Hi, @sjsmall5286, and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.

I've also personally had shingles and had to take gabapentin for postherpetic neuralgia. I did not happen to experience any side effects.

Here is some information on gabapentin on Mayo Clinic's website: https://mayocl.in/2MnHrD5.

You're describing a side effect that seems to merit calling your prescribing doctor immediately to bring it to their attention and get help.

Would you touch base later about what your doctor says?

Oxy...yikes. Hope you can get off that. I can't take 600 mg. gabapentin either so I take 200mg morning and 200 mg evening. I also now, after 9 years, have a topical compounded cream to apply several times a day to my forehead, eyebrow area. I went to a pain management anesthesiologist and he had this put together for me. It contains lidocaine, gabapentin and several other drugs. For several years my eye didn't dilate properly and that led to extreme light sensitivity. Your symptoms may go away at this point. Most do. Only a few of us have years of problems. In my case, I wasn't diagnosed & put on anti-viral promptly. I had a severe headache and no blisters until the fourth day.

I have had shingles. Ironically stress actually makes shingles erupt. The good news, if you see someone who can help you self-calm, you can influence (to a degree) your shingles episodes. I would check with a hospital professional about stress management. I just had a friend with eye shingles. I would stick closely to what the good doctors advise you to do. For Ron. Your well-being is my commitment

Thanks for the reply. I will keep everyone informed .

"I had a severe headache and no blisters until the fourth day." That is what happened to me, But my eye was just about closed. I went to the ER and was told I had shingles, The ER only gave me a Motrin & 1 antibiotic pill & told me to go to a eye DR. I made a appt that day to my Primary care DR, & he prescribed Doxycycline & Acyclovir.

The next day I went to a eye Dr and he checked my eyes and said it okay, But sometimes I have blurred vision & light sensitivity . I wear sunglasses 24/7

" topical compounded cream" Can you tell me more about it?

I was told Stress is what brought this on. I have to learn to live a stress free life.

Hi, @sjsmall5286 — @1977lizzy mentioned the topical cream contains lidocaine, gabapentin and several more drugs. Sounds like an anesthesiologist prescribed it. She may have more information on it, as well.

Here, https://bit.ly/2n1ILjD, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) describes compounding: Drug compounding is often regarded as the process of combining, mixing, or altering ingredients to create a medication tailored to the needs of an individual patient. Compounding includes the combining of two or more drugs. Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved.

@1977lizzy — you also mentioned something about taking a stress medication. Would you provide more information on that and how that's working?

Sorry, I have to learn to leave a stress free life. I dont take meds for stress.Thanks for the information.

I think I have trigeminal neuralgia. Anyone else have this?