Quote:
Originally Posted by 6793026
^if you catch it early, there are medication that helps suppress and control it.
It is painful and there is no "real" cause. Hope you heal up fast man.
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Thankfully, I was diagnosed within the recommended 72 hour window. The Valtrex is working as the pain has went from constant to lightning bolt style blasts through the infected areas. They come and go at complete random. One rash itches which I don't scratch. Accidentally grazed my nail on one and the pain was intense burning.
Thankfully the weather has been cooler. Allows me to wear long sleeve shirts. Have to pop my collars though as my neck looks like an overbaked cheese stick. Unfortunately a small cluster of rashes reached the jaw area of my face but my facial hair covered it up pretty quickly.
After 4 days of this, I'm averaging 10 hours of sleep and 1-2 naps as well. My free time has been relegated to watching fail compilation videos and abandoned structure exploration videos.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MSREE
Just curious if you guys asked your DR if you could use any topical numbing creams during an attack?
Since shingles affects the nerves?? How do you guys manage the pain?
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I didn't ask my Doctor about creams but I was looking online the day I was diagnosed and noticed the three common use creams are:
- Calamine
- Capsaicin
- Lidocaine
I would honestly check with the Doctor first as there are side effects possible with each of these especially Lidocaine.
In the early stages of my diagnosis when the pain was the constant, the only way I could deal with the pain was to sit on my very comfortable sofa, watch TV and minimize movement. I tried what I could to minimize nerve interaction.
Now, for me, the pain is intermittent and comes in jolts. No more than 15 seconds of pain and then I'm fine. Currently my main battle is with fatigue and shoulder stiffness but I believe that's mostly do to my new forced sleeping position.
Best way to minimize pain is early treatment. Anti-virals will be ineffective if the diagnosis was very late so that will have a cascading effect on recovering time and and increase chance of postherpetic neuralgia.