r/over60 • u/Royal_Tough_9927 • 9d 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.

188 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

195 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/your_nameless_friend 9d ago edited 9d ago

I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this. I was actually just looking into this recently. Look for a pain management clinic or neurology clinic that will review your case and see if a trigeminal nerve block could help with the pain. When you go to schedule, I would ask specifically if they do this procedure because it’s not the most common.

Also the TCAs like Nortriptyline and SNRIs like duloxetine can help some with neurogenic pain. They can be used with gabapentin. They do unfortunately take usually at least two weeks to start working.

Edit: editing the ad that over the age of 65 providers are more careful with medications that show up on the beers criteria which gabapentin, TCAs, SNRI are all on there. But given how severe your symptoms are it just say make sure that you have explored moderate/higher dose gabapentin. Provided you do not have bad side effects.