This topic contains 17 replies, has 7 voices, and was last updated by 
jmsmyth 12 years, 2 months ago.
Hi all
Franks consultant is now saying that the pain in his side is shingles. the MRI showed nothing different. She prescribed him Pregabalin-Lyrca 25mgs. When he took them they sent him do lally. He read the side affects on the internet and decided that he was not taking them. He spoke to the Myeloma nurse and the said she would pass thevinfo to Dr Drake. She postponed his appointment till middle of March. Anyone heard of these tablets and any side affects.? She also gave him patches for the pain. After all these months – little red angry looking spots are appearing on his back. I would appreciate any info/advice
Love Jean xx
Hi Jean
Sorry Frank has got shingles. He really could do with taking some pills because shingles can leave residual pain that can last forever. As it is shingles it is something he could talk to his GP about. they normally say your need to be treated within seven days. I do hope he isn't in too much pain and that he does get on top of it. I'm not a Dr, but as the blisters are only just appearing it sounds like the infection has only just become shingles.
Don't know the name of drugs people usually take for shingles but know they really help.
Take care.
Mavis
Hi Jean poor Frank isnt having a good time bless him . I know I had Pregablin and they made me feel very odd and I stopped after a couple of doses too , mind you for the life of me I cant remember why I was on them !! The trouble with shingles is it can take some time to show itself and the pain must be awful I hope others can give you more helpful info I thought the pain in my side recently was shingles without a rash and only mentioned it in passing to the doc but my mri showed the tumour was almost touching the spinal nerves and they believe this was the cause At least Franks mri has ruled out anything like that I hope things improve soon. love Bridget x
Thanks Mavis and Bridget for your replies. Frank has had this pain on and off for months – a long time said at first it was a pulled muscle – actually Frank told them it was a pulled muscle!! It was just tonight he was very uncomfortable and he wanted Volareen rubbed in (doctor had given him a rub to put on and he was doing a war dance round the living room. When he read the contents there was pepper in it!!). That was when I noticed the spots – some like tiny blisters an d others just angry red. I will tell him about your replies when he wakes up.
Bridget I hope that they get your problem sorted soon. Bl***y disease
Love jean xx
OUCH
OUCH OUCH Poor Frank its so painfull I found an old remedy when i had it as the aclovier cream didnt work too well I used cider vineger it took the sting right out smelt a bit like a chip but ity really worked I feel for him How are you Jean good I hope
Love Jo x
Hi Jo
Thanks for your reply. I will tell frank about the cider vinegar. He still says its not shingles. I don't know about shingles but the skin is not sore, it is underneath and I can see him wincing with the pain. He has no faith in his doctor but I have persuaded him to speak to him tomorrow. I just hope they can get it sorted. My younger brother is in hospital – lung and liver cancer. He is really bad with an infection and I am not allowed to visit because of Franks "shingles". Life really sucks at times
What about you Jo ? How's things with you I hope well
Love Jean xx
Hi Jean
when i had shingles they came up as pustles that looked like chicken pox
and boy was it painful I am so sorry to hear about your brother i hope you get some good news soon I am ok at the moment this months bloods were just a check its next months which tell me what stage i am at uptil now i have been in a good partial remission so long may it last
Chin up
love Jo x
Hi Jo
Will cross every thing for next month. I hate the build up to consultant visits – i get my knickers in a twist!! Derek's wife phoned to say that consultant says there's been a slight improvement. So thank God for that.
