its not getting better its getting worse and the pain now is unbearable.. it is on my left front chest I have been on several different meds including, Lyrica, Cymbalta, Savella Neurontin, Nortriptyline etc... and 7.5 mg of hydrocodone and none of this has helped my pain... they are guessing this is my diagnosis as I had six small blisters on my chest over 2 yrs ago and thats when the slight burnin started... and has now gotten worse with deep intense pain... just wondering if this sounds like the pain of Post Herpetic Neuralgia, after numerous heart tests, ct scans, ultrasounds of the left breast with no findings this is what my Dr. thinks it must be I just cant imagine this type of horrible pain not being something serious anyone suffer from P.H.N. if so is this what it feels like... Im desperate for answers from someone who has actually felt this before... Thanks..shine
Shingles pain?? I have had constant burning gnawing intense left sided chest pain?
Question posted by sunshine1109 on 5 May 2012
Last updated on 27 October 2017 by DarleneMC2
9 Answers
Okay. Thank you so much, all of you, for giving me some hope AND ideas for my pain I have experienced ever since I had shingles about 8 months ago!!!
I feel like my back is being stabbed every day and I have radiating pain out from that. It keeps me from doing all those things I want to do because I am in so much pain.
I just lost 50 pounds. (on purpose) So I am feeling so much better about myself and now this!!!
I am going to try the shots in my nerves in my left shoulder area in my back. That is where my pain is. Seems to be deep. I try to massage this area with my home medics messager, but it doesn't help that much at all. Anyway, thank you for all the good suggestions.
I thought maybe I was having heart trouble or something! Or yes, Cancer! I feel much more hopeful.
I finally found a cure for my severe PHN pain!!! I suffered almost 10 years with intense burning pain in my left chest after a bout of shingles. My doctors tried many medications, including Gabapentin, Zoloft, Klonopin, Cymbalta, Tramadol, nortriptyline, and so on with no relief. Finally, I was referred to a pain specialist who performed an intercostal nerve block. It is a series of anesthetic/steroid injections near the spine that target the nerve pathways that the pain is originating from. In my case, the troubled nerves were in my left rib cage. I had 3 injections performed over 2 months, and I am now completely pain free!!! No more pills!
I urge ANYONE suffering from PHN to consult with a pain management specialist immediately to inquire about having a nerve block performed. It absolutely saved my life!!! Good luck!
Where did they put the injections? into your spine or the tissue beside it where the pain was... Were they painful? I've had 10 nerve blocks (epidural) for back and they have been great, over the past 20 years! That will be my next referral I will request if this doesn't improve soon... the pain has been since November, and treated for pleurisy since no rash til this past week...
Where did they put the injections? into your spine or the tissue beside it where the pain was... Were they painful? I've had 10 nerve blocks (epidural) for back and they have been great, over the past 20 years! That will be my next referral I will request if this doesn't improve soon... the pain has been since November, and treated for pleurisy since no rash til this past week...
These comments have helped me so much, I didn't know it was normal to have such DEEP pain with shingles... hard to believe it isn't JUST the surface area that hurts.
mamasue, the injections were about 6 inches to the left of my spine, and the needles were navigated around my ribs to the area between the rib and lung, which is where the intercostal nerves are (and the source of pain in my case). This was done on 3 ribs (the one where the pain is, and the one above and below it, because there is cross-innervation in that region, so they blocked 3 levels of my intercostals. I have full sensation, no numbness at all. I am active and play sports with no noticeable side effects from the injections. Just no pain anymore :) The injections did not hurt because the area was numbed first. I would describe the procedure as feeling uncomfortable in that there is a good deal of pressure, but not painful. The standard procedure is to inject lidocaine first, which acts immediately, which allowed me to tell my doctor that he hit the right spot, because while I was on the table, my pain suddenly vanished.
Next, a corticosteroid is injected to provide long term relief. My pain returned after the procedure, but after a week or two it was gone for good. It usually takes the corticosteroid 2 weeks to take effect. Like I said, I had to have this done 3 times, but each time the pain stays away longer. Totally worth it!!!
Is this the same as an epidural injection ESI ? Thank you.
ho57198, this is different from an epidural esi in that the injections were about 6 inches to the left of my spine, placed around my ribs at 3 levels... in my case, I only had pain on one side. Epidural esi is very similar, but would've blocked the nerves on both sides, which wasn't necessary in my case. I found that the nerve block was extremely effective after 3 rounds... I've now been completely pain free and pill free for over 6 months! And that's after having suffered for a decade! Talk with your pain management specialist about what types of nerve blocks would be appropriate for your particular situation. Best wishes!
