I had shingles about 2 yrs ago. Mine was a mild case. It hurt but not horrible. I mainly felt like I had the flu. I did take valtrex. It just takes time, unfortunately. Sometimes after the rash clears, you can still have pain. If this happens, make sure you talk to your doctor about this because there is pain releif methods they can use.
I hope you get feeling better soon! Shingles are no fun!
Linda