
Suggest Treatment For Chronic Shingles When Allergic To NSAIDs

Question: Hello and thank you, I have chronic shingles on the left side of my body and I am allergic to NSAIDs. Is there a particular medicine that can take away the pain that is not an opiate, I have tried Tramadol and unfortunately is not very effective and upsets my stomach. I take Lysine and a few other supplements as well. Thank you for your time and understanding.
Is this kept confidential, please advise.
Thank you
I also try to avoid the sun and keep stress limited.
Thank You
The pain is extreme on my bottom as I am not able to stand the entire day.
Also, I use numbing pads on my bottom, the name just escaped me, I will go look.
Lidocaine Patches, also I had chicken pocks as a toddler and then at 16 years of age.
I forgot a medication, Levothyroid 7.5 mg., one pill in the morning
Thank You
When I am not having an episode I am in good health. I am 5' 2" and 106 pounds.
I am very active, I have a 17 year old son who just became and EAGLE SCOUT so you can imagine all of our boy scout activities.
My one and only son arrived 5 days after my 40th birthday, would that have any effect? My husband, son and I swim and bicycle also.
I am soooo sorry, I take VALTREX obviously
Valtrex 500 mg dialy if I am not having an episode and Valtrex 2000 mg daily if I am having an outbreak.
I have low blood pressure, do not smoke or drink alcohol either
Is this kept confidential, please advise.
Thank you
I also try to avoid the sun and keep stress limited.
Thank You
The pain is extreme on my bottom as I am not able to stand the entire day.
Also, I use numbing pads on my bottom, the name just escaped me, I will go look.
Lidocaine Patches, also I had chicken pocks as a toddler and then at 16 years of age.
I forgot a medication, Levothyroid 7.5 mg., one pill in the morning
Thank You
When I am not having an episode I am in good health. I am 5' 2" and 106 pounds.
I am very active, I have a 17 year old son who just became and EAGLE SCOUT so you can imagine all of our boy scout activities.
My one and only son arrived 5 days after my 40th birthday, would that have any effect? My husband, son and I swim and bicycle also.
I am soooo sorry, I take VALTREX obviously
Valtrex 500 mg dialy if I am not having an episode and Valtrex 2000 mg daily if I am having an outbreak.
I have low blood pressure, do not smoke or drink alcohol either
Brief Answer:
Any nerve pill.
Detailed Answer:
The pain is because a nerve is inflamed by the viral infection. It is the MOST TREATABLE type of nerve pain. While diabetic neuropathy responds in 1 in 4, herpetic neuralgia responds WELL in NEARLY everyone to:
neurontin
Lyrica
Amitryptiline
Lidocaine patch
Other anti-epileptics
And there are others but these are easy and without significant side effects except (mild) sleepiness in (some) people taking them that often is fixed by lowering the dose.
There is also statistically a role for anti-inflammatory steroids in some but not all studies.
Any nerve pill.
Detailed Answer:
The pain is because a nerve is inflamed by the viral infection. It is the MOST TREATABLE type of nerve pain. While diabetic neuropathy responds in 1 in 4, herpetic neuralgia responds WELL in NEARLY everyone to:
neurontin
Lyrica
Amitryptiline
Lidocaine patch
Other anti-epileptics
And there are others but these are easy and without significant side effects except (mild) sleepiness in (some) people taking them that often is fixed by lowering the dose.
There is also statistically a role for anti-inflammatory steroids in some but not all studies.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar


Please tell me if you received my one follow up question or did I accidentally deleted it.
Thank you
Thank you
Brief Answer:
It isn't there.
Detailed Answer:
I only see the original question.
Post-herpetic pain.
Any nerve medicine treats it. They are pretty non-toxic.
It isn't there.
Detailed Answer:
I only see the original question.
Post-herpetic pain.
Any nerve medicine treats it. They are pretty non-toxic.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar


