<p>Has anyone had kids experience this and had luck with any treatments for lessening pain and/or speeding healing? My 18 yo came down with this 3 weeks ago with blisters on the head and face (initially treated for sinus/ear infections), was hospitalized for a few days and has been home for a week. Blisters are healing nicely but the pain is relentless. He was getting morphine every hour when he was in hospital and has been on hydrocodone since. Poor kid started college this way and, as a commuter, can’t take the Lortab before school unless I drive him, which isn’t always possible. Meanwhile, his ear and mouth are especially painful so he’s not sleeping or eating much. Any suggestions or ideas on how long this lasts in the younger patients?</p>
<p>Sorry for your troubles. Do talk to a neurologist and a pain specialist in the hopes that you do not creat a permanent pain loop.</p>
<p>Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. When DH was 40, he started having pain so bad he thought it was a heart attack. He was very relieved to learn that it was “just” shingles (we thought the blisters were a reaction to Icy Hot). My heart sank, though, because I remember what my grandmother went through when she had shingles. It is SO painful. I think the hydrocodone helped the most in DH’s case. I wish I had more advice for you!</p>
<p>Unfortunately, if you do not get anti-viral treatment with the first 24-48 hours, you can do little to halt the painful nature of this. It sounds like he has the worst complication which is neuralgia - pain, headaches, and nerve problems that occur as a complication of shingles. Neuralgia lasts for at least 30 days and can continue for up to a year or more. My mother has had it for years and takes mega doses of ibuprofen when an attack hits. Sometimes they do not want to prescribe the mega dose of ibuprofen because of possible liver complications. But you can see if they will for his school issues.</p>
<p>Corticosteroids like prednisone will work to shrink the nerve inflamation. Get him to a good neurologists and a good ENT right away. Side effects of the shingles in his ear can include prolonged tinnitus, Bells Palsy like symptoms and the pain he is now experiencing. Research Ramsay-Hunt Syndrome online and see if it matches any of his symptoms. Bring it up to your doctor because s/he may not even know about the syndrome and get a referral to a specialist.</p>
<p>My D had shingles last spring as a sophomore in college. I wasn’t there so don’t know all the details, but she had it in her eyes and had to get an extension for one class (which she was able to complete this summer). She thought she had a really bad case of acne when the blisters appeared on her face, then when she realized it was more serious had to make an appointment for her Student Health center, so it was not treated in a very timely manner. I don’t know exactly how long she was sidelined, but she was never hospitalized. It sounds like your S has a much more severe case.</p>
<p>Ask his doc about Lidoderm patches. They can be cut to fit awkward areas, can only be worn 12 hours a day so he can wear during the time he is not at school. Xylocaine gel or spray might also give temporary numbing inside the mouth. Some folks respond to meds used for neuropathy such as Lyrica or Neurontin and if they work he can begin to take less pain pills.</p>
<p>The post-herpetic neuralgia can be unrelenting and miserable. Some docs just throw up their hands. But others try this and that and patients get relief.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your input - I will definitely run all of this by his docs tomorrow and will get him some Xylocaine tonight. His pediatrician is a family member so, luckily, he had daily attention and started on oral acyclovir immediately when the facial rash appeared, also received it IV for the 3 days he was hospitalized. The pain is definitely less now that the blisters have healed, but still very miserable and he says the hydrocodone are not helping much. So, if I’m understanding correctly, pain after the blisters have healed is not something that occurs in all cases and there is no “one size fits all” treatment?</p>
<p>My mom had HZ a few yrs back…she was under a lot of stress from caring for my father ( who had alzheimers ) She was hospitalized , but it took a little time for the doctor to diagnose her illness. I went to spend a week with her to take over her care as well as my father…she was so weak and had no appetite etc , . She had a lot of pain in her hands and feet and I got her some Aveda foot cream , which gave her a lot of relief…still uses it now</p>