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[southerntransplant]

How long does shingles pain last? It's been more than a month since the diagnosis, and the pain is, at times, pretty intense. To make it worse, the outbreak is along my waist, right where my trousers sit. I'm taking Neurontin for the pain, but it tends to make me spacey if I take it more than once a day, and I'm out of Vicodin and don't really want to take anymore.

The doctor mentioned 1-6 months, which doesn't fill me with good feelings...

[scampster]

Oh man, mine was much more mild than that and went away after a month. Good luck!

[notaprof]

So sorry SoTrans!  Maybe it is time for overalls. 

I hope you get the shorter end of the range.  I am developing a paranoia about shingles now.  Everyone I know that has had it has described it as particularly miserable and I wish I could do something to make it go away.  I guess magic wands only work in fairy tales.

[msparticularity]

MrP had postherpetic neuralgia, too, and I'm sorry to tell you that it took a long, long, long, long time to go away--and it fades quite slowly. I think it's probably a good idea to take the Neurontin at night so you can sleep soundly and your body can heal, and then to investigate what you can do to keep your clothing fairly soft and comfortable. Also, when I had shingles years ago they gave me B-12 injections, which actually did seem to speed the healing--and I had less residual pain than MrP. They were sneering at that by the time MrP had shingles, but I'm not so sure; B-12 is very important for nerve regeneration.

[cgfunmathguy]

Mine lasted six weeks, and if it hadn't been for the Darvoset and Percocet, I'd have never made it.

[llanfair]

I hadn't heard about the B12 idea, MsP - thanks for mentioning that.  (I'm storing up tips in case I wind up with shingles.)

ST, a friend of mine battled her shingles for months, but from what you've told us here and elsewhere, yours isn't as severe a case, which is something.  (Hers attacked her eyes, and damaged them; she was on cortisone for ages.)  I second the suggestion to take medication at night - a lot of healing takes place while you're sleeping.

[southerntransplant]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. The outbreak goes from my spine, around my waistline, to a spot below the navel, then down my right leg aways. The acute infection is gone (no more blisters) but the scarring is pretty bad. It looks like the surface of the moon.

My doctor suggested taking Neurontin twice a day, up from once a day. I'm ok taking it before bed, but I took an additional one during the day and it felt like I was lecturing through a thick cotton wrap. I think I'll revert back to once a day.

I might talk to my department head regarding clothing. My most comfortable trousers are my jeans - they're old and broken in and I can wear them without a belt. I'm in a department, however, that frowns on such attire.

And I will definitely check out the B12 option. Thanks, MsP!

[daisyaday]

You got the antiviral shot as soon as you were diagnosed, didn't you?

[cgfunmathguy]

One of the things that helped me was a solution (Bloom's solution? Doesn't sound right, but it did start with a B) that you applied to the blisters to help reduce scarring. It really did help. The scarring on my left shoulder is much better than others I've seen. Just food for thought.

[southerntransplant]

You got the antiviral shot as soon as you were diagnosed, didn't you?

I did.

Jeez. It hurts just to sit. No fun.

[biomancer]

ST, I'm sorry you seem to have gotten the "long version" of shingles.  I've read of cases that are over in a week or so and cases that drag on for up to six months.  The fact that you got the anti-viral shot should help.  There is some evidence that not only B-12 but also other B-vitamins and zinc may help the immune system, and I'm recalling that herpes viruses are slowed by an excess of a particular amino acid - I think lysine - applied to the skin, though that may be more effective during the active phase of the shingles infection, which you seem to be past.  Those things won't necessarily help with the nerve pain, though - just with curbing the viral activity.

I'll take a look through the medical literature after I finish my big project this morning and see if I can find anything else that will help you.

[msparticularity]

For pain relief, some people find capsaicin cream helpful, and for others it just adds to the pain--so experiment with caution. I found very gentle warmth soothing, although it didn't seem to do much for MrP. I also found direct sunlight for 20-30 minutes a day helpful. Is it warm enough in your area (or do you perhaps have a spot inside a window) for you to sunbathe sans pants for a while each day? Or do you have access to a sun lamp?

The other thing that occurs to me for getting dressed is to wonder whether a layer that is soft and smooth right against the skin (like very lightweight silk longjohns) would help to protect from other more irritating clothes--although I'd just go for the comfy jeans whenever possible!

[onthefringe]

Luckily my post-herpetic neuralgia was pretty minimal both in amount of pain and duration (maybe 2 months?). I will say that even now, several years later, I have occasional pain/tenderness at the affected site, but it's not really bad enough to affect my quality of life. Have you considered asking for Lyrica (pregabalin) instead of Neurontin? My understanding is that although Lyrica functions similarly to Neurontin, it is effective at a lower dosage and thus may have fewer side effects. I know for me the effective dose of lyrica just made me feel a bit out of it, while Neurontin made me feel way too spacey to drive or lecture.

[southerntransplant]

Have you considered asking for Lyrica (pregabalin) instead of Neurontin? My understanding is that although Lyrica functions similarly to Neurontin, it is effective at a lower dosage and thus may have fewer side effects. I know for me the effective dose of lyrica just made me feel a bit out of it, while Neurontin made me feel way too spacey to drive or lecture.

I've not. I'm going to visit with my doctor on Friday for unrelated matters, and will bring this up.

Thanks! And thanks for all the replies...

[antiphon1]

Has your doctor mentioned Zovirax?  You may want to ask about taking a course of it orally as a prophylactic.  (Not that kind)  You can also get the cream which helps with the itching.  Mr. Anti swears it helps with his shingles.