I had shingles on my left arm now 2 years later I am getting stabbing pains in this arm that come and go. The pain is horrible is this common
Hey bryshef
Can you please help my mom shes been in pain for 08 years now, nothing seem to help her instead its getting worse every day. can you refer us to your specialist and the address please.
I had shingles from my nose up along my hair part to the one side of my face and even almost went blind in that eye! I laid in bed with "phantom pain" for about 6 mos! If anyone or anything got closer than a foot to my head I would scream! Shingles is one of the worst kind of pains ever. Didn't you say you had blisters and that it was only on one side? Try 800 Motrin. Tylenol is hard on your kidneys. I believe my dr did labs on me and that's when he told me it was shingles or herpes zolster. That's so weird that it doesn't sound like they did the correct work up on you! They need to find out if its phn or shingles like yesterday! Both are very painful! I do tell my friends that take meds like that so many for the same pain is what I think! How are they gonna find out what really does help? Sometimes less is better until you find out what works! You said it yourself they are GUESSING! Second opinion could really help! Take care and I hope it gets resolved soon! Nanimal
Yeah I had about six blisters in the center of my chest but I just thought it was a typical rash it never crossed my mind that it was shingles but as time went on and this deep burning aching pain in my chest continued and all my test came back negative for cancer etc. my Dr said it has to be nerve pain, I was like from what and he had said shingles well I told him I never had shingles, then he showed me a pic of them and bingo I remember the six lil blisters and he told me you don't have to have any blisters at all you can have internal shingles, so after going through all kinds of ct scans, mris , bone scans, heart test and tons of blood work they came to the conclusion it was indeed PHN from shingles... I have gotten 2nd 3rd and 4th opinions trust me, so now after all these yrs of pain and suffering I finally found a Dr. who has prescribed me something and its the first thing that has ever given me any relief at all...
although I never ever wanted to be put on methadone as I was scared to death when the Dr. mentioned it but I have to say it is the only thing that has given me relief the only thing!!! Im on my third day of it and my pain has not one time reached the unbearable stage like it used to, I take 2 a day one in the am and one in the pm and its working and im so happy to finally have relief and maybe now I can go back and start enjoying my life again, it doesn't give you that high feeling like other narcotics you just feel normal with less pain... so im gonna enjoy this while it lasts and pray I don't have to be on it for to long but I am thankful someone finally has given me my life back... shine
I had shingles 4 years ago and 22 breakouts sense however none for a year now
my breakout covered the upper l side of back an chest
I have been left with horrible cont pain, burning stabbing, cramping I everyone to get a vaccine to avoid this ragging pain
it never goes away I have had acupuncture, blocks, botox ablation,and tried most meds I now am on tramadol and nouroton it relieves but does not remove the pain so my life is complex I also use loads of bio freeze several times a day I hate having to depend on these I am sure if my pain ever reaches the point I could tolerate it and I could be free I would go into withdrawals I am 70 and fear this will be a life time
of pain and drugs is there any answers please let me know
I requested u as a friend, if you want to accept me I will private message you with what has finally helped me..shine
I am so sorry to hear this Rosemary, I feel your pain that's for sure. My pain is deep in the chest its not on the skin as I never got the bad rash I had internal shingles so all my burning stabbing gnawing pain is in the chest therefore biofreeze are any of those creams do not work for me, I have done everything also and not a darn thing works, I went to a new Pain Management Dr yesterday hes like my 3rd one as all the others gave up on me, now although I was scared to death when he told me what he wanted to treat me with but I had to give it a try and its methadone, now everyone has there opinions on this drug and trust me I was petrified from things I have heard but let me tell u something its the only thing that has relieved my pain by about 80%, and I have never in the last 4 yrs gotten more then a 10% relief from anything.
I take one 10mg in the morning and one at night along with flexeril and grant it Im only on my second day but today was the best day I have had in years, last night I slept all night which was amazing and didn't wake up in massive pain... I have researched this medicine and I know that its used for withdrawals from heroin but it is also used for chronic pain patients and it states chronic pain for patients with cancer and PHN, its one of the only drugs that work for nerve pain, I did a lot of reading before I got it filled..you have to use it as directed under Drs supervision and when its time to come off of it just like most meds out there even meds for Hypertension you have to taper off slowly, so far I have had no side effects, it doesn't give you that high feeling like other narcotics, you feel normal just a lot less pain and i'll take that any day after the hell I have endured... Now being your age I don't know if your Dr. would want you on this kind of medicine but you could sure ask his opinion on it, like I said you cannot take anymore then prescribed, well I just wanted to share this may not be for you but it sure has worked for me and im happy the first time in 4 yrs, and I don't have the brain fog, low energy and headaches those other drugs gave me... I wish u lots of luck and I pray you find something that works for you ..shine
Shingles shot did NOT help me in the least...
