Ohgawd, imagine the state I'd be in if it came in waves ;-) Last one was three years ago, Jeff. In my case depends largely on the state of my immune system when/if I'm particularly stressed...and, well, you know what my summer was like.

Have used Paxil for years. Had some concern about adding Gabapentin to the mix.

Lancer - I just finished up my perscription of valacyclovir 2 days ago - glad I had no adverse reactions to it as I've heard that some people do (hope you don't have any reactions to it either)

rash is still there - dermatologist seems to be scratching her head - old insurance ran out and new insurance won't start untill Feb 1st

I get the feeling that the next few months could be fun...

Wow TJ...a kindred spirit. I was feeling so LONELY

No adverse reaction, but it was acyclovir. Doc has suggested using one a day it as a prophylactic, as well. Looked it up and I've only been bitching about this for a month. So, not as long-lived as I'd thot. Just has felt longer.

Soaking helps a lot (baking soda, warm bath water...or epsom salts). Not bad for stress either. Codiene's now down to half dose or less, but frankly, I've done a full one if I need to function without pain.

Over-the-counter Capsaisin cream for skin sensitivity. Gabapentin anti-convulsant for neuropathy but, as I noted, I'm personally a bit concerned about interactions. As far as scripts/insurance, I'm considering one of the Canadian pharms.

PM me if you need support on it.

Speaking of pain and anguish....

@TJ...got to Walgreens for the Capsaisin ROLL-ON (about nine bucks). That way you don't get it on your hands, which can really screw up your contacts and anything else you touch if you don't wash your hands thoroughly. I'm noticing SOME relief, but will fill you in later.

@Jeff...things settling down at home now that you have power?

Lancer, you had asked about the side effects of Gabapentin. From WebMD:

"June 8, 2012 -- The FDA has approved a drug currently used for restless leg syndrome to treat a common and painful complication of shingles, according to the medication's manufacturers.

Horizant (gabapentin enacarbil) has been approved to treat postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) in adults. PHN is a painful syndrome that can lead to disability in some people. It occurs after an outbreak of herpes zoster, more commonly known as shingles. Researchers say about 1 million people in the U.S. develop shingles each year. Of these, about 10% will go on to develop PHN.

PHN causes pain in the area affected by shingles, often in the torso, and can last for months or even years after the initial infection. Horizant was approved in 2011 to treat restless leg syndrome. In approving Horizant to treat PHN, the FDA evaluated the safety and effectiveness of the drug in three clinical trials involving 574 people.

Researchers don't know exactly how Horizant works to reduce PHN-associated symptoms, but studies have shown that gabapentin can help relieve nerve-related pain. The most common side effects of Horizant are dizziness, sleepiness, and headaches. The drug may also impair a person's ability to drive a car. People taking Horizant should not drive a car or operate heavy machinery until they have enough experience with the drug to determine whether their driving ability is affected.

Horizant is a slightly less active form of the antiepileptic drug gabapentin. This type of antiepileptic drug increases the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Horizant also increases these risks, and people taking the drug should talk to their health care provider about any new or worsening depression or suicidal thoughts."

Very much my thot when the power finally came on after three weeks. I still had a relatively solid roof over my head. Yard, fences, trees in tatters at the time, but it could have been a lot worse. Downtown was nailed, especially the office towers with floors of blown out windows.

The grandkids have EXCELLENT taste Jeff and I admire their approach. You can't pin it on any one individual. I often forget the sheer obvious, devious brilliance of children's minds. They're only interested in being...kids. Love that.

(I think W.C. Fields once noted that kids are, "sticky or noisy or both."


@TJ: The capsaicin isn't doing squat, though the pain no longer involves the whole leg, just the footie. Perhaps I haven't given it enuf days of regular treatment yet as I understand needs to be done. Home stretch? Back to the hydrocortisone at least temporarily.

@Jeff: Dammit, instead of spending nine bucks for a whole ounce of capsaicin, I could have had a few half pints of Haagen Dazs dark chocolate and felt alot better physically...and emotionally.