@australia, Hi! I have enjoyed your posts! Yep, pain management was my nursing specialty before I retired, also had experience w/dialysis patients so am aware that about the only thing I can take for post-herpetic pain is hydrocodone v-e-r-y limited, no other NSAIDS and no other narcs - can't tolerate morphone and all narcs can accumulate when the kidneys can't filter them fast enough or at all. Gabapentin never helped my diabetic neuropathy so neph and I figured why throw it at what's left of my only remaining kidney if it won't work for pain post shingles. Now that the worst has passed (I hope!) my usual endorphine-release strategies are working again - deep breathing, meditation, distraction, interacting with my service dog. . BTW, nice to meet a fellow so-called "difficult" patient like me..