Hello and thank you again for all of your informative answers. I believe I will try the Lyrica again in a lower dose. I did stop taking the opiates for one week, seven days and I did not whatsoever have any withdrawal symptoms.
My last question, the shingles are strictly on my left side, they start under my bottom and go all the way up to my shoulder, they do not have time to heal properly before another episode starts.
I am not vain but I am worried that they will spread up my neck and face, is this a real possibility?
Thank You
My last question, the shingles are strictly on my left side, they start under my bottom and go all the way up to my shoulder, they do not have time to heal properly before another episode starts.
I am not vain but I am worried that they will spread up my neck and face, is this a real possibility?
Thank You
Brief Answer:
It doesn't fit with shingles.
Detailed Answer:
The story on shingles is quite simple: all measures of immunity decrease over time. When it is low enough, virus which comes out of nerves all the time anyway, isn't fought off and it grows.
BUT
1) the growtrh of the virus acts as a booster shot. The immunity comes back and it comes back faster and stronger than if it were the first time you had the virus. This immunity lasts many years. Shingles often returns but a 10 year interval would be on the fast side.
2) It only pops up in ONE place from ONE nerve. The shingles spots go out from the nerve in a belt like pattern on one side. The one-sidedness would strongly imply singles, but it would NOT be from the butock to the neck.
If something follows an odd pattern for shingles you have to suspect something is not the usual case:
either it isn't shingles OR
there is not immunity because of some disease messing with the immune system (malignancy or a blood problem).
It doesn't fit with shingles.
Detailed Answer:
The story on shingles is quite simple: all measures of immunity decrease over time. When it is low enough, virus which comes out of nerves all the time anyway, isn't fought off and it grows.
BUT
1) the growtrh of the virus acts as a booster shot. The immunity comes back and it comes back faster and stronger than if it were the first time you had the virus. This immunity lasts many years. Shingles often returns but a 10 year interval would be on the fast side.
2) It only pops up in ONE place from ONE nerve. The shingles spots go out from the nerve in a belt like pattern on one side. The one-sidedness would strongly imply singles, but it would NOT be from the butock to the neck.
If something follows an odd pattern for shingles you have to suspect something is not the usual case:
either it isn't shingles OR
there is not immunity because of some disease messing with the immune system (malignancy or a blood problem).
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar


Dear Dr. Wachsman,
Thank you so much for all of your informative answers. Unfortunately they do travel up to my neck, therefore I suspect it is time for a thorough physical.
Thanks again and this is my last comment.
Sincerely,
Mrs. XXXXXXX XXXX
Thank you so much for all of your informative answers. Unfortunately they do travel up to my neck, therefore I suspect it is time for a thorough physical.
Thanks again and this is my last comment.
Sincerely,
Mrs. XXXXXXX XXXX
Brief Answer:
several possibilities
Detailed Answer:
ok, if the rash travels up to the neck, that is a medical emergency. First there is 100% effective anti-virals for it (several). Second, it implies a non-working immune system. Bad.
Or it is JUST the pain going to the neck. That can either be from the virus irritating a lot of the spine, generally NOT the virus growing everywhere and generally NOT a non-functioning immune system but an over-stimulated pain nerve network. ANY nerve pill fixes this in about a day. Nerve pill, steroids, antivirals ONLY because the steroids lower immunity and it should improve rapidly and probably get fixed.
So, strong reasons for immediate intervention but even with terrible cancer ruining the immune system (generally a fixable leukemia) there's a lot that can be done to fix the pain pretty much immediately. Even worse case there's a lot of reason for hope.
several possibilities
Detailed Answer:
ok, if the rash travels up to the neck, that is a medical emergency. First there is 100% effective anti-virals for it (several). Second, it implies a non-working immune system. Bad.
Or it is JUST the pain going to the neck. That can either be from the virus irritating a lot of the spine, generally NOT the virus growing everywhere and generally NOT a non-functioning immune system but an over-stimulated pain nerve network. ANY nerve pill fixes this in about a day. Nerve pill, steroids, antivirals ONLY because the steroids lower immunity and it should improve rapidly and probably get fixed.
So, strong reasons for immediate intervention but even with terrible cancer ruining the immune system (generally a fixable leukemia) there's a lot that can be done to fix the pain pretty much immediately. Even worse case there's a lot of reason for hope.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

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