Common Questions
About Pain after Shingles
What is Pain after Shingles?
Pain after Shingles, or Postherpetic Neuralgia (post-her-PET-ik noo-RAL-juh), is also known as PHN. PHN may follow shingles. Shingles is a painful skin rash caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. (This virus is called varicella zoster.) This virus can cause nerve damage. In some people, the nerve damage leads to pain. People with PHN have pain that lasts for 3 or more months after their shingles rash heals.
Pain after Shingles symptoms may include:
- Burning or stabbing pain where the shingles rash had been
- Pain for 3 or more months after having shingles
- Pain from the touch of light clothing or bed sheets
Are certain people more likely to get Pain after Shingles (PHN)?
Anyone who had shingles can get PHN. In the United States about 10% to 15% of people who have had shingles get this kind of nerve pain.
PHN is more common in people aged 60 years and older. But you can also get PHN if you are younger. People who fit these descriptions may be at a higher risk for developing PHN:
- Had a very bad shingles rash
- Had a lot of pain from shingles
- Felt pain before the shingles rash started
- Have trouble fighting infections (due to a condition such as cancer or an organ transplant)
Is treatment available for PHN?
Yes. There are several treatment choices. LYRICA® (pregabalin) capsules CV is an approved treatment for PHN.
I want to learn more about PHN. What should I do?
If you think you may have PHN, the best thing to do is to talk to your doctor. The Web sites below may also be helpful.
These Web sites are neither owned nor controlled by Pfizer. Pfizer is not responsible for the content or services on these sites.
American Pain Foundation (APF)
American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA)
The Neuropathy Association®
The National Shingles Foundation
About LYRICA
What is LYRICA?
LYRICA (LEER-i-kah) has been proven effective in clinical studies. It may offer relief for people who have Diabetic Nerve Pain or Pain after Shingles (SHIN-gulls).
LYRICA is approved to treat the burning, stabbing, shooting symptoms of nerve pain caused by diabetes or shingles. Clinical studies have shown that LYRICA provides significant pain relief as early as 1 week in some patients. Talk to your doctor. Together, you can decide if LYRICA is right for you.
How is LYRICA thought to work?
LYRICA is believed to work within your body to calm the damaged or over-excited nerves that cause pain. Although the exact mechanism of action is unknown, results from animal studies suggest that LYRICA is believed to work by reducing the number of "extra" electrical signals that are sent out from damaged or over-excited nerves.
For what uses is LYRICA approved by the FDA?
LYRICA is a prescription medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is used to treat the pain from damaged nerves that happens with diabetes or the pain following the healing of shingles. It is also used in adults to treat fibromyalgia (pain all over your body). In addition, it is used together with other seizure medicines to treat partial seizures in adults.
When can I expect relief?
Some patients start to feel relief in as soon as 1 week. But everyone is different. Some people may have to give LYRICA more time to work.
Can I take LYRICA with other medicines?
Tell your health care provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, or herbal supplements.
In studies, LYRICA was shown to have a low potential for certain types of drug interactions.
However, LYRICA and a few other drugs may affect each other, causing side effects:
- You may have a higher chance for swelling and hives if you take angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors with LYRICA
- You may have a higher chance of weight gain or swelling of your hands or feet if you take certain diabetes medicines with LYRICA
- You may have a higher chance for dizziness and sleepiness if you take LYRICA with alcohol, narcotic pain medicines, or medicines for anxiety
Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them with you to show your health care provider and pharmacist each time you get a new medicine. Do not start a new medicine without talking with your health care provider.
How do I take LYRICA?
Your doctor will tell you how much LYRICA you need and when to take it.
- Take LYRICA exactly as prescribed. Take LYRICA at the same times each day
- LYRICA may be taken with or without food
- Your doctor may change your dose. Do not change your dose without talking to your doctor
- Do not stop taking LYRICA without talking to your doctor. If you stop taking LYRICA suddenly you may have headaches, nausea, diarrhea, or trouble sleeping. If you have epilepsy and you stop taking LYRICA suddenly, you may have seizures more often. Talk with your doctor about how to stop LYRICA slowly
What if I miss a dose?
- If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, just skip the missed dose. Take the next dose at your regular time. Do not take 2 doses at the same time. If you take too much LYRICA, call your doctor or poison control center, or go to the nearest emergency room right away
How many people have been prescribed LYRICA?
Over 5 million people have been prescribed LYRICA in the United States.
What should I tell my doctor before I start taking LYRICA?
Before taking LYRICA, tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including if you:
- Have or have had depression, mood problems, or suicidal thoughts or behavior
- Have kidney problems or get kidney dialysis
- Have heart problems, including heart failure
- Have a bleeding problem or a low blood platelet count
- Have abused prescription medicines, street drugs, or alcohol in the past
- Have ever had swelling of your face, mouth, tongue, lips, gums, neck, or throat (angioedema)
- Plan to father a child
- Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. If you become pregnant while taking LYRICA, talk to your doctor about registering with the North American Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry. You can enroll in this registry by calling 1-888-233-2334. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the safety of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy
- Are breastfeeding
What about side effects?
Like other medicines, LYRICA may cause side effects, especially when you start treatment.
LYRICA may cause serious, even life-threatening, allergic reactions. Stop taking LYRICA and call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs of a serious allergic reaction:
- Swelling of your face, mouth, lips, gums, tongue, or neck
- Trouble breathing
- Rash, hives (raised bumps), or blisters
Like other antiepileptic drugs, LYRICA may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people, about 1 in 500. Call a health care provider right away if you have new or worsening depression, suicidal thoughts or actions, or unusual changes in mood or behavior.
LYRICA may cause swelling of your hands, legs, and feet. This swelling can be serious for people with heart problems.
LYRICA may cause dizziness and sleepiness. Do not drive a car, work with machines, or do other dangerous activities until you know how LYRICA affects you. Ask your health care provider about when it will be okay to do these activities.
LYRICA may cause problems with your eyesight, including blurry vision.
The most common side effects are:
- Dizziness
- Blurry vision
- Weight gain
- Sleepiness
- Trouble concentrating
- Swelling of hands and feet
- Dry mouth
- Feeling "high"
For a complete list of side effects, see the Medication Guide for LYRICA.
