Thank you very much for your answer to my questions. I appreciate the information. I probably should have been more specific concerning my previous treatments. This is my first time using this format and I was not sure how the responses would work. as I stated before I have had this PHN for the past four and a half years. After the initial treatment of anti-viral drugs and injections for pain, I tried almost everything available such as Neurontin, Gabrepentin, Tergretol, Lyrica, Tramadol, and on and on. All of them provided some pain relief but they kept me in a stuper and I could not function very well.
My brain was in a fog. I would rather live with the pain than to not know, if I was coming or going. On a pain scale from 1 - 10, my constant pain level is probably around 3 - 4 It never lets up, it is a 24 hour thing. Sometimes it is a little worse and sometimes it is a little better, but for the most part is is a constant 3 - 4 I have also tried accupuncture, Infra-red treatments, pain management w/ nerve block injections in my eyebrow and forehead areas. I have also tried several topical creams, lidocaine patches and creams
Dear Oran,
The pain following herpes infection is very severe and can be disabling. There are oral medications which can be used to treat the pain as well topical medications. The following types of medicines can be used to treat the pain, such as antidepressants, anticonvulsants such as neurontin or lyrica, pain killers and sometimes, topical anesthetics over the skin.
Dr. Feldman
Sandy T. Feldman, M.D., M.S.
ClearView Eye and Laser Medical Center
San Diego, California
Understand that there is no cure, unfortunately. Possible treatments include drugs like Lyrica and Neurontin - and I'm not a fan of either one. I would consider alternative treatment like nutritional therepies for chronic pain, exercise, accupuncture, yoga and meditation. I'm sorry but you have a chronic pain syndrome that is often quite difficult to treat. My personal advise is the avoid drug treatments if at all possible.
MJK MD