Here are some tips on how you can help a loved one who has shingles:

• Have the person with shingles see the doctor as soon as the shingles rash appears. Treatment within 2 or 3 days of the shingles outbreak may shorten the duration of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).



• Talk to the doctor about treatments for the pain. Ask your doctor to refer you to a pain specialist if he/she is unsure of the best treatment.



• If clothing is uncomfortable, encourage the person with shingles to wear as little clothing as necessary.



• Cool compresses may relieve some of the discomfort, but if they make the pain worse, do not use them.



• Encourage the person with shingles to eat well—pain dulls the appetite, and the idea of eating may not be appealing.



• If insomnia is a problem, talk to the doctor about whether medication to help sleep is appropriate.

Pain can cause someone to be irritable, sad, or depressed. It's important to remember that their moodiness is not directed toward you, it is caused by the pain. You may be wondering when life is going to get back to normal. Having patience is important. Most cases of shingles last for about a month, and within a year of the rash, most people have little or no pain.

Many patients who develop shingles find that pain is the most difficult aspect of this condition to deal with. Antiviral prescription medications such as FAMVIR^® (famciclovir) can help shingles blisters heal faster. However, the medication should be started within 72 hours (3 days) after the rash of shingles appears, so it is important to see your doctor right away.

Prescription oral FAMVIR may help shingles lesions heal faster for many people. In one clinical study, patients taking FAMVIR saw their shingles lesions heal almost 30% faster than people taking a sugar pill.

Important Information

Prescription oral FAMVIR^® (famciclovir) is not for everyone. In clinical studies with FAMVIR, the most common reported side effects included headache, nausea, and diarrhea. Ask your doctor if FAMVIR is right for you. If you have kidney problems, your doctor will determine if FAMVIR is appropriate and if so, what the right dose is for you. See the full Prescribing Information for more information about FAMVIR.

FAMVIR should be started within 72 hours (3 days) of the first sign of the shingles rash. Treatment started more than 72 hours (3 days) after the rash has appeared has not been studied.

The efficacy of FAMVIR has not been established for the treatment of ophthalmic shingles or disseminated shingles, or in shingles patients with a compromised immune system.