I was diagnosed with Shingles yesterday and I just don't know much about it. My biggest concern is my son, who just got his chicken pox vaccine about 10 days ago, so I'm not sure if he is fully vaccinated. I have a call in to the pediatrician, but haven't heard back from them yet. Should I be concerned that he will come down with chicken pox? Do I need to stay away from other people with small children or babies that haven't been vaccinated yet? I am thinking we'll have to stay home from church tomorow to be sure we don't expose anyone. Any experience you can share would be helpful. There is Google, but you get information overload looking up something like this! Thanks!
Thanks, everyone! My case is pretty mild so far, thankfully. I am on some antiviral medication to try to control it. My immune system is compromised because I had surgery last week and I am under a great deal of stress because we are getting ready to move to another state and my husband is already there working, so I'm here by myself 24/7 with the kids trying to sell the house. He is only able to come home every other weekend and he isn't home this weekend. I am also a cancer survivor and had chemo last year, so I don't think my immune system is quite back to normal from all of that. My doctor fully believes this was brought on by stress and a weakened immune system from the surgery, so I'm doing the best I can to relax, but that's hard to do with a 3 and 5 year old to entertain, feed, bathe, etc. Not to mention keeping my house clean for showings. You're all mamas, so you get it! My main concern really was that I don't want my son to end up getting sick too since that just might send me over the edge. It sounds like he will be fine. I never heard back from the pediatrician today, so I didn't get an official answer from them, but the rash is on my belly, so he hasn't come in contact with it.
Thanks again to all of you for your responses. I'm feeling better about my son now!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001861/
This may clear up any confusion for you. Yes it's contagious but only if a person comes in direct contact to the skin rash. It's not airborn. Hope you feel better soon!
My mom just got over shingles. I'm very sorry you are having to deal with it. When it is gone, you might want to ask your doctor about getting vaccinated against future outbreaks. I know my mom's doctor said they were giving her the shot as soon as the rash was gone.
I'm glad you are being mindful of exposing others to chicken pox. It can be passed to others who haven't has exposure or the vaccination, but I don't know all the rules about it being covered or not. I think Mom just tried to stay away from anyone she thought would be at risk.
I hope you are getting good treatment from your doctor, and that you heal very quickly!
Good luck!
I had shingles when I was pregnant with my second. I had a ton of questions for my doctor. As long as the area is covered then you are fine. Yes you can give Chicken Pox to those that have not been exposed of vaccinated for it but your rash has to be in the blister stage and there has to be direct contact with the rash in order for it to occur. If your rash is not covered then yes, stay away from people but otherwise you are fine. Mine was on my side along the bottom part of my ribcage. I was in more danger to myself scratching then giving someone chickenpox from my rash.
The biggest risk (I believe) is to pregnant women, and then children. Your rash covered so your child wont come onto contact with it.
i would google define shingles and only read the defined word. my understanding is that shingles appear from stress. its not something that can be caught but a living virus/or fungi that is found in the system and appears when your body cant handle stress. good luck.
I had shingles when my son was only 9 months old. He did not get ill at all, and I continued to be his primary caretaker. I did work in our church nursery and stayed away from there until my rash cleared. I saw your updated message and you are very fortunate to be on an antiviral- that's what can keep you from being hospitalized, if you receive it early enough. I can tell you that I have had a long-term effect from shingles. I have peripheral neuropathy (basically numbness) in the foot that is on the same side where my rash had been. I had my shingles 8 years ago but will have the peripheral neuropathy for life. I take medication which keeps it bearable.
I got pregnant AFTER having shingles.
USE EXTRA BIRTH CONTROL! The medication is very strong and will make birth control pills inert.
I love my son but HATED having shingles.
I say lay low for a few days. That is some of the worse pain EVER. Now I know what it feels like to be stabbed by and ice pick.
Good luck and hope you feel better soon.
I've had chickenpox (in elementary school) then got shingles a couple of times in high school being under severe stress at home. I didn't know what shingles were at the time so I didn't say anything, just put something on the sores to help. I'm not sure about the vaccines these days as they didn't have that when I was a kid so your best bet is to ask your doctor about how long it takes for the vaccine to work. I don't think shingles are contageous, no one at home got any chickenpox or shingles from me when I had them (I think all but my sister had chickenpox already & my sister never got them...lucky her). I haven't read anything yet that says shingles are contageous (so far anyway). If anyone else knows, they can correct me. I believe you can only get shingles after you've had chickenpox since the two are related & shingles comes from the chickenpox virus but I don't know of anyone who passed shingles onto anyone else.
I've had shingles. Not fun, for sure. I had a very severe case that dang near killed me when I was pregnant with my son.
Anyway, although rare, it is possible for someone who has never had chicken pox or been vaccinated against it to get chicken pox from someone who has shingles.
None of my family members including my infant son ever got chicken pox or shingles from being around me. My doctors and nurses never caught anything from me. Wash your hands frequently, keep your blisters covered.
No one else in the family got chicken pox or shingles.
If I were you, I would stay home from church simply because you probably aren't feeling all that great. There are varying degrees. I had shingles so bad I was in the hospital for months. My case is in a medical journal somewhere. Most people feel better in a week or so.
Take care of yourself. Get plenty of rest.
Have your husband make you breakfast in bed and stay home from church tomorrow so you can just take it easy.
Your son may or may not get chicken pox. Don't worry yourself too much about it. He was vaccinated. Like I said, it's possible, but not common for someone to get chicken pox from a person with shingles.
When I was a kid, if a child had chicken pox, mothers would gather the kids together hoping they would also get it. It wasn't as crazy as it sounds. It's much easier for a child to have it and get it out of the way. And adult with chicken pox faces much more risks. I know grown men who are sterile because they got chicken pox as an adult.
Every kid in my family got chicken pox and I'm the only one who ever got shingles.
Now there's a vaccine for it.
I'll keep you in my thoughts.
Best wishes.
Yes, shingles is essentially adult chicken pox and you most likely got it from your son's vaccine (I am fairly certain chicken pox is a live vaccine). Especially since you are immunocompromised and under stress. Stress has some powerful physiological effects.
Yes, you need to stay home, yes it is highly contagious to other people, especially babies and the elderly.
You are most likely not a danger to your children- that is what the vaccine is for. His body is already producing the antibodies to fight it.
Good Luck! When this is all over (you illness), you need to hire a sitter and go for a girls night out!
My cousin had it on his back so bad that anything touching it at all caused him excruciating pain.
He ended up on his stomach in bed all week - even a sheet covering him was too painful to be tolerated.
If you can cover it, you should be fine and not be able to pass it on.
If you can't cover it then just stay home till you're better.
