1. < Brain & Nervous System

Shingles and Postherpetic Neuralgia and Pain

Posted by tikigod18 @tikigod18, Jan 13, 2019

Has anyone suffered from LONG lasting neuropathic pain as a result of Shingles, and what treatment do you use for the pain? My daughter had shingles at 21, a spinal cord stimulator inserted and removed, many trigger point injections, all of which may have contributed to the thoracic pain she has. She is now 34, and teaches yoga, but is still on a compound prescribed by a pain management Dr. in NYC what is basically Oxy. I am paying for this, since neither she nor her husband can afford it at around $500 a month. She could not find a physician in Fl. I know who would prescribe this medication after 10 years, thus the use of an out of state physician. I do not want to see her suffer, nor can I discuss much with her since we barely speak, but this expense, coupled with paying for asthma inhalers that are expensive is becoming more and more of a strain. Any thoughts for alternatives are appreciated.

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Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Nov 18, 2020
In reply to @jesfactsmon "@bunnyp @jerid Hi guys, I wanted to update you on how things have gone with the..." + (show)
@jesfactsmon

@bunnyp @jerid
Hi guys, I wanted to update you on how things have gone with the LaserTRX and my wife Linda's neuropathic pain. Well, basically not that great. We did the light 2 times a day on 3 different places on each foot for 5 minutes each. So six locations twice per day. They recommend you do it for 3 weeks (21 days) to give it a fair trial. Linda got to day 19 by which time she called an end. During the last few days she had been saying she thought it was hurting her but I kept encouraging her to keep going and she agreed that maybe since it seemed to be doing SOMETHING so maybe it would get better. But finally her pain got to be too intense for her to tolerate. So she gave up. That was about a week ago. She has had mostly very high pain days since, much higher than before starting the LaserTRX. I am hoping her pain will calm down over some more time but she does not think so. We'll see. But we definitely can't give the unit a thumbs up based on our experience of it. Sorry for the bad news.

I hope that ultimately you do see benefits bunnyp, and maybe since your pain is from shingles it will have a better outcome. I also have the most positive wishes and prayers for jerid as well. I hope for only the best for both of you. I am returning the unit by the way. Too expensive not to. Best, Hank

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Thanks for reporting back, @jesfactsmon. I'm sorry that it wasn't helpful.

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1 reply
jerid | @jerid | Nov 18, 2020

Hi Hank, So sorry to hear your wife has not had good results. When I went to my 3rd week on the highest setting I had to back off to the 2nd setting. 3 was just too high for me. It did actually cause me pain. It must over stimulate the nerves too much.???? I have to use the Laser TRX pretty much every day. I do miss a day or so every now and then and my pain returns, but not to the level it was before. Thank goodness. So sorry she is now suffering possibly more. I really wanted this to work for her. Please give her my best and my continued prayers for a healing or at least a major relief.

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1 reply
mayoleukemia | @mayoleukemia | Nov 19, 2020

Tikigod18-Why do you have Such Guilt? Your daughter is Married, 34, & Does not speak to you and You Financially Support Her?
If you were Not Supporting her Oxy-She would Get Better.

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Hank | @jesfactsmon | Nov 19, 2020
In reply to @jerid "Hi Hank, So sorry to hear your wife has not had good results. When I went..." + (show)
@jerid

Hi Hank, So sorry to hear your wife has not had good results. When I went to my 3rd week on the highest setting I had to back off to the 2nd setting. 3 was just too high for me. It did actually cause me pain. It must over stimulate the nerves too much.???? I have to use the Laser TRX pretty much every day. I do miss a day or so every now and then and my pain returns, but not to the level it was before. Thank goodness. So sorry she is now suffering possibly more. I really wanted this to work for her. Please give her my best and my continued prayers for a healing or at least a major relief.

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@jerid
Thanks Jeri. Yes, Linda said that she thinks switching to level 2 which they tell you to do after the first week was too much for her. I wish their little booklet would have explained more about the different settings. Perhaps with more information ahead of time we might have understood better for ourselves which setting would have been right for her. Oh well. I am glad that it has helped you and @bunnyp. Best, Hank

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1 reply
lorirenee1 | @lorirenee1 | Nov 19, 2020
In reply to @hopeful33250 "Thanks for reporting back, @jesfactsmon. I'm sorry that it wasn't helpful." + (show)
@hopeful33250

Thanks for reporting back, @jesfactsmon. I'm sorry that it wasn't helpful.

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@jesfactsmon Hank, I agree entirely that the directions should have told you more about the different settings, and what they could do to nerves. I just pray that Linda's nerves calm down. Please keep me posted about that. Love to you, LoriRenee1

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steeldove | @steeldove | Nov 19, 2020
In reply to @jesfactsmon "@jerid Thanks Jeri. Yes, Linda said that she thinks switching to level 2 which they tell..." + (show)
@jesfactsmon

@jerid
Thanks Jeri. Yes, Linda said that she thinks switching to level 2 which they tell you to do after the first week was too much for her. I wish their little booklet would have explained more about the different settings. Perhaps with more information ahead of time we might have understood better for ourselves which setting would have been right for her. Oh well. I am glad that it has helped you and @bunnyp. Best, Hank

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@jesfactsmon I have no idea if this would apply to the device Linda has been trying, but when I was undergoing the trial with a Medtronic spinal cord stimulator, I found the most pain relief with a very, very low setting. When I mentioned this to the Mayo nurse and the Medtronic rep, they said that they have found that the lowest setting that's effective is best, and that they try to tell people not to continue raising the number and expecting more relief. Hope this helps.

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1 reply
jerid | @jerid | Nov 19, 2020

Wow, that is great information.

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bunnyp | @bunnyp | Nov 20, 2020
In reply to @steeldove "@jesfactsmon I have no idea if this would apply to the device Linda has been trying,..." + (show)
@steeldove

@jesfactsmon I have no idea if this would apply to the device Linda has been trying, but when I was undergoing the trial with a Medtronic spinal cord stimulator, I found the most pain relief with a very, very low setting. When I mentioned this to the Mayo nurse and the Medtronic rep, they said that they have found that the lowest setting that's effective is best, and that they try to tell people not to continue raising the number and expecting more relief. Hope this helps.

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What is the Medtronic spinal cord stimulator?

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1 reply
steeldove | @steeldove | Nov 20, 2020
In reply to @bunnyp "What is the Medtronic spinal cord stimulator?" + (show)
@bunnyp

What is the Medtronic spinal cord stimulator?

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@bunnyp Take a look at the Medtronic.com website for information about their spinal cord stimulator.

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jerid | @jerid | Dec 19, 2020

I have not been on here for sometime. I was sorry to see the red light laser did not work for Hank's wife. How are you doing I am down to using it only 1 or 2 times a week now. I hope you are having the same results. I learned from Hank that too high of a setting and most likely too often can cause more pain. So I use it only on the 1 setting and like I said only 1 or 2 times a week. I couldn't be happier with my results. Hope you are getting good results. If you are feeling more pain then lower the setting and cut back how often you are using it. I know have a different problem I am dealing with. I swim a lot in the summer and for the past 2 years I have developed itchy ears. The opening of my ears itch something terrible. I was told by my Dr. 2 years ago it was probably an allergy. I have tried to check everything I eat and do and sleep on and even my detergent and shampoo. Nothing makes any difference to the itch. This week I am calling my Dr. to see if I could have picked up a fungus at our local pool last summer. That is what the pharmacist said to do. Why is it we can solve one problem and another pops up? Maddening!

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