Shingles help please.

[Slivia]

Shingles. This is my second bout of Shingles in 5 years. My sister died in January this year & the Shock & much stress, I believe has caused this. She was younger than me. My problem is: the pain at night causes sleep problems. At night, my skin feels as if it is crawling & itching& I have to constantly move, resulting in getting up & going downstairs & keeping occupied ie making homemade soup, or cooking a dish. Anything to Keep me occupied. My advanced nurse practitioner gave me one weeks supply, at the v beginning, of Aclivor. She said to “nip it in the bud” she is a dedicated nurse. However, I have not slept now for nearly 3 months. I usually have a good brain, but not sleeping, is affecting me. My question is: what do other people do to reduce the Nerve pain, which I’m getting mainly in my legs, now also in my arms & all over. I am getting desperate for sleep.

My husband has Glaucoma & Macular degeneration, & frequently needs assistance, which I gladly give . Thankyou Slivia

[Jackie1947]

If it was me I would have phoned my surgery for advice as 3 months in pain and no sleep there are meds that can help this. I had Shingles and only place but painful was neuralgia on one side of the face . It felt like tooth ache and lasted for months. As it was a long time ago I can't remember what meds I had. In time it went away. I hope you get more advice on this and you start to feel better

[Slivia in reply to Jackie1947]

I now have apt. for GP Monday. Thankyou

[Holdingbacktheyears]

You didn’t say where on your body you had the shingles. Like you I had 2 bouts of shingles close together one on my head and down my face and eye the other my lower back , It takes a long time for the pain to go and sometimes when I am stressed I feel it in those areas.bHowever I think you really need to see a doctor as you are going through a really bad time and definitely need some help. Please make an appointment immediately and explain what you have told us not leaving anything out. I am sending you condolences on the loss of your sister together with my concern for you xxx

[Slivia in reply to Holdingbacktheyears]

Thank you. I have now spoken to the advanced practice nurse, who is issuing a prescription for Amitriptiline & has made apt for GP on Monday.

[Holdingbacktheyears]

That’s so good to hear I hope the amitriptyline gives you some relief until you see the doctor.. Remember when you go to see your GP to write a list of ALL your pain, problems sleeping etc and what effect they have on you both physically and emotionally, . I take amitriptyline myself among other medications so don’t Worry about taking it.

Let meKnow how you get on

sending you kind hugsx

[Slivia in reply to Holdingbacktheyears]

Thankyou. How kind you are. It’s reassuring to know that you are also taking Amitriptiline., & you have had similar experiences. I will let you know how I am. V Best Wishes x

[Dodie117]

just for others, the shingles vaccine is available free in uk. Here in Ireland it costs €200-400.

[SheffieldJane]

Oh poor you! You do have to contend with so much grief and on-going stress. I have nursed 5 children through chicken pox, with oatmeal baths each night and calomine lotion put on each spot and then popped into clean sheets using unscented gentle detergent for pjs as well and read a story so maybe try that. Nobody has a scar of pock mark, everybody had little tied on socks if they kept scratching. All done with gentle love. Something similar, maybe with an audiobook once you are comfy, might make you feel loved and cherished too. Xxx

[medway-lady]

Ask the GP for Pregabalin it is addictive but you just come off it slowly. I don't know how it works but it does as I was admitted to hospital because of Shingles and sympathise. Hospital prescribed it for months and I also found Deep Freeze gel helped cool it at night. Someone also said about Canabis lotion so I paid £60 for a useless product. Rubbish stuff and the pain of Shingles lasted a long time and I was ineligible for the vaccine. My RA consultant wrote to GP and I had the Shingrex (dead vaccine) but still got it agin although mildly. Best of luck xx