I have had shingles. In my case I caught it just as it was starting and so I avoided much of the excruciating nerve pain that shingles is capable if inflicting on its victims. One friend who had it worse than I said that it felt as though her skin was being stripped off and the raw flesh beneath was being roasted with a blowtorch. The pain can continue after the shingles has been "cured" because the protective insulation over the nerves becomes damaged and takes longer to recover.
Take your anti-viral medication as directed, but also consider supplementing that with Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE). This is a website for one manufacturer:
http://www.nutribiotic.com/
A word about the product - GSE liquid is more bitter than the bitterest Angostura ™ bitters. It is much easier to take the capsules. One bottle of the capsules will be all you need, taking one capsule 1- 3 times daily. If you are taking any other meds that are known to be incompatible with Grapefruit, get your doctor's advice before proceeding.
Many healthfood stores carry the products, or you can order directly on-line.
Shingles can erupt when the immune system is low, which can be either because of stress or because of advancing age-related physical decline.
I wish you well.