Shingles - Ouch!!!

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Thank you Clementine for that tip. I'm going to call my doctor Monday to see if she can prescribe that 5% Lidocaine patch for me. I appreciate the advice. I sure hope it helps and the pain doesn't stay as long as your husband's did. It's really awful!! :-(

godfreygirl43 my husband experienced the exact same pain, in fact 10 months down the line it's still there though nothing near as bad. We did our own research and came up with Lidocaine patches, these were then prescribed by the GP. they worked well, and combined with the gabapentin offered him some relief .

I’m going through a bout of shingles right now. The blisters and scabs have gone but there is a spot on my right side that is SO painful. It feels like I was scalded with hot water and there is a jabbing pain that begins as soon as I get up in the morning and does not go away. It only lets up if I put pressure on it…. like holding my hand on it….but I can’t go around all day with my hand on my side.

My doctor has me on valacyclovir, prednisone and gabapentin. The gabapentin is supposed to be for the pain and I began it on March 15. It is now March 23rd and I have had NO relief from this pain. Has anyone else had this same pain and taken this same medication for it? Do I have to wait a long time for it to work or is it just NOT working for me? Also, has anyone else had results for their pain with something else?

Thanks a bunch!!!

Just looked it up, it would seem that if you miss it at 70 you are still eligible until you reach 80. That explains it. No help to you Flower but may be of interest to others.

I had the shingles vaccine along with the flu and pneumonia vaccines (a triple whammy) In December last year, I’m 72. I didn’t realise there was an age restriction, I asked on the day and it was just a case of roll your sleeve up and away you go.
Get well soon Flower

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.

Looking for people from the UK to share experiences with with the hope of helping each other.

I am still suffering somewhat from the shingles site. Dull deep ache. Wish it would go away. The spots have gone but the pain still there. Also getting slight burning sensation where my shingles appeared 32 years ago. It always happens when I am run down.

You have my sympathy, I had shingles a couple of years ago and I was in agony. DH was away working and I couldn't sleep and couldn't lie on my back. The pain was excruciating and lasted for many weeks, I was in a terrible state and took a long time to recover. I would consider the vaccine but I don't qualify as I am not 70.

Shingles vaccination has only been around for about 2 years and only become available on the NHS this year. I was 70 in August and will be getting the jab next week. DH, who was 70 last week will have to wait until next year

I think the phased introduction, year, on year, is because of the availability of vaccine.

I hope you soon feel better, Flower - everybody says it is a very painful condition.

When we had our mass flu vaccination, there were signs up telling us that shingles vaccine was available for people of 70 and 79. I have polymyalgia and have heard that shingles is dangerous for people with this condition. I will be taking it up with my GP next time I see her - to ask if there are any exceptions.

I think I might be tempted to pay for the shingles vaccine; so many people have told me how painful it is. I hope you feel better soon, Flower, but give yourself lots of time to get over it when you do.

GP thinks it is because I have been run down and suffering from anxiety due to health problems and awaiting scan results etc. All ok in that respect.

Eleothan, yes you can get it twice I think the NHS site says that the rash may not appear in subsequent attacks. You can get chickenpox from shingles but not the other way round. This from my GP Hence I am to stay away from my new baby granddaughter and my pregnant DIL. I am taking the anti-viral drug it doesn't stop the pain but it does prevent the virus from causing complications (think thats what Dr Tim said)

FloweroftheForest I do hope you are resting and sleeping as much as you can,I have not had shingles myself but DS1 had a very bad case of it when he was 20,he was away from home with his Regiment at the time and after he was diagnosed by Medic he was sent home via Military ambulance for me to look after as he was still contagious and a lot of the nurse's would have been put at risk,he had the illness for 11 weeks before he could return to his unit he was very poorly indeed so I know how rotten you must be feeling our own GP said it is brought on when your body is really run down and can't fight infection,how true that is I don't know but please take care of yourself.

On NHS Choices website it says that if you don't get it when you are 70 you will have to wait until you reach 79. Mind the gap

I had the shingles vaccination a couple of weeks ago, I am 70. The nurse explained that they have researched the age groups which are most likely to contract it and to have the worst reaction, which are 70 and 79, so they are being offered it first. The other age groups will get it in due course, but as it is a live vaccine they can only produce it in relatively small batches.

Very sorry to hear about your shingles, flowerW. I hope you are beginning to feel better.

I gave seen the shingles vaccination advertised at £240.

A friend who is undergoing chemo has developed shingles which has become infected. As if that wasn't bad enough, it is in a part of her body that makes sitting down very difficult - just when she really needs to take it easy.

Eloethan I have asked about paying for vaccination but told this is not available at the moment.

Flowerofthewest and other sufferers you have my sympathy shingles sounds dreadful .

Fortunately I have not had it (yet, but touching wood like mad) but when my children were young and a neighbour had it the Health Visitor told me that children could catch Chicken Pox from a shingles sufferer but that shingles itself would not be passed on. From the same source I was told you can't catch shingles from someone with chicken pox although I have heard stories which appear to disagree with this.

I also believe it is sadly something which can return. Needless to say the two daughters I had at the time both went down with chicken pox.

My mum had shingles about 5 years ago when she was 87. From what I recall, she didn't have a rash. I think it started with a sort of terrible shooting pain down her arm and moved to her head, face and ear. It was the most awful experience watching her in absolute agony. The doctors said all they could advise was for her to take paracetamol, which she did but it hardly touched the pain. She then got Bells Palsy and I didn't think her face would ever go back to normal. Fortunately it did.

I got shingles when we were on holiday in Portugal this year. My husband insisted I go to a clinic. The doctor prescribed an anti-viral drug and, apart from one very painful night, I was fortunate enough not to suffer too much and it soon cleared up. I wish they'd prescribed those anti-virals for my mum but perhaps because she had no obvious rash, it was too late for anti-virals to be effective.

I've heard so many different things about shingles - that it's not infectious, that it is infectious, that you can't get it again (but FloweroftheWest says she's had it before). I now feel inclined to get vaccinated, even if I have to pay for it.

FloweroftheWest I do hope you soon feel better. Get as much rest as you possibly can.

My sympathy! It sounds awful.

My doctor has offered me a shingles injection and I was wondering whether or not to bother but now I definitely will.