hey, i have shingles so how long will i have them? any answers for me & i did see a doctor & took antibiotics

There is a heap of information here.

I hope it helps you in some way

1

When I had shingles in May, I was put on famcyclovir to avoid having the lesions popping up. The shingles pain, if properly treated lasts about three weeks. You may also have some brief flashes of the neuropathic pain(that's the proper name for it).

Antibiotics don't do anything against this- they treat bacterial infections, not viruses.

I understand not liking pills, but if what the person who answered first doesn't help, please keep your pain under control with meds. Keeping the pain under control round the clock makes it easier for you to rest and get better. Holding out, trying to be stoic allows the pain to get out of control, and then you need more meds to get it down. Just a cautionary note for you, not an insistence that you take pills.

Shingles is a viral disease so anti-biotics are cpmpletely useless. You need an anti-viral drug like aciclovir. Tell your doctor this.

For the pain there are some topical lotions that contain calamine which when applied on the rash or blisters can be soothing. If the lesions have crusted over you should use capsaicin cream (Zostrix).

Topical lidocaine and nerve blocks also reduce pain.