pain isn't too bad but I dont feel it's improving. Im only on day 4 of the antivirals. I going back-to-back GP tomorrow.

I was woken up at 3am with sti ging eye and gad to take painkillers which sorted it out but thats not the point. I want an end to this

Unfortunately antivirals aren’t very successful unless you take them pretty much straight away. If it was almost a week after symptoms they’re unlikely to do much at all 😔

I am going to make an official complaint about this

Antivirals only work within 3 days, I was advised, and it’s almost impossible to diagnose shingles in this window, as so much of the early presentation is similar to cold/flu, many other illnesses.

Cold compresses helped me, as did ibuprofen and paracetamol back to back, every two hours, also aclozivir cream from Amazon helped the rash.

Sympathies, it’s horrible. Take your time to rest

I dont need painkillers every two hours. Besides, the advice is painkillers every four hours. I have an appointment tomorrow morning with the GP and I will discuss all my frustrations with her. I just feel thoroughly let down by the NHS

You can alternate ibuprofen and paracetamol every two hours quite safely - just make sure you don’t exceed the 24h limit for either.