Reoaccurring shingles 25 years/migraines 17'years

I'm Cindy, have suffered too many years, was just looking for some support and advise.

Post Edited (Marina kay) : 1/25/2015 11:06:59 AM (GMT-7)

No migraines, but I'm going through shingle pain right now. The rash started around the first of December and it's almost gone, just a little redness left in spots, but the pain is still here. It's along one side of my lower chest.

I've tried at different times: prescription 5% lidocaine patches, an OTC spray (I think it's benzocaine based), wrapping with a tight bandage when moving around, capsaicin cream for four weeks, ice, washing with cool water, and all have helped a little but none takes the pain away entirely. The pain is at that borderline stage where I can ignore it when sitting still, and sort of ignore it when moving around but just barely.

I'm already taking a fairly low level of neurontin and morphine for cancer pain, and if they're doing any good they're at their limits, because I tried increasing them (at different times, with my doctor's approval of course) and the increase didn't help.

Any other suggestions for treating shingles pain, when the virus is no longer active and it's at the post-herpatic phase or just about there? Or is that about all that's available and the best we can do is commiserate with each other?

When I had shingles my pain doc gave me a facet joint injection to numb the dermatome. It helped a lot.

Check a previous post "shingles troubles". I listed foods to avoid as they contain amino acids the virus needs to replicate. I also mentioned L-Lysine, another amino acid that suppresses replication. Best wishes for you.

I don't know if they help post rash. There are anti inflammatory foods, you can google them. Some people have had success with apitherapy (bee sting therapy) for chronic pain due to the anti inflammatory action of the bee venom.