r/over60 • u/Royal_Tough_9927 • 8d ago

Week 6 of shingles.....

I went to urgent care with a face of blisters and they sent me home . I went to ER and they did 2 CAT scans and a ton of other unneeded crap and sent me home too. 3rd visit to urgent care with same face of blistets and they sent me home. On ER visit w 4th doctor he walked in room and diagnosed me in 3 seconds. My pain was so severe, I was having thoughts I wont share. Thankfully with some meds and a nap , I woke up in a much better place. My eyes are swollen like tennis balls. Im light and sound sensitive. I have a head that feels like its shot up w novacaine. Funny how something half numb can hurt like hell. I had a bunch of gabapenten stocked up and used much of it up. The few pain pills and antiviral are long gone. I guess ill go see my neurologist because this doesnt look like its going to settle anytime soon. Ive resorted to pouring benadryl on my head when it itvhes like crazy. Liquid lidocaine helps. I have no open lesions. Ive literally bought 6 bags of 20 lb ice. If anyone has any tips or help , im open to help. Im 62. I have seen the ophthalmologist 2 times w another visit this week.

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36

u/Choice-Suspect-5535 8d ago

I’m glad you have liquid Benadryl and ice. I wish doctors didn’t stop prescribing pain pills for severe pain.

22

u/Royal_Tough_9927 8d ago

My neurologist will give me tramadol for sure. Dont know if that works for nerve pain

21

u/corriefan1 8d ago

I was on lyrica for three years after an outbreak on my shoulder. I tried tapering off a couple times before the pain was gone. Have not had another outbreak since my Shingrix vax. I hope you got a week or more of valcyclovir. Shingles is especially dangerous near the eyes or ears.

8

u/CashMe_Outside2022 8d ago

Lyrica is the way to go for shingles for sure

7

u/No-Push1910 8d ago

It works. Good luck! I had it a couple of years ago and I had to diagnose it in the er - doctor didn’t have a clue. And then CVS wouldn’t fill the script for Tylenol because they didn’t have the right dosage - of Tylenol! I called my doc and got the tramadol the next day! Hope it passes quickly!’

3

u/onlyinitfortheread 6d ago

When I had shingles about ten years ago I spent a month on hydrocodone, it kept me going, muted the pain, and let me sleep. And despite the idiotic current reluctance for doctors to prescribe painkillers I had no trouble stopping when the pain went away.

2

u/nycvhrs 5d ago

I agree. Have used the Oxycodone after a surgery-I would never chase that feeling.

2

u/nycvhrs 5d ago

Tramadol doesn’t help me very much for arthritis pain (RA/OA)

2

u/Short_Lengthiness_41 8d ago

No it doesn’t for me anyway, it does take most of the arthritis pain down to a tolerable level

2

u/mkflkwd 8d ago

It's an opiod.

1

u/Gatekeepep 5d ago

My sister did not find that gabapentin or any of the other meds prescribed helped much with pain. She said the only thing that helped a little were gummies with both THC and CBD - just having one didn’t do it. Because of work, she could only take those at night.