Post Herpetic Neuralgia or not?

Brain and nerves
1

2 or 3 years ago, I had shingles under my left shoulder blade leading round under my left breast.

Less than 1 year after this I had Bells Palsy, total paralysis of left side of my face. These illnesses

cleared up well with medication and I got treatment early.

Ever since, ive had a pain under my shoulder blade which comes and goes. But lately I'm in terrible

pain daily. 2 weeks ago I went to A&E because my chest was so tight on the left side and made me breathless. I also had pain down my left arm. I had an ECG and chest Xray, both were fine. The

doctor said it was either anxiety or "residual shingles pain".

Although I've been told I have Generalised Anxiety disorder, I Can't believe that this is leaving me in

agony.

From the moment I wake up, I have shooting pains around the whole of my left top half and left arm. Certain movements I cannot do without pain like twisting or reaching or picking up things. If I sit still for a while I start to feel very unwell. My skin in that area feels bruised, and my left chest is often

Tight. Often when I breathe in more than half a breath I have a sharp pain in my chest (middle left)

or shoulder blade. Yesterday I was bed bound, an NHS nurse on the phone told me to take

Co-codomol, I took 2 and they did nothing except make me feel sick.

Ibuprofen sometimes helps but I heard you shouldn't take it constantly.

I've been to the doctors about the shoulder pain, but it's only recently gone onto my chest and I didn't know about PHN. The doctors previously said it was just muscle tension and take ibuprofen. Sometimes it feel like ants crawling under my skin. My left breast also starts to ache. My boyfriend is so

Supportive and massages the shoulder, but sometimes it hurts too much.

Anyway I have a doc appt tomorrow with a new doctor as I moved house, do I have to tell him it's

PHN? I don't want to be fobbed off with anxiety or muscle tension.. I'm not on any meds for anxiety, so if he thinks it's that he may prescribe some, but I really don't feel that I need them as I was coping very well emotionally. It's the pains which are really depressing me now and giving me no quality of Life.

Sorry so long

2

Forgot to say I'm a 24 year old female

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Sad no one has given their opinion yet

The doctor today looked puzzled. Kept asking me what I hoped to achieve today. Um... Fix me? lol. had to push to get something for the nerve pain (amitriptyline) I just hope it helps. I also have had an upset stomach for over 2 weeks and it hurts to swallow food. She gave me omniprozole for this and I had to do a stool sample, she said that it might be causing the chest pain. So I have to get through this weekend now, I'm already back in bed.

Blood test booked for Monday, though I doubt this will show anything unusual. I'm struggling to eat. So so miserable.. only 24.. have I got years and years of pain ahead of me?

4

The Omeprazole might help, it could be that you've now got a Stomach / Duodenal Ulcer off the Ibuprofen (some people are really sensitive) and or the bug (H.pylori, thus the stool sample) on top of it. Cans of Nutrament are tasty and they can keep you alive, a big banana, can of Nutrament, sorted ...

Bless cheesygrin

5

Amitriptyline sort of works for me, it doesn't stop the pain but it does dull it down. I take 10 or 20 mg. an hour or so before bed depending how severe things are getting. BUT it's effects are not imediate, its a build up over 2 to 4 weeks. The drawbacks to me are the difficulty in waking up in the morning and the dry mouth ( again in the morning). I also take Tramadol for if and when the deadened pain decides to raise it ugly head and bite me. Naproxin is useful for the muscular aches that tend to come when I over work my left arm and shoulder ( because of the pain in my right ).It's all realy a question of pain management and we are all different in how we perceive pain. It does sound as if some of your chest pain could be anxiety caused, but then, the very real pain from PHN is enough to cause anxiety in anybody who has suffered for years. I've been afflicted with this for about 7 years and have only recently got to grips with it. I have a skin complaint that seems to be triggered by stress and anxiety so I know what you mean. I'm now thinking of stress management. It,s a self perpetuating problem, stress might trigger the shingles that leads to PHN which in turn leads to stress that only makes things worse.

I can't tell you a cure, I can only offer you sympathy and understanding.

Steve

6

Thank you. I felt a little better today, just very weak. Then I must have tried to do too much, the ache/pain in my chest and shoulder is awful. Though I would not wish it on anyone I'm glad to know there are a lot of people out there also trying to find a way to cope. Eating is still making me feel sick so yes maybe the ibuprofen did give me an ulcer. Not fair really as I was told to take it by a doctor to relieve my shoulder pain. Who should I ask to be referred to regarding PHN? Because the GP's don't seem to understand how debilitating it is.

