1. < Skin Health
Profile picture for jennyfer

Shingles is there any help?

Posted by jennyfer @jennyfer, Oct 29, 2025

In January 2024 I had a total burn-out. I check myself in at Emergencies. At the Hospital I (84years)had a heart attack and then a cardiac arrest. I am super fine now but I was left with Shingles on my scalp on the left side. The doctors ( Cardiologist and Pulmonologist) who treated me called the "Dermatologist" she did not look at my scalp nor did she touch me, but said they just keep on treat me with what ever they started. I was in tears it was soo painful and it seemed to get more painful after each treatment twice a day. They send me home. The Pulmonologist visited me every time when I booked myself in to the Hospital. When I booked myself in the 5th time because the pain was excruciating he immediately said thats Herpes Zoster (Shingles) Did he ask Dr Google? He put me on Lyrika but after nearly 2years we decided to stop. If the pain/itch is very uncomfortable I take 1 Synaleve Capsule at night. In between I went for Acupuncture but no success.
Thats my story, can someone help me ?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Skin Health Support Group.

Profile picture for abees
abees | @abees | Jan 30 12:50pm
In reply to @sjs1 "@abees Oh - I just found on consumerlabs.com the topic of B12 shots for nerve pain...." + (show)
Profile picture for 56huxley @sjs1

@abees
Oh -
I just found on consumerlabs.com the topic of
B12 shots for nerve pain. I was searching for "shingles " before and found C shots. I will paraphrase. No, B12 shot not for shingles -for peripheral neuropathy related to diabetes.

Jump to this post

@sjs1
Interesting! Vitamin C does not stay in one system very long when taken by mouth. Wondering how injections of vitamin C would be different. either way, having a clear picture of my nutritional balance may be helpful in treating the nerve damage caused by shingles.

REPLY
Profile picture for jennymorrow
jennymorrow | @jennymorrow | Jun 5 3:20pm
In reply to @tracypage "I also have Postherpetic Neuralgia and have had shingles in my scalp. Valacyclovir helps the episodes..." + (show)
Profile picture for tracypage @tracypage

I also have Postherpetic Neuralgia and have had shingles in my scalp. Valacyclovir helps the episodes and I also take a smaller dose daily to ward off future episodes since I've had quite a few.

For the Postherpetic Neuralgia, I am now on 90mg of duloxetine and use lidocaine patches as necessary. They do make an ointment that might be easier for the scalp area. Physical Therapy has helped tremendously as well, I've learned what to do to get the nerve pain to subside in most cases -- it doesn't always work.

Jump to this post

@tracypage what’s the daily dose you take? Which medication and how much?

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for tracypage
tracypage | @tracypage | Jun 5 8:06pm
In reply to @jennymorrow "@tracypage what’s the daily dose you take? Which medication and how much?" + (show)
Profile picture for jennymorrow @jennymorrow

@tracypage what’s the daily dose you take? Which medication and how much?

Jump to this post

@jennymorrow I am not sure which drug you are asking about. I take 500mg of valacyclovir 2x daily and if I have a breakthrough case I take 1.5g total daily for 7 days and then go back. The cymbalta at 90mg daily controlled pain but I was having a tough time with side effects so I am off and just starting a new drug which hasn’t started working yet. Lidocaine patch is 5%. Good luck!

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.