I'm suffering with my first bout of Shingles. It is the most horrific pain that I have ever experienced. Started with pain below lower left rib. Felt like I pulled a muscle. Next day back and front lower rib on left side hurting and by evening one small itchy bump above and and a bit higher than the pain. By the middle of the morning I was taken to urgent care by an employers. Pain was relentless. When I seen the doc they looked for rash and found that The one bump had become three. And on my back I had a few breakout areas. No blisters that we could notice at anytime. I was put on Valtrex that day at 1 gram 3x a day for 7 days. I'm two and 3/4 weeks into this and I can't tolerate pain meds or Lyrica. The pain is excruciating! Taking Tylenol and ibuprofen . I feel worse evening and mornings. I get this weird sensation at times of what feels like twitching under my rib where it hurts. Is this normal? Can anyone advise me if there is anything else I can do for the nerve pain? Haven't been able to return to work. Any help would be appreciated. Rash is pretty much gone. So tired of hurting
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I am so sorry your going through this my son had really bad shingles like you was in agony painkillers didn't do any good his whole back was covered in blisters apart from painkillers told to put calamine lotion on his back no good at all as you know I just hope it goes away soon hugs maria
I think it took several weeks trying to sleep was really a big problem as it made it harder to cope with the pain I hope you can manage to get at least some sleep and will pray for your quick healing take care Maria hugs very gentle ones x
You poor thing, I do feel for you. I have never had shingles but am aware from others how painful it is....When I was at the GP's in the week I noticed a sign that said anyone over 70 could request the shingles jab....As I am of that great age I shall go for it....Hope things settle down soon....x
Dear Trikki... Thank you for your well wishes. Yes I would highly suggest you go get vaccinated for Shingles. I'd rather go through child birth than have this.
I had shingles back in '82, Calamine lotion was prescribed :-P. I believe I've had Post Hepatic Neuralgia since. A second bout a couple of years ago in exactly the same place with no visible rash. This time Gabapentin was prescribed. My Dr agreed that I had probably had shingles since '82
Oh no! I'm so sorry that you still have residual pain. Doesn't the gabepwntun make you feel tired? Or does your body get used to it? Tried Lyrica and couldn't deal with the side effects. What if any are the side effects of gabepentin?
Thank you for sharing with me. So much appreciated!!!
As I used to have problems sleeping the Gabapentin has dealt with some of my pain and sleep issues. I got 'spacey' the first few days and had diarrhea for a little while but it's good for me now.
I don't know all the side-effects, just how it has worked with me.
I get sleepy now and have been diagnosed with Pernicious Anemia so that has been explained.
Boy, I feel like a shambling bag of bone and what used to be muscle
Hi just reading your post RE nerve pain, I have Shingles at the moment I have had it before in my Eye that was Horrific I have it on my bottom this time I try to keep it imaginative!!!! I have been told I would probably suffer Nerve pain and since my previous Shingles I think I have suffered with residual nerve pain! because of my multiple health problems and a serious Assault whilst i was working I had put all my pain on either that or my R A )Fibro ect but with what my Dr said Re Nerve damage I think that may play a part in the level of pain. Hope your pain is not to bad at the moment, on going significant pain is difficult to manage. Best wishes. X
Oh so sorry I've had this three times shingles 😖😫taking the big horrible shingle medication you can put it in water and drink it as it will dissolve
Also try and eat natural yougert a dr advised me to do that when I couldn't swallow those tablets
I find Epsom salts baths will help with pain nice hot bath to draw out the pain I also find gabepentine 400mg works well for nerve pain take two at a time and you should sleep hope you get better soon.
Thanks for the advice. Any bat side with the gabapentin ? I tried Lyrica and I couldn't tolerate side effects. How are you doing now? And how long did they last?
I have read that large doses of vitamin C help with shingles, google it as there is lot of info there, I hope your pain doesn't last too long, I have never had it but my gran was very bad some years ago with it.
Hi E_lizab8, you're the closest with the best advice with vitamin C. I've worn the T-shirt and know the pain was bloody unbearable. My GP, although it was 30 years ago, prescribed Calamine Lotion, though it was a third of the price as an OTC item, which did resolve irritation. A few Epsom Salt baths also helped me. Epsom Salt baths are also good for detoxifying the body
Shingles, or Herpes Zoster normally comes from having a low, compromised immune system. It took me years to discover that the anticonvulsants I take for my epilepsy seriously deplete vitamins and minerals stores from the body. As soon as I replete the vitamin D levels, which my GP and Neurologist failed to monitor, I've never had a cold, or the flu, and my asthma, which I used to be prescribed Becotide and Ventolin for, has disappeared. The immune system, once compromised, is responsible for many ailments. GP's prescribed me Prozac to cope with depression after I lost my parents and wife all with 4 years. I can now reflect on crying as being an absolutely normal event of life when *hit happens. But when I began taking vitamin D at 5000 IU's, because it was low at 34 nmols/L, I had chest pains. When vitamin D deficiency causes depression and I began to replete it, it started to contraindicate with the Prozac (known as the 'happy' pill) and instinct told me to withdraw the prozac. Not 'cold turkey' but a special, personal withdrawal program. Dr David Tanton brilliantly exposes the dangers of antidepressants, adding that no one is drug deficient. many of our health problems derive from being nutritionally deficient. But GP's are virtually commanded to issue a prescription for everything on this earth, as they owe an allegiance to the pharmaceutical companies for bankrolling medical schools.
So, from my experience, I would recommend keeping the immune system optimal with vitamins C & D, with vitamin D levels at, at least 75-125 nmols/L. And patients really need to take a more, proactive role in their own healthcare. I take Redoxon's vitamin C (1000 mgs) daily because, unlike vertebrates, humans don't make vitamin C. Too many pharmaceutical graded drugs deplete our bodies of nutrients that, when the body is already deficient in, makes the situation worse. Sorry for the lengthy reply, but remember too, that we're all unique individuals where the same treatment is not always necessary.
@willyoung,Drs have their uses but sometimes better to investigate oneself as they only want to give drugs and not up for alternative theories. I take D3,B.1,B6,B12 and a multi B also E and C and probiotics, my immune system is compromised as I have Hashi Thyroiditis and also problems with Fructose so can't eat much fruit, also classed as having celiac D due to bout of Dermatitis Herpetiformis but have not had biopsy. Going GF was the thing that helped me the most, but as you say we are all individuals.
I am having the same issues. Also severe muscle spasms. You would literally think I have tourettes. I am constantly jumping. I talked to the doctor about this and she said that shingles can attack the nervous system when you are highly stressed out. Get well soon. I am glad that I found this forum to learn from.
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Gut spasms.
Shingles update
Lower back spasm
Muscle Spasms
sore throats and coughing causing chest spasms