I don't have the burning sensation, just pain in the left side of my chest down my arm into my fingers, which I have come to decide is probably Tietze Syndrome. I was recently put on a newer medication called Nucynta, and the 75mg every 4-6 hours helps greatly. You may wanna ask about that since it does have an opiate in it, but doctors are trying to switch patients off other types of opiates onto this.
Thanks I will ask him when I go back to the Dr. I go back in 2 wks. I really need something to work for me Im in so much constant pain its ridiculous.
Getting so tired of them putting me on pills that dont work. I need some relief NOW as Im in so much pain I cant even think straight..shine
Sunshine,
Shingles is the reappearance of the virus that caused chicken pox as a child. In theory, anti-virals and pain meds usually work. The antiviral med works by lessening and shortening the outbreak. Docs don't like prescribing narcotics, but those seem to be the only meds that seem to work relieving pain. You can also try gabapentin at the same time to try and calm the nerve root down. Herpes Zoster, when it reappears after years, usually follows a dermatome in your chest, back,,, and the lesions break out along the nerve. The pain can be excruciating, and realistically, narcotics are the only thing that relieves some of the pain.
Peace and, by now, hope your PHN pain is under control.
Sweet Hippie
Laura, what do you think of the shingles "shot"??? I am thinking of getting the shot to prevent shingles but am a bit leery that I might actually end up setting off some auto-immunce response in me...
Any thoughts???
Mary
A friend of mine got Shingles last month and gets spinal blocks (I think is what she said it is called). I am not sure how they work exactly.
She is also on Lyrica, which she said is a Godsend. Along with I believe Oxycodone. I am not sure of her mg.
Good luck to you. I hope you find relief!
~Rachel in AZ
Ive had the nerve blocks and tried all the meds and none of it works unfortunately .. I hate this its has made me feel physically sick every day of my life... Mine wasn't caught right away, nobody knew what it was and when they said shingles or nerve pain I remembered 2 yrs prior the six lil blisters and the Dr. was like thats it, you dont have to have the big rash that goes around your chest to your back some people never get the rash, alls I know its a horrible thing and I wouldnt wish this on my worst enemy... shine is very sad and sick of this, I think I need to change my name ;( I'm not the ray of sunshine I used to be..
I've been on everything to try and calm down this pain.. Im on 1800 mg of gabapentin and 50 mg of nortriptyline and it hasnt helped one bit... Unfortunately we didnt know this was shingles in the beginning because having such a small rash and I mean small six lil blisters I didnt pay it any mind... but here I am 2 1/2 yrs later in massive pain every second of my life... I even had Intercostal Nerve Blocks... nothing has helped..
Mary,
If you want to know if I'm gonna get that "shingles shot", no I choose not to. I worked in hospitals, exposed to everything and never caught a cold. But that's me, call me stubborn. And I also have a not so good feeling with all that the pharmaceutical companies hype, I don't believe everything I read or hear. So sweetie, your choice, but I say no.
Sunshine, there is absolutely no reason someone should be suffering 24/7/365. I'd go see a pain management doc and see what they can offer you. I have chronic pain, and I believe that I should be able to live my life as painfree as anyone else. So I take narcotics every day, for quality of life issues. I'm a lot easier to live with, also.
Peace y'all,
Laura
I chose to get the shingles vaccine at age 59. And I was extremely happy to get it. Free by the way since ObamaCare covers all preventative care.
I know how disastrous the pain is from watching my mother's boyfriend suffer miserably with it for the last 6 years--never to get it cured due to his age. He got the post-herpetic complication. I can't think of anything worse to get.
When you understand what your chances are of getting it:
20% of people will contract shingles in their lifetime
50% of those age 80 and up will develop shingles
40% of shingles patients over age 60 develop postherpetic neuralgia
The shot works better for people ages 60 to 69. In that age group, it lowers the chances of getting shingles by about two-thirds. And if you do get it, it is not as severe.
Although the shot doesn't prevent shingles quite as well in people age 70 or older, it does make shingles less severe more than half the time.
You shouldn't get the shot if:
You have a weak immune system.
The risks were so little I didn't think twice about it. But that's just me from watching the severe pain of it.