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I guess I'm lucky, I've got a good doctor who understands the problems. Mind you, he frightened the life out of me when he suggested that, as I've had several re-occurances my imune system may have been compromised. A lot of blood tests discounted the usual suspects like HIV, diabetes and several cancers, but waiting for the results was worrying. But with these re-occuring problems I think the imune system must be looked at.

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Steve when you say reoccurances do you mean shingles episodes? I've been lucky that I only had one episode of it. Unlucky that it must have damaged some nerves, but no doctor has confirmed that it is PHN yet which makes me worry why don't they care that I can't breathe comfortably. My doctor made me worry too because she said they didn't check for a certain type of blood clot that doesn't show up on xray only on blood test! Great. That's another uncomfortable 2 week wait.

on another note I've now stopped smoking and am 3 days smoke free The withdrawal hasn't been too bad either after 5-6 yrs

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Reoccurances of shingles. It's syndromatic(?). It starts as a feeling like sun burn on my neck, then a spot or two and then the pain. The shingles itself makes me feel generally unwell but the pain that follows (PHN) can stop me in my tracks. It can hurt so much that I can't even think. I've stopped smoking and drinking and I've taken up cycling and have joined a gym to try to build up some body strength in the hope that fitness helps imunity.

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I also take Tramadol for if and when the deadened pain decides to raise it ugly head and bite me.

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Trouble is I get the impression that Tramadol is very addictive. Google it and go on some of the forums to read what users say about it. It's quite frightening. Be very careful.

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Back to the theme of re-occurance. I was told by the doctor that the few spots on the neck ( which have not developed in this latest attack) may be nothing to do with shingles or could even be caused by a related strain of herpes, often the different strains occur together. Shingles, which can develop without the blisters is apparently called zoster sine herpete or something like that. Lacking blisters or not it still hurts like hell.

As I said at the start of this thread, I've had it for about 7 years. I have noticed that it seems to go in cycles .

First the burning then a spot or two (not blisters) then the pain. The pain subsides to a tollerable level but doesn't actualy go away. Then after a short period it starts all over again (as i say, this time without the spots). I'm beginning to think maybe not just PHN but Zoster sine Herpete or a mixture of the two.

I thought I was managing the pain quite well until yesterday, but now it is unbelievable. I guess a lie down and a couple of Tramadol followed by a couple more in six or so hours, and so on ..........

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My symptoms are exactly the same.  I know this is an old post, but I so hope you are still receiving reply notifications.  Are you better?  This all began in May for me.  I've had MRI's, echocardiogram stress test.  The left shoulder MRI did show a rotator cuff tendonosis.  I still have limited range of motion in my left arm, tried physical therapy but my muscles wouldn't let go. My background is OT.  I didn't have the rash, so I didn't know I had herpes zoster at first.  It was 3 weeks or so before I developed a rash on my back around my bra line.  The chiropractor saw it and told me what I have.  It's now pink.  I hope to see my regular Dr this week.  He is too far away for me, driving with limited use of my arm and horrible pain wasn't doable.  Yes, I need to find a Dr close by.  I've had nausea, diaarhea, itchy eyes.  Fatigue is an issue.  I tried to wear a bra today and I found I couldn't breathe well.  It was too much too late when I realized how bad the pain was getting.  It's resolved now, but my arm movement is worse.  Sigh:-(

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The ants crawling is a common symptom of neuropathy like post-shingles pain.  The other pain you are describing is not as familiar to me, as my PHN is in my face.  It feels like stabbing, burning, untouchable on my cheek.  My eye feels full of hot sand.  My symptoms are not related at all to movement, except my eye.  Watching movies can cause pain.  The neuropathic pain I experience in my body is related to movement.  The more I move, the more I burn, have bugs crawl, etc.  And movement will cause muscle spasms.  My understanding is that my body is trying to hold my head still as my original injury was to my neck.  I hope you get some relief.  

15

Odd! this thread coming back to life after such a break.

I've had a bit of a break from PHN for the past 6 months, nothing,razz until a couple of weeks ago. It came from nowhere and struck with a vengence down both sides of ny neck.cry

It's now settled down to just very painful with the ants crawling around.

Feels like a built in TENS machine but uncontrolable. Still, it's nice to know that Heres Zoster hasn't forgotten me (not)cheesygrin

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Hi - it is probably just a reoccurence of shingles but you should NOT rule out anxiety. I've had it for about 10 years now and it can manifest itself in some crazy symptoms.

If you don't think you need then don't take them but be honest with yourself. Also you can start off a very low dosage SSRI and see if that works.