Oh boy, this just gets better and better. I was diagnosed on Friday with TN at the ER. I am now headed back because my ear, the same one where the pain started, is breaking out in blisters and red scabby nasty things. Painful to the touch. My hubby says he remembers reading something about TN and shingles. Any help on this would be so appreciated…
Hi Marie, I developed shingles about 8months after I had the MVD surgery. It was blisters on my ear lobe and back of ear. Also blisters on around the scar area from surgery right behind the ear. I had never had them before. The doctor told me it was good that I had came right in because the sooner you get on the medicine the less chance you have lasting pain from shingles. Ofcourse that really caught my attention since I had pain for eight years before I had the surgery. It was kind of miserable for two days but then they started drying up and went away. Hope you get the medicine and start feeling better. I am sorry you were diagnosed with TN. It is a rough life to live with the pain.
If you can get on a medication that works for you the pain does go away for awhile. I know a person in my support group in her 70s and meds work well for her. They quit working for me towards the end of eight years so I had the surgery and have been pain free for three years. Good luck
Connie
The pain from the shingles starts a few days before the blisters. So if this was the first time you've had the pain, it could be that you were misdiagnosed - that you have shingles in the trigeminal nerve and not TN itself. The meds are the same but if it's shingles, there's a much better chance that the pain will lessen over time. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.