I can no longer take the meds for my shingles pain...

[CTyankee]

I've reached a point where I can't tolerate the higher dosages. I'm shaky and have involuntary twitching when I lie down. I got scared and made an appt. with my neuro who is fine with my decision but says to taper off, not quit cold. He had me on Gabapenten and Percoset. He was sorry that shingles is so difficult to treat otherwise but right now I'm scared off having anything more. I'll just take Ibuprofin or plain tylenol.

In a way, I'm glad it turned out this way. So many people get addicted and can't quit without serious withdrawal. I realized I was getting less and less pain relief as I took more and then got dizzy and my hands started to shake. So my intolerance is a blessing in disguise. I'm spared a real problem that unfortunately, many others are not.

my body was clearly telling me something...

[randys1]

1. And, as you taper off you may find the symptoms of taking the meds are better than

the pain, so keep the meds just in case.

I remember taking Oxycontin once and my legs would go crazy as I lay in bed, sleep was almost impossible for long periods.

But the pain relief may well be necessary vs the symptoms.

[CTyankee]

4. well, I have to taper off for two weeks so hopefully by that time I'll be down to very few

dosages. The doc did tell me no to just quit. He said I'd have problems...

[Mojorabbit]

34. I took gabapentin for nerve pain in my legs years ago

and it messed with my head. The floor looked like it was 3 feet from my eyes and that made it impossible to walk or keep my balance. I hope you get some relief. My neuro told me I was going to have to go to a pain clinic if my post shingles pain did not go away two years ago but it finally did. I hope your pain disappears too! My GP gave me a cream from a compounding pharmacy. It has a lot of meds dissolved in it and it really helped me. If you are interested, I can see if I can find it and let you know the particulars.

[CTyankee]

36. Is it Tressors (sp?)?

[Mojorabbit]

37. I don''t see that on label

What I have is compounded by medimix pharmacy. has keto10%,baclofen2%, gab5%(prob gabapentin),lidocaine2.5%,menthol2%
It really helped me. You rub it on, Let it sit for twenty min, and then wipe it off.

[flor-de-jasmim]

2. I took a combination of Ibuprophen (500 or 1000) PLUS Tylenol

Neither on its own seemed to be as effective as the two of them together.
Good luck!!

Just found the following -- NO IDEA if it will help:
Foods with Arginine
Foods high in the amino acid arginine tend to promote the growth of the shingles virus, reports WholeHealth Chicago, an integrative medicine center. Especially problematic are foods that are high in arginine and low in lysine, an amino acid that helps balance arginine in the body. During an outbreak, avoid nuts and seeds, soy foods, chocolate, oats, wheat germ, coconut, carob, whole-wheat and white flour, and gelatin, according to homeopathic practitioner Gabrielle Traub.

[yeoman6987]

3. How far along are you in the shingles process

I understand they are about 3 weeks so you might be almost done I hope.

[CTyankee]

5. this has been going on since Nov. 7, so it is more like 3 months and doc fears I am in

or close to the Posthermetic Neuralgia zone. I'll see him again in 4 weeks and we'll have a definite diagnosis by then...

[yeoman6987]

6. Oh my god! I wasn't expecting that answer.

I am deeply sorry for what you are going through.

[CTyankee]

8. well, as I said, I'm just glad I'm no longer going to be drugged and be unable to

use my keyboard because of my hand tremor and staying in bed for half the day with involuntary twitching in my arms and legs...

[dixiegrrrrl]

25. You might want to look up side effects of Gabapenten

"blurred/double vision, unusual eye movements, or shaking (tremor) may occur. "

I started it but then stopped after reading the side effects.

[Mojorabbit]

35. +1000 nt

[procon]

20. Been there... done that, but found relief with acupuncture.

Second time around and I had what I thought was a very mild case of shingles with little discomfort and just a slight rash and only a couple of blisters. But as the symptoms faded the constant pain began and I tried all the usual OTC and RX meds and topicals with a depressing and frustrating lack of pain relief that persisted for almost 5 months. I couldn't sleep, could barely move, lost over 20lbs, and out of desperation I made an appointment with an acupuncturist.

I had no idea if it would help, but when I started to explain my problem the doctor assured me that acupuncture is very effective for reducing or eliminating shingles pain. He was right. After the first session my pain gradually reduced by about 50% over the next few days, by the 2nd treatment the pain was even more diminished, and by the third session the pain was probably 90% gone.

