Shingles???

mally · Senior Member

Shingles???

supergrover · Guru

I feel you... I had it in the 5th grade, then again about two years ago. 5th grade not so bad, a couple years ago it knocked me out for about a week from work. There wasn't much the doctors did for me other than wait it out. I'm so sorry you are dealing with them, they suck :(

CoffeeQueen · Guru

ouch, I hear that is painful.

I hope you heal quickly and get some rest.

Tiffany · Senior Member

Ouch! I had shingles when I was in the early weeks of being pregnant with Ava (didn't know I was preg...I was prob 3 weeks at the time) and I feel you, its so painful! I hope you can get some relief soon and all gets well fast :(

CoffeeQueen · Guru

Is shingles contagious to children?

Tiffany · Senior Member

I believe it's ONLY contagious when you have the fever w/ shingles. But other than that, nope. I remember I was worried about the same thing in general if it was like the chicken pox if I had to stay in. The doctor told me as long as I didnt have a fever and I think after a certain amount of time after I take the medicines it was okay. Just use common sense. Clean hygiene, etc. But its been a while since I had it... say 5 years ago. So yeah, I may have forgotten bits and pieces but I will never forget the shooting pains! Yeow!

CoffeeQueen · Guru

Tiffany wrote:

Ouch! I had shingles when I was in the early weeks of being pregnant with Ava (didn't know I was preg...I was prob 3 weeks at the time) and I feel you, its so painful! I hope you can get some relief soon and all gets well fast :(

Ahh - what would we do without google.

It guess it is until the blisters scab over

s shingles contagious?

Yes, shingles is contagious. Shingles can be spread from an affected person to children or adults who have not had chickenpox. But instead of developing shingles, these people develop chickenpox. Once they have had chickenpox, people cannot catch shingles (or contract the virus) from someone else. Once infected, however, people have the potential to develop shingles later in life.

Shingles is contagious to people that have not previously had chickenpox, as long as there are new blisters forming and old blisters healing. Similar to chickenpox, the time prior to healing or crusting of the blisters is the contagious stage of shingles. Once all of the blisters are crusted over, the virus can no longer be spread.

sbucking · Guru

What a drag! My in-laws both just had it. Their doc said they most likely caught it from their hotel room when we were in Hawaii. Yuck!

Tiffany · Senior Member

That makes more sense!

I remember the reason why I asked is because James never had the chicken pox so I was worried I would pass it onto him but now that you mentioned that its contagious until it scabs over. I remember I was careful until it became scabs but he never caught it or he's just has a super great immune system :)

mally · Senior Member

CoffeeQueen wrote:

Is shingles contagious to children?

It's only contagious if you haven't had chicken pox. And, you wouldn't get shingles, you'd get chicken pox. So no, you cannot get shingles from someone, but you can get chicken pox from someone with shingles. And, it's the fluid from the rash that can spread it. I only have a small patch on my side, under the bra strap, and they aren't draining...are pretty dry, actually.

mally · Senior Member

sbucking wrote:

What a drag! My in-laws both just had it. Their doc said they most likely caught it from their hotel room when we were in Hawaii. Yuck!

Shingles? That's odd...it's a virus that lays dormant in your own body. It can be brought out when your resistance is low...it's the chicken pox virus. You can't actually "catch" shingles.

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/infections/common/viral/574.html

My kids have had the varicella vaccination, so I'm not worried about them...

mally · Senior Member

Thanks everyone. It really sucks. The pain is better, but I have a pretty high pain tolerance, and was very very uncomfortable. No matter what I did, it wouldn't go away. Only thing that gave me any relief was tylenol or motrin.

Good to know there are other people my age who had it, though...I honestly. thought it was mostly elderly that got it.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

I use to think it was the elderly too.

Stupid question then. So if you never had chicken pox as a child is that the only way you get shingles when older?

Tiffany · Senior Member

Nope not in my case cause I had the chicken pox when I was younger and then 5 yrs ago I get the shingles. I thought only elders got it too so I was thrown back when the dr told me I had shingles. We all learn something everyday eh?

mally · Senior Member

CoffeeQueen wrote:

I use to think it was the elderly too.

Stupid question then. So if you never had chicken pox as a child is that the only way you get shingles when older?

Shingles is caused by the chicken pox virus. If you did not get the chicken pox as a child, if you are exposed to shingles, you will get the chicken pox. If you are exposed to shingles and have had chicken pox, you won't get anything. You've already had it. It's just the virus rearing itself again when you get shingles.

kdrew · Guru

Ugh, I'm so sorry that you have them and are in pain.

I saw a pamphlet for the shingles vaccine at my derm's the other day and was thinking about it.

I think you've just pushed toward it.

I'll talk to her when I go next month.

muffy · Guru

Hope this is a real mild case for you - sucks to hear that.

My brother got shingles when he was in college - stressed, too much partying, low immune system...

but he also had chicken pox when he was a kid, so i am pretty sure it is still possible to get shingles too.

dorian · Senior Member

when my life is in a total tail spin, i get shingles

it's happened a couple of times and is AWFUL

i'm really sorry you're dealing with this, i wouldn't wish those bad boys on my worst enemy

:glum:

Juanita · Guru

Ouch! My mom had shingles a few years ago and the doctor put her on Lyrica. It helped her a ton!!

Hope you get over it quickly

mally · Senior Member

Juanita wrote:

Ouch! My mom had shingles a few years ago and the doctor put her on Lyrica. It helped her a ton!!

Hope you get over it quickly

My doc did give me valtrex...it has definitely helped some, though he wasn't sure it would since it had been more than 72 hours. I was laughing as I left the pharm, though, because I bet she figured I have genital warts.
Megan, you can get shingles if you have had chicken pox. It's the other way around. You can't catch shingles from shingles, only chicken pox from shingles. You have to have the chicken pox virus in your body to get them.