Bit late with this , apologies, and hope those who are suffering are feeling a bit better. Just wanted to add , my husband developed Shingles last May, initially he thought he had pulled a muscle in his shoulder as the pain preceded the rash by a week. Eventually it was the physio that he had made an appointment with about the shoulder issue that diagnosed shingles, as by this stage the rash had developed and obviously she couldn't treat him.
Straight to GP who started him on the anti virals, analgesia and Amitryptiline, with minimum relief. Eventually a few weeks later and after some research on my part, ( Shingles association webpage was very helpful) he rang the doctor and was then prescribed Gabapentin and Lidocaine patches. These were the only thing that proved to have any effect.
Fast forward 10 months and he is more or less 100% cured but still suffers PHN ( Post Herpetic Neruraglia) which manifest itself with itching . However it's mild compared to the pain of the shingles .
When getting his flu vaccine in October last, the GP also gave him the shingles one, as he hadn't had this particular vaccine before . She said there's still a chance he could get it again !
Just wanted to say there are medications that will help, but it's not an easy fix and I truly sympathise with anyone suffering from Shingles.
