Greetings Lori,
The treatment for shingles since the 1980's has been a tapering dose of Prednisone ( the definitive journal article was in the New England Journal of Medicine but not all MDs read the journal). Get the prescription from your MD and start ASAP. You'll feel relief within three days. Creams and ointments don't help much. Take the Prednisone till pills are all gone!! Shingles exists both on your skin but also in your peripheral nerves, perhaps all the way back and in the spinal cord that is why you may feel discomfort/pain over usually numb dermatomes. I will pray for your speedy recovery. (Prayer always helps.) Take care Frank