Sara
Thanks for your very informed response. Who knows, might change my mind, but I did get my kids vaccinated for everything including hepatitis.
The stubborn hippie
Well, I don't have a working immune system and at best, it is pretty weak. Also, the shot certainly isn't free for me. I think I just talked myself out of it. It isn't worth the risk to me...
Not that it matters in my case its a little to late for me, but if I got the shot it wouldnt be free, it would of cost me over $200...
As you know Mary,
I have chronic pain due to severe arthritis and am as crazy as a ding bat. Otherwise, healthy. I'm fortunate to only have those two disorders to deal with as my health issues could be a lot worse. At one point, a baby (new) doc thought I had heart failure. I didn't, just had a psych drug reaction from Hell.
Peace and let yer fff,
Laura
Sunshine,
Like I suggested before, there in no reason to suffer. Please see a pain doc. I hate knowing you feel so bad on a daily basis. That's what I'd do, so that is my best advice. Get help from a doc who manages pain. Your pain is just a valid as someone with a broken back. It's a personal experience, everyone is different.
Laura
Thanks Laura thats what Im gonna do, these Dr's nowadays are so afraid of people getting addicted I've been to one of the best pain Drs in Gainesville Florida but same crap just sent me out the door with Naproxen and Gabapentin so I found one more to try and I'll let ya know how it goes... shine
Sunshine,
I just went through the pain doc merry go round in Gainesville. I have information for you. I will friend you, if you friend me, we can discuss the docs there.
Laura
I sure will and thank you :)
Hi Shine, I didn't want you to think that I forgot to get back to you about taking the new drug Horizant for my PHN. When my doctor finally got around to calling in the prescription, he called in the wrong dosage. I didn't want to start the med, run out and restart it so, I'm on that merry go round of leaving messages, having his nurse calling me and telling me that she will talk to the doctor and get back to me. I am still waiting... Hope you are finding some kind of relief.
Hi ohmyachinashe, no I didnt think ya forgot I havent been on here lately, been a lil down and this pain is getting the best of me. Well I hope you got your meds straightened out by now and hope it helps you... shine
Hi Shine, Still in the same boat as you are in... no relief for the pain except when I am not working and I use hydrocodone which helps short term. I am still on the gabapentin but, it leaves a lot to be desired. Be well...
Beth
I'm in tears with pain reading these comments about shingles. I had the shingle shot nearly three years ago at age 60... I have developed the worst case of shingles... pain that mimicked a heart attack... was hospitalized before the rash appeared! Excruciating pain... fever, etc... no, the shingle vaccine did not prevent nor give me a lesser degree! For those of you that have commented that you have had the vaccine... Merck is the only one that profited! I have lost 8 lbs in three weeks... had I to do it over, the vaccine did not help!!
So sorry the vaccine didnt work for you thats just awful, I will pray that it doesnt last and you dont get PHN because im living in hell right now... its been five yrs this mth and the pain is worse then its ever been.. Im beside myself I just dont know wht to do anymore or where to go Ive done it all... welll I hope u feeel better real soon, prayers are with you..
Sunshine 1109,I have had PHN for 4 years now and have yet to find anything that will combat the pain without leaving me in ''The Zombie" state.I woke up to shingles on April 28th 2008, saw my doctor immediately and he prescribed the normal antifungal drugs along with an antibiotic and some pain killers. After the shingles ran it's course the pain got worse, it was no longer an itchy, bee stinging, persistent pain, it was a gnawing, stabbing, tearing, searing pain. My doctor sent me to a neurologist {took me 6 wks to get an appt} and he started playing the pill game with me, Gabapentin 1200 mg 3 x a day {zombie} Tramadol, Baclofen and Lidocaine ointment, none of these things worked and I don't advise anyone trying Tramadol, it's addictive.I stopped going to the neuralogist and went back to my primary doctor, we tried Lyrica, Lidocaine patches, Nortriptyline and got no relief.
I have settled on a lower dose of Gabapentin and Hydrocodone at night to help me get a little sleep. I had 3 ililingural nerve blocks and 2 select root nerve blocks, no help. The good news is ... this crap usually goes away in time so, even though I am one of the unlucky ones, hopefully you will be ok. There is a new drug that I am starting on this week called Horizant, it is a form of Gabapentin but, in a time release pill, it works differently than Gabapentin and I guess they have had some success in clinical trials. I will let you know how it works, meanwhile hang in there Sunshine !
