I first got Shingles last June. It didn't stop hurting and itching even after the rash went away. PHN they call it. My doctor and also people on here- say sometimes it takes weeks or months to go away. Some people even years. So here I am 11 months later and still taking meds daily to cope with it. It is better than it was- there were months when all I could do was lay on the couch and cry. Mine is on my back and the pain follows the nerve around my side to the front. Wearing a bra still hurts alot- I was on Lyrica and the side effects finally became too much for me- it was ok for a short time, but caused me to gain weight and the past few weeks my feet would swell up and it hurt to walk on them. I just went off of that med gradually and have been off it totally for only 4 days now.
I take Neurontin for nerve pain and it helps some. I take Amytriptiline at night- its an antidepressent which also is supposed to help nerve pain. It knocks me out so I am not itching and in pain if I roll over on my back.
I take 10 mg. of Oxycontin every 12 hours. I have Oxycodone to take for break through pain. At one time I was taking 4-5 a day.
Now I take 1 or 2 on bad days. Some days I don't even need one.
They tried Tramadol with me at first and it did nothing. Not even a little.
I was sent right away last summer to a pain management clinic and just put me on the Lyrica and sent me to a neurologist. I have been seeing him every month since July. He had told me to try some cream to put on it, but it burned so bad that it made it much worse. This was called Zostrix I think. It is made from hot peppers and wow- you have to tolerate the terrible burning for a few weeks or something until it starts to help. I couldn't stand it and even after showering to get it off me the one time I used it, my skin still burned all night.
Good luck to you- I hope maybe your doctor will try some other meds for you.

Please do not use Scalpicin for a long time - if you need to just use it for 7 days that is all you are suppose to use it for - and not on your face I was putting it on my forehead was is still number just the right size and it was eating my hand up on the hand I was using to put the stuff on my head

Since I have been on Gabapentin - it has help very much but the pain is worst - so either you get the itch (dam) or you get the (dam) pain

How you doing joyous ?any better with the itching I hope? I am into my 5th month and don't have it on my face but around my breast to the back. So I truly don't know what you are experiencing but sorry that you are suffering. Yes I have PHN too and THEY say it can take up to 2 years to go away if it goes away. I was told about putting Capzazin on - it's also pepper and the burn of that will make your body fight it. So your burn will go away - baloney !! I am also on Gapentin - 8 pills a day which I guess helps and one vicodin each day - sometimes one more just to escape the constant pain - but nothing EVER takes away the pain completely.
My itch is only on my back and not as bad. I am so so sorry you are suffering so badly.
Any better - did you contact a neurologist - heck at this stage why don't you even try a dermatologist you trust? They aren't the best but in your case maybe they can help you
take care please

Yesterday was a very bad day - I had to take 3 Tramadol - then I went home and went to sleep - and today is not too bad my eyebrow is swollen that one of the girl I worked with notice.

you don't have to be sorry - I know we all go through this different than any one else - I just love reading about every one - its helps me - the rash is gone from my face and scalp but I notice that Galbapentin helps a whole lot than before I take 3 times a day now- the itch is still there but it does not last long now - which is really good - I think I would take the pain not the dam itch - my scalp is really sore from itching - I bet its hard for you since it around where you bra goes - god help us all

Thank you for your nice reply hope to hear from you soon and every one else also

This information may help.

A friend emailed me with some home remedies for shingle pain and itch. I promptly forgot about that stupid stuff until I was kept awake for nights on end with itching around my eye and forehead. In the middle of the night I recalled that email and found it. One easy thing was vinegar and I had some. There was nothing to loose and I was desperate. I got a Q-tip and swabbed it on and in a minute or so the itch went away. I went to bed and slept till morning.

I have continued using vinegar as a preventative. I put it on before going to bed. I wash it off in the morning. Before I leave the house, I reapply it. I use it full strength. I have since added aspirin to it, maybe 5 with a few tablespoons of cider vinegar. I stir it up and apply it with a Q-tip. It does seem to increase the effectiveness. I even apply it between my eyelid and my numb/itchy eyebrow, but imagine how it would hurt if a drop got in your eye, so be careful.

I don't know if this is common knowledge, so I joined this site to pass on this information for others that have postherpatic neuralgia.