Post Hepatic Pain.

[cupotee2]

7 years ago I had a pretty bad dose of Shingles. It started Christmas Eve so no chance to get the anti virol medication I have since read about.

I still take 50 mg Amitriptylene and Gabapentin, but this last 3 days and nights its driving me nuts.

I understand being elderly it might never go away but its never been this bad in recent years.

Does anyone have further advice how to ease it please.

[black_cat51]

do you mean post-herpetic pain?

[Sqad]

Shingles gives you a clue black_cat.

[Linotype]

Hi there: Seven years is such a long time, my sympathies. I had shingles two years ago and subsequently also suffer with PHP these days. Unfortunately, and for my sins live outside the UK (South Africa), have no medical aid and at 66 years of age no one here really seems to care. Seems it something I have to live with. When the pain gets real bad (around my right armpit and upper side) I turn to Syndol, freely available as a pain killer ... trouble is every 10 days or so one has to ease up on them because they mess with your tummy. Sorry can't comment further but ... there are some wise folk (AB-ers) in the UK to hopefully offer more advice ... kind regards.

[Sqad]

Difficult problem and a good post by Linotype.
You may have to learn to live with the pain.
Neither amitryptilline or Gabapentin are true pain killers.
See your GP as this "bad phase" may be eased by morphine-like analgesics.

[cupotee2]

Thanks for the replies.

I understand the 2 medications I mentioned were to have a sort of numbing effect on the damaged nerve endings.

I can't use anything Morphine based as it makes me really sick.

Guess its put up or shut up and hope it settles down again.