Oh Boy. I feel for you. I've never had it but I'm a microbiologist by trade (can I say that when I'm unemployed??) and I can only imagine what it actually feels like.
Acyclovir and the like works best if you take them early. They're significantly less effective when the pox has already taken-hold again. Not that this is useful information to you at this point I suppose. (Eh... wouldn't be the first time I've been called a "barn-door expert".)