Hi,
This post is on behalf of my sister, she developed shingles in march and is still suffering from it. She said the only way she can describe the feeling she has is like ants running around inside her body, it is like an internal itch. Anyone one else have strange feelings from shingles and will it get better soon.
I have the same thing after suffering with Shingles last September . It is most likely PHN Postherepetic Neuralgia a complication of shingles that Some of us unfortunately get. For me I take Neurontin and sleep with a lidocaine patch at night and it gives me relief.
Hi marci,
Have you had this for a long time, every time my sister thinks she is recovering, it only seems to last a day or two and the feeling comes back. It is really getting her down, it has been three months since the outbreak.
Hi Jen
I had shingles last July/17 and I still have PHN as mentioned above . I had it around my back, groin and my thigh. My leg and groin often feel like it is frozen with a tingling itch. Feels like if you had a tooth frozen at the dentist and the freezing is coming out .... it comes and goes. Good for a couple of days and then back again. Sometime little shooting pain feels like an electric shock. This is all due to nerve damage caused by the shingles virus. I was told if you were still having problems after two months then it is PHN. Some have it for a short time and others longer, as for me it’s coming up to a year.. I was given pregabalin that has helped but I weaned myself off to once a day at bedtime. If you can live with it then fine but if it gets unbearable then you could speak to your medical practitioner and they can recommend something to help. Wish you all the best for a speedy recovery from this nasty virus
Thank you sheila, I will pass your comments on to my sister.
Jen Hi I am sorry for your sister’s suffering as it is no fun at all. I have Shingles nerve pain but without the rash. I have similar pain and feeling as your sister. This started first part of May for me and it isn’t letting up. I pray it goes away soon as it is so painful. My Dr has me on Lyrica but it really isn’t helping too much. I put ice patches on often along with other patches but I don’t get too much relief. I wish I had the answer for all of you suffering with this. It came on so sudden. I just hope it goes away one day. I pray all of you heal too. Take care, Lorray 💕
Hi,
I had the shingles in march too on my neck and scalp, until today I had the same feeling, getting better every day but out the blue the sensation hits me back. Some people said that this can stay for much longer, I hope not.
Hope your sister feels better soon too.
Regards,
Telma
I’ve had shingles PHN since July 2013; supposedly the worst type, ophthalmic shingles. It went from pain to itching to a mild case today of little or no pain and mild itching, thanks to GOD Almighty and the wonderful advice of my primary doctor and ophthalmologist. The mild itching I have late at or early morning. I usually get a cold wet towel and gently rub myself. I also take amitriptline 25 mg pill at night. Early this month I took the 1st dose of the new drug Shingrix, with a second dose in about 3 months. This new drug supposedly has a 90+% of preventing return of shingles. As to the PHN, some have it for weeks, or months, or years or life. I have come a long way since July 2013 in having just a mild case of PHN. Discuss your own case the proper medical providers and follow their advice. Wish you the best🙂.
Hi hector,
It sounds like the amitriptyline did not work then. I read that is a go to drug for doctors to use and it seemed the safest as it has a long history. I do not think I will tell her how long the after effects of shingles can last, best not to upset her.
Thank you lorray, until someone has this you do not realise how bad it can be.
Thank you. She is telling everyone to have the shingles injection so they do not suffer like she has.
Yes I agree as my mom and sister just went and got the shot and many other people I talked to were going to get it. I told them too it’s just so painful to go through they have to get the shot. My other siblings were going to as well. I hope you all feel better real soon. Take care, Lorray 💕🙏
Hi jen86183, yes I have had the post pain for going on 2 years. I had Singles in my scalp, above my eye, and along my left forehead. I've been to so many doctors that I lost count. I'm going to a neurologist now, but he didn't help eather. Tell your sister if she gets depressed get something for that, but tell her I'm a small amount of people that get the post neuralgic pain. It will slowly get better, or at least she will find ways to deal with it. Good luck
Thank you joseph.
Hi Jen,
I came down with shingles about 4 years ago, Dec 2014. I have had PHN and reoccurring breakouts, pain, headaches, nausea, itching, tingly skin, hot and cold flashes, major fatigue! Last year I started a diet and supplement protocol. I’ll send you the post I have sent others:
. Shingles is a virus circulating through your body. It takes time and your immune system has to be able to fight it to demand it back to its dormant state. You must rest, find peace in everything, as any type of unease, physical or emotional, feeds this demon. Your diet needs to be full of fresh fruits and veggies mostly. As much raw as you can stomach. Smoothies are a great way to accomplish this. Supplements like b12, zinc, lysine, cats claw, alpha lipoic acid, magnesium, methylsufonmethane MSM, EPA&DHA (plant based), ester-c are helpful along with the diet. Teas are great too: nettle leaf, raspberry leaf, lemon balm, and rose hips are all great starters. Everything organic is better. Be mentally ready to fight this for a while. There are so many random, strange symptoms that you can feel throughout the healing process. This virus is not messing around! I am sorry for your suffering❤
I hope this helps!!
That is called formication, it's nerve damage from the shingles and now she has PHN. That feeling of ants on the body is a very common description. There's another sensation called allodynia, which is an overly sensitive reaction to any stimulus at all. A light touch or breeze or even change in temperature causes pain and a burning feeling. PHN is treated with Lidocaine creams or patches, and various drugs like gabapentin. The drugs offer minimal relief, but can come with some very serious side effects, including problems as you taper, or decrease the dose. Some people have PHN for only a few months, others for many years. There is usually some type of improvement, but everyone is different.
Hi, it is sometimes hard to describe. It's definitely from the inside. Mine didn't feel like ants running around inside. More like the buring sensation with individual needles sometimes. I did have one weird experience, that felt like a warm something was going up to my left ear inside my neck/head! Nothing came out of the ear...ha!
I've been using cold packs on my shoulders, neck,lower head seems to help the most. My after the shingles things are starting getting less, so I would think your sister's should get better too...slowly.
Thank you martha, we are really hoping it is not going to continue for long.
Thank you babs for your comments. We did not realise how horrible shingles is until she went down with it, she seems to have had a really bad case.
I don’t think any of us did. I THOUGHT I did, I was wrong.