Keep well
Love Jean xx
Hi Jean,
What a rough time your having – hope by now you know whether Frank has shingles. I had shingles last summer and from the rash started to when it was apparent that it was shingles it took a few days – I looked up pictures online to help with the diagnosis. I am still on pregabalin and take 125mg twice a day with no real side effects but I did have patches for pain relief which affected me really badly. I am still on aciclovar 400mg still as a dose to prevent my shingles returning but there is still pain in two areas. Shingles was the worst pain that I have ever experienced and I think I have quite a high pain threshhold. If you are in any doubt call the helpline I didn't and ended up being told my dose was really bad and I should have had IV anti virals. Hope you know we are all thinking about both of you, your brother and family x
Hi Pamela
Good to hear from you and hope you are well. Thanks for the info. Frank is in bed and I went up and woke him to read what you had written, as the only info we were getting was from the site. It is good to have some info when you say IV is that introveinus (??) He was in so much pain today that he phoned the doctors to speak to him – without me nagging. You know it would be easier to have a phone conversation with David Cameron that our doctor. They made an "emergency" appointment for Wednesday but Frank asked them to get the doctor to phone him but he is still waiting. At least with the info that we I have got he can go with a little knowledge. This pain he has had for many months but only the other day the little spots came out. I saw some pictures on the net of shingels but they were not like the ones that he has. It is unfortunate that he has no faith in his doctor.
My poor brother – he was diagnosed with cancer of the osophogus(??)10 months ago – had an operation – got the all clear and within weeks was told it was in lungs and liver. He has had one infection after another, and because of these dam shingles they wont let me visit – I can unerstand.
Pamela once again thanks – Frank now has some medicnenames to fling at the doctor. Keep well.
Love Jean xx
Hi Jean,
Life is never easy and watching those you love suffer is so difficult. My pain from my shingles can be anything from an itch to a deep almost burning sensation. I was really quite sick and even now I still have scars. I am still on aciclovar as tablets now and I to stop the shingles coming back. IV is intra venous where they hook you up to a drip – although just like Frank I'd do anything to stay out of hospital and away from the doctors.
I hope that your GP has some answers for you both tomorrow although I have to say that mine is not keen to do or prescribe anything without the say so of the team in the hospital.
I'm doing okay relasped again but getting my head around that and getting on with the treatment – have had a few difficult months getting my head around relapse but finally thinking there is a future again.
Take care
Pamela x
My husband (Stephen was diagnosed in Nov 2008 aged 53 ) has shingles at the moment. He is in agony. It attacks the nerve endings and causes a huge amount of pain. He is sore but he says he can put up with that but the pain is v.v. Bad (this from a man with several collapsed vertebrae who has to rely on walking aids to leave the house and does not mention pain very often but has to use morphine)
I have no idea what it must feel like but suffice to say (close your eyes gents) most of the blisters and pustules are between his inner thigh and all over his scrotum. He says he could put up with that if he could stop the pain
He was prescribed cream but finds old fashioned calamine lotion better. Boots 79p. Suggestion don't just dab it on stand over an old towel and practically bathe in it. He is using one of the towels we dry the dogs off with. Yes I did wash it first 🙂
Love from Gill
PS to jean Do you have a Practice nurse at your surgery? We can always get a same day appointment with her and if she cannot prescribe what Stephen needs or is concerned about him she calls in one of the GPs between appointments. Maximum wait 20 minutes or so. She advised us to go down this route and it seems to work
PS did you know that you cannot get shingles unless you have had Chicken Pox?
Hi Gill
Sorry that Stephen is having such a rough time. Hope the medication works soon. It sounds really bad. Our surgery is useless. The nurses guards the doctors like VIP's. Frank saw doctor and the said that He doesn't think it is shingles – the spots he had are gone. And not like you describe, they looked a bit like the Rosa rash that children get. But as the consultant had said it was shingles he would treat it as that. Gave him medication and when Frank checked it it was an anti depressant and also used for treating children who wet the bed!!! I told Frank to ring doctor but he said he was bl**dy useless and will never go and see him again! He sees the consultant in 2 weeks so is just waiting to talk to her. It has been goi g for such a long time.
Besides the horrible shingles, how is Stephen? Didn't they start him on new treatment? Hope things start looking up for him.
Take car
Love Jean
Hi Gill and Stephen
Sorry to read bout the chicken pox, we have just had two grandsons down with it it aint good but worse in the nether regions (double bless)
Hope all better soon xxx
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