Severity has a lot to do with how long the PHN lasts. Some recover in a few months. Some, like me, may never recover. I will repeat what I said in another post on the 18th.
"Shingles is an infection of the nerves that can damage them. Lingering pain after having shingles is so common. The post shingles pain, called post herpetic neuralgia, can last for years, in some cased like yours, and thousands of others."

I'm sorry that you have joined the few that have lingering pain. You will find a way to deal with it, because you have no choice but to do that.

Please click on my name and look at my pictures at the bottom. We are in the same PHN boat. Here is how I deal with it after over 48 months.
Gabapentin 1800mg per day - I'm reducing my dose to 1200mg
Lanacane before bed sometimes when the itch is bad.
Hot stinging washcloths on my forehead jolts the nerves.

These may not work for you. You must experiment to find what will work for you, and I see that you are with the weed. Good luck to you.

Mike,
Your response made me feel worse than I already do. How do you know that my pain will laste FOREVER. The odds are in my favor that it will not. How can you say that I have joined the few that will have pain forever. You do not know that.
It is important to be more positive and not make people feel worse than they aready do.

I said "LINGERING PAIN". You do have that. What I was trying to get at is that you must EXPERIMENT, because we are all different. The lingering pain "can last for years in some cases". You must not give up hope, but must also wrap your head around that possibility.

I'm sorry that I am such a realist. I have realized the position that I am in. I do not know your outcome, but do know that you do have "LINGERING PAIN". The severity and location is different for us all. I do hope that yours will fade away.

There, I just said the same thing all over again in a different way. Good luck to you again.

I have to agree with Mike. I had shingles in February, and am now being treated for tension headaches with fioricet, different type of pain than the "lingering pain" of shingles.
What the doctors have explained to me is that due to multiple medical conditions, I have to describe my pain specifically in order to be treated properly.
There is not a "one size fits all" diagnosis of the shingles pain.
However, once you have healed from the episode of shingles, it can often take far longer for the nerves to heal. It is part of shingles, and whether or not the pain is lasting several weeks or longer, it is post herpetic neuralgia (PHN).
Gabapentin is one medication that often works. It does have to be adjusted to fit your ability. I can only take one 300mg pill a day.
Best wishes.
Mike is giving you the upside of long-term coping mechanism with shingles. I'm in CBT (cognitive behavior therapy) to help me cope with the pain, and I ask Mike, David, and a lot of other people for help when I can't see through the flame pain.
You're not alone.

Thank you very much.I appreciate and know that you are on my side. Yes you are right. I was in denial. Now I have to wake up and realize what you both have realized. I don t want false hope. You get used to the pain. Now I understand.
Us phn could be burned at the stake and we wouldn't feel a nerve!

It is frustrating. for sure.. I thought as I had a "good" day it was almost over..then the next day or that evening the pain came back with a vengeance. Thank goodness for everyone here that can share their experiences..

Mom had some good days too and then more pain. Most of the time she isn't overwhelmed by the pain and can function pretty well. It wears her out still but sometimes she says there is no pain for a while. The no pain times are to celebrate. I understand the frustration because I see Mom's frustration and I cannot help get rid of it. I wish I could.
Just take comfort in knowing the pain will end one of these days.
Best wishes for a healthy spring.
Mary