I am so sorry you are going through this as I know how horrible it is. I to have been on every damn pill you can think of and none of them worked nor did the Intercostal Nerve Block that I had twice... Please let me know how this new drug helps you I am so desperate for some relief, I just want to be able to lay down at night and not toss and turn from this pain that wont stop. Where is your pain located at? Mine is right in my heart area thats why I had so many heart test. Well good luck with the new pill I sure hope it works for you I cant imagine this for 4 yrs 2 1/2 is enough for me.. I will pray we both find something to ease this until it goes away... shine
I think what is scaring me the most is that we arent for sure its from shingles cause I didnt go to the Dr. when I had the blisters I just thought it was a lil rash no big deal... I mean it was maybe six blisters so that is really bothering me that I feel they are just guessing because they cant find anything else... just wish I had gone to the Dr. when that happened so we would know for sure..shine
Shine, I'm sorry too that you did not go to the doctors when the blisters first appeared. I only had 3 spots and only 1 actually broke through the skin to any degree but, I knew what shingles looked like and the itch was maddening so, I went straight to my doctor. I have PHN on my ililingural nerve {guess I can't spell that correctly} from the inside of my left hip area, across the top of my groin, great place when you drive for a living, not that there is any good place to have it. I will let you know how this new med works out, after 4 years I'm not going to get my hopes up. Sleeping more than a couple of hours at a time would be great ! Take care...
Sorry for your pain but what does your pain feel like?? I'm just so confused about this and so tired of it..shine
Woops sorry I just reread your first comment and I see what u feel is what I feel smack in my chest all around my left breast, hurts so bad :( I hope you get relief for yours... shine
I feel for anyone with this. I had pain in my back to the rt of my spine, radiating to the front of my chest. To breathe it really hurts... started almost 2 months ago. Had a cold, thought it may be pleurisy, had antibiotics... Dr. kept asking if I had a rash... never noticed one... went to chiropractor 5 times... back feels great, but hurt to breathe... THEN this past Fri a friend was over, I asked her to look at my back because something itched and I couldn't tell what it was. She said I had a rash... no blisters, just a well defined patch, right over where I hurt. Hasn't come around to the front yet. But didn't get diagnosed til Fri, so just started antiviral. Hurt just to lie on that side or on my back... felt like it was on fire, esp. when I'd breathe. Hope the fact that I started the antiviral so late in the process doesn't make me have PHN
My mom was on Lyrics when she had shingles and it made her gain a lot of weight. I don't recommend that. I was told to use Calamine lotion. I have shingles now. They said to use cool compresses, which feel great and relieve a lot of pain, oatmeal baths, which I can't do cause I am allergic to oats, no heat, and that helps me plus taking oxycodone twice a day.
Did they ever put you on an antibiotic to help it? I know the pain is tough, but the med's you are on are a lot what are the dose's? They might be better off upping the dose of the med instead of adding different ones. But Dr knows you better than me.
Hope you feel better soon!
Hi SoMuchPain, Im not on all those meds together those are just the ones the Dr. have prescribed to me over time, right now Im on 1800 mg of Neurontin and 50 mg of Nortriptyline and thats all, none of these meds have worked on me, I have also had a Intercostal Nerve Block which only numbed me for a day I honestly dont thing anything is gonna work on this pain its so unbearable but what am I supposed to do we have tried everything :( ... well thanks for responding and I hope one day I do feel better... shine...
Nerve pain is hard to treat, being some Dr's don't understand what they can't see they need to have an x-ray of a broken bone. Maybe try a pain med like
acetaminophen / oxycodone or maybe try a pain cream or Lidoderm patch or cream. Ask your Dr about the patch it may help.
Good luck
sunshine 1109, i had burning down the middle of chest, could not get no answers from any drs. decided to put me on prozac for anxiety and it seems to have worked but now i am in a clinical state of depression,and anxiety. i am seeing a psychiatrist who has prescribed welbutron and also seeing a counselor. I am not a happy camper with all the other meds that i am taking for hbp, high cholestrol, diabetes med., plavix and pradaxa also atenelol. I know how you feel and am praying for you.
Im sorry to hear this as I know how frustrating it can be, I am on alot of med's myself for H.B.P. and now trying this and that for my pain as of which none of it is helping. Im hearing that the kind of pain Im having there is really nothing that works so I just have to pray it just goes away one day. I will pray for you to and I hope you find something that works for you so you can enjoy your life as that is what I want to do... God Bless..shine
Related topics
cymbalta, lyrica, neurontin, pain, persisting pain, shingles, herpes zoster, postherpetic neuralgia, chronic pain, burning
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