Just another option you can consider and I hope you find relief.

[bananas]

32. Acupuncture is effective for shingles. nt

[Warpy]

22. There is a minor bit of good news about post herpetic neuralgia

and that is that most people who develop it improve over time. You might want a referral to a pain clinic in the meantime because that's who can give you things like the ultra high dose capsaicin patches, a two hour procedure that can kill the pain for as long as three months. There are always alternatives out there.

[CTyankee]

29. I will ask my neuro about those...

[Warpy]

33. It's a two hour procedure that has to be done under local anesthesia

because when I say ultra high dose, I mean it. There are also lidocaine patches, which I mentioned before, expensive but can provide temporary relief. You might find that you're still getting benefit from a lower gabapentin dose while you taper, but without the bothersome side effects. Opiates do lose their effectiveness if you take them around the clock. There is no upper limit on opiate dosage but docs get really nervous about the DEA when it starts getting up there. That's the other thing a pain clinic can do for you, titrate the opiates so you're getting maximum relief.

[Laffy Kat]

23. I'm still post-herpatic and I had shingles in 1994.

But it's not that bad and I can live with it. I had it on the left side of my head and although terrible at the time, now I just get headaches there when I'm tired or haven't slept well for a while. It's kind of like a warning to slow down and rest. It does get better, I promise. Hang in there.

[dorkzilla]

7. Ask your doc about taking magnesium

The magnesium and gabapentin have pretty much cured my involuntary twitching which is one of my MS symptoms. I can't take any kind of opiates...they make me cuckoo birds. The magnesium also hoped the pain a LOT.

Sorry you're going through this.

[CTyankee]

10. magnesium has an unwanted laxative effect on me which I don't need right now...but

I appreciate your thinking about me...

[dorkzilla]

12. Totally understand

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

[snagglepuss]

9. I don't know whether this would be helpful or whether you might already

be doing this as far as tapering off the meds. I was once on a medication that required tapering off and what my doctor had me do is everyday dissolve one pill in 8 oz of water then remove 1 teaspoon of the solution and drink the rest. The 2nd week remove 2 teaspoons. And so on.

Many years ago I had what the doctor said was shingles along the nerves in my skull/brain. It cleared up but I can understand the pain you are suffering. All the best to you.

[CTyankee]

11. what he recommended will take me off faster than that and I'm glad...

[elleng]

13. Oh golly, yank, you could write a BOOK,

'My serious experience with shingles!'

[CTyankee]

15. I wouldn't want to revisit it enough to write it...I should start a support group, tho...

[femmedem]

14. Have you tried medical marijuana?

There's some evidence it's effective for shingles pain.

So sorry you're going through this. Shingles put my mother through hell.

[CTyankee]

16. I was wondering about that but I am not sure of CT laws about it...

[elleng]

17. Here's a bit about it in Conn:

http://www.ct.gov/dcp/cwp/view.asp?a=4287&q=503670&dcpNav=|&dcpNav_GID=2109

[CTyankee]

18. the only thing is I don't know if this is "medically approved" or not...I think my neuro would have

told me...he was just nonplussed...

[femmedem]

24. Not necessarily. I have friends with conditions on the approved list

who had to go from doctor to doctor to get their prescription. Some doctors just don't want to write the script.

[NCjack]

19. For people reading this, talk to your physician about the Shingle Vaccine. A friend

of mine got shingles and it went into her eyes. It destroyed her remaining quality of life. She called all of her friends and begged them to promise to get the vaccine.

[brer cat]

21. I am so sorry, CTyankee.

I remember your posts when this first started and I thought it would be over soon. You have been put through the wringer. I hope something will give you comfort without the side effects of the drugs you have been taking.

[CTyankee]

30. thank you brer cat, I appreciate your support...

[malokvale77]

26. I'm sorry to hear how the pharmaceutical industry has failed you.

It's a shame that natural (as from nature) is so poo pooed here on DU.

Trust your body.

[femmocrat]

27. So sorry you are still suffering, CTyankee.

I hope you find relief soon. (gentle)

[sinkingfeeling]

28. What antiviral are you taking for the shingles? I thought the

standard was Acyclovir.

[CTyankee]

31. too late for that. I was on pain meds, gapatenin and percoset.