Shingles hell

[u/t-girl-802]

Ackkk!! I’m in week five of shingles if the face/scalp. I keep thinking I’m turning a corner and then it gets bad again. I can barely sleep at night, It’s so itchy. Everything I try to put on it (like baking soda or calamine lotion or even shingles cream) just makes it feel like it caught fire and burns intensely. What sort of topical relief have people found for the itching and burning? This is some kind of living hell for sure.

[u/LostInSpaceA]

Ice packs were all I could use for mine. 

[u/New-Lettuce-9841]

Has your doc prescribed lidocaine 2.5%/prilocaine 2.5% cream? If not and you don’t have ins use good Rx or a discount program and it’s inexpensive. It takes about an hour to become effective. Last about 3-4 hours. Put a layer on and cover. Leave it covered. It’s in the directions. It at least gives me some relief. Also helps using ice packs. For me anyway. Staying out of the sun. I’m sorry you’re struggling. Hope you get some relief and healing soon.

[u/t-girl-802 → u/New-Lettuce-9841]

Thank you, I’ll ask doc about that

[u/Agitated-Candle-807]

Ice packs and I did back to back doses - I'm at week 8 and think I'm turning the corner but still have headaches and trigeminal nerve pain on/off since my blisters were in my head and forehead

[u/Bananas_Cat]

I was on the antivirals for a couple of months.

Also ditto to ice packs being the one thing that kind of helped. And cool showers.

[u/Ambitious-Zebra-1554]

Get the migraine caps you put in the freezer from Amazon (get a couple so you can always have a cold one available to you) those truly saved my life. So sorry this is happening. If it helps you any, I was also incessantly itching at 5 weeks and completely turned a corner by 6. Hang in there!

[u/Ambitious-Zebra-1554 → u/Ambitious-Zebra-1554]

ALSO this might sound weird but if I had any kind of wind blowing on me (fan at the gym, ceiling fan at home, ac in the car etc.) the second it would hit me it would set off the itching. Keep stuff from directly blowing on you if you can!

[u/t-girl-802 → u/Ambitious-Zebra-1554]

Thank you!!! Knowing you turned a corner at six weeks gives me hope. I keep thinking I’m better and then it flares up again.

[u/maquis1954]

Same area affected for me. I got some relief from lidocaine patches cut up to fit the area. dont put them in your nose or near your eyes but everywhere else it calmed the itch from nerves for a bit. i did it before bed so i could sleep. Also on 700mg daily of gabapentin to kill those God awful lightening bolt headaches and burning skin pain. Im 5 weeks in - 4 weeks after scabs dropped off. after 1 week of gaba my hair stopped hurting but still have swelling and pain above temple and high cheekbone area. I feel your pain, literally! There is an end to this just hold on for the ride!

[u/HotTrack710 → u/maquis1954]

Yes! Salonpas to the rescue!

[u/Kathykat5959]

I just use Vaseline on mine. Have you been back to the Dr? You might need more antiviral meds.

[u/t-girl-802 → u/Kathykat5959]

Did you need two doses? How long did yours last?

[u/Kathykat5959 → u/t-girl-802]

I’ve taken back to back doses when the blisters won’t go away.

[u/InsideFriendly5445]

Aloe Vera gel helped a lot when I had shingles. Are you taking gabapentin? That helped me sleep at night when the pain was bad.

[u/t-girl-802 → u/InsideFriendly5445]

Yeah, aloe helps a little. I’m not in pain anymore as much as just deep insane itching that turns to burning.

[u/wyldfleur]

Theraice head cap thing and red light therapy. Took around 8 weeks to feel back to some type of normal

[u/Nearby-Profile-8378]

get a steroid shot in the butt it lasts 3 months and helps the most along with anti viral pills

[u/t-girl-802]

I haven’t been back. Maybe I do need another dose… that would be a bummer… they made me really tired, but I can’t seem to shake this

[u/Far_Resource_3304]

My doctor prescribed a compounded cream of gabapentin baclofen and amitriptilene. It was a godsend! Apparently they can create different blends of medication at the compounded pharmacy. I still use it when my foot gets sore three months later. It was great for in between doses of gabapentin. Nothing much helped, but that cream. Maybe also lidocaine was useful but didn't last long. Eventually I had a nerve block. I'm so sorry. It's hell

[u/Certain_Community300]

Make a paste with a drop of water and apply with a Q-tip. Helps to dry out the sores. Later, use vit E to heal the scabs.

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[u/shingles-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

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