I have had shingles but not when pregnant. I remember that pain its very hard to describe. I just remember it being sobad that I could not even hold a phone up with my left arm or change gears in my manual car as the nerve pain hurt that bad.

Where abouts on your body is it?

Mine was on my right side and wrapped around the shoulder, towards the neck and down the backof my upper forearm.

I found that I got some relief from putting an icepack on it. It seemed to numb the area by keeping it cold.

The actual welts from the shingles went probably within 2 weeks but the pain although not nearly as bad lasted close to a year. Sorry probably not what you wanted to hear but I think it was mainly because if I had pressure on the area (like wearing a bra with bra straps) or a handbag over the shoulder and it would ache.

With the painkillers, I think that the later you are in pregnancy, pain killers seem to be okay (I am talking panadeine and panadol NOT nurofen) as they often give you these in hossy. I can remember them giving me panadeine forte the day before I had DD. Make sure you check with your carer before taking something if you are concerned