DH Diagnosed with Shingles

[Zandy595]

Has anyone had it or know anything about it? I'm worried that DH will pass the virus to DS11 and he'll get Chicken Pox. DS was given the Chicken Pox vacine when he was a baby but, I know that doesn't mean he can't still get it.

 

[Disneyland1084]

I don't know anything about it, but I'm sorry to hear your DH has it.

 

[AprilShowers]

Hugs to your DH. Not to be a downer here, but my Doc told me that in the old days they used to call it "Hell's Fire" because it was so painful.

Give your DH lots of love and TLC. Hope he gets better soon.

 

[hydster]

Did you get your DH to the doctor? If it's still early enough they can give him meds to help get him over them faster. They are extremely painful and I wouldn't wish them on anyone. Usually the pain lasts for 1-3 weeks depending. It usually affects one part of your body. When I had them the went around my upper chest from the middle to the middle of my back. They were incredibly painful and I still have the scars and the loss of feeling from them in some places.

I would contact your son's doctor as well and find out what they would suggest you do.

I hope your dh feels better soon and that your ds doesn't get them. My 12 yr old had them a few years ago and he was miserable!

 

[candicenicole19]

My DH has a friend who had it. I know it was terrible for him and it lasted a long time. I thought it was contagious and I was told my my dd's dr not to let mhim in our home because I have 3 little ones. He did come in and they never got it but he did not live with us! Poor Kid!

 

[Cool-Beans]

You can't catch shingles, but you could get the chicken pox. But, if he had the vaccine, I don't see how.

Everything you ever wanted to know about shingles. http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/search/show-documents.asp?mediaID=5&topicId=1193&sortId=2

 

[luvwinnie]

You can't catch catch it if you haven't had chicken pox.

Everything you ever wanted to know about shingles. http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/search/show-documents.asp?mediaID=5&topicId=1193&sortId=2

Right, but I believe people who haven't had chicken pox can develop the pox after being in close contact with someone with shingles.

 

[wdw4us2]

DH went through this a year ago. He is the type who will never go to the doctor - but this was so bad he finally went to the ER because the pain was so severe.

While the symptoms usually clear up after a few weeks, the virus is still in your body for months and it takes a long time before you start feeling completely healthy again.

As for your concerns about your children, both of our kids had the Varivax vaccine 10 years ago and neither of them caught Chicken Pox from DH. They have recently had the Varivax booster.

I hope your DH feels better soon - make sure he gets plenty of rest!

 

[Cool-Beans]

Right, but I believe people who haven't had chicken pox can develop the pox after being in close contact with someone with shingles.

yeah, sorry I posted wrong. I already edited that.

 

[luvwinnie]

Found this:

People can also catch chickenpox from direct exposure to a shingles rash if they have not been immunized by vaccination or a previous bout of chicken pox. In such cases, transmission happens during the active phase when blisters have erupted but have not formed dry crusts. Herpes zoster spreads only from the rash. A person with shingles cannot transmit the virus by breathing or coughing.

 

[hydster]

According to this you CAN get chickenpox from someone with shingles.
http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/immunization/ChickenpoxFacts.htm

What is shingles?

Shingles is very contagious. You can catch chickenpox from someone with shingles through contact with their secretions or their skin rash. You cannot get shingles from someone with chickenpox.



Sorry didn't see the edited post!

 

[Zandy595]

He went to urgent care on Saturday and they said it was just a rash and a pulled muscle in his back. This morning he went to his regular doctor and they told him right away that it was shingles. He's been in a lot of pain, on and off. I told him to stay in bed, but he was out doing yard work (he own's a lawn care business) yesterday.

I had chicken pox when I was little so I'm not worried that I'll get it. I called DS's doc but haven't heard back from the nurse yet. Up until luvwinnie's post I hadn't heard anything about not being able to get chicken pox from someone with shingles if you've had the vaccine.

 

[mickeyfan2]

When my DH had shingles we were told to stay away from anybody who has not had the chicken pox or the vaccine. Your son should be fine, but try to keep them away from each other when possible.

 

[KellyLynn]

I am a cronic sufferer of shingles, I have had them 4 times all facial and ocoular. Did his Dr put him on Valtrex? If not ask him about it it cuts the flair up time down. also ask about Neurontin, it is a wonder drug when it come to treating PHN ( Postherpetic Neuralgia). It is very painful and unfortunatly the pain lasts long after the rash is gone. If you have any questions that i could answer feel free to pm me. Also I had 2 small children at the time of my flair ups and they were vaccinated and never got Chicken Pox from My shingles. Have them wash their hands should they come in contact with the rash area.

 

[hydster]

I would imagine your son will be fine with the vaccine BUT it isn't 100 percent so I would be vigilant about keeping you and your son away from dh as much as possible. You can still get it even if you had the chicken pox as a child. The virus lies dormant and can come out at any time or not at all.

With the shingles the blisters will eventually pop, ooze out pus and then scab over. The fluid from the blisters is extremely contagious and if I were you I'd only be around him if you are covered up with gloves and a mask etc. They are SO painful and if you both get them well ugh!

Did the doctor give him anything like Zovirax or Valtrex? Those drugs can help shorten the shingles episode but he would have had to start them about 48 hours or less after the symptoms developed to have an effect.

When I had them I couldn't stand anything near them and the only thing that seemed to help me with relief was a hair dryer on the cool and low setting. They HURT and they hurt badly!

I hope he gets feeling better soon and please take precautions for you and your son! Neither of you want these!

 

[Zandy595]

I am a cronic sufferer of shingles, I have had them 4 times all facial and ocoular. Did his Dr put him on Valtrex? If not ask him about it it cuts the flair up time down. also ask about Neurontin, it is a wonder drug when it come to treating PHN ( Postherpetic Neuralgia). It is very painful and unfortunatly the pain lasts long after the rash is gone. If you have any questions that i could answer feel free to pm me. Also I had 2 small children at the time of my flair ups and they were vaccinated and never got Chicken Pox from My shingles. Have them wash their hands should they come in contact with the rash area.

Four times?! That's terrible, I'm sorry you have to suffer with that. He's still not back from the doctor so I don't know what his meds are yet. If they didn't give him Valtrex I'll have him call about it. I'm glad your kids didn't get chicken pox that's good to hear.

 

[Zandy595]

They gave DH Valtrex but I don't know how much good it will do since it's definitely been longer than 48 hours. He said the meds are making him feel 100% better. Not sure that's a good thing because he wants to go do people's yards now (too bad he never takes care of ours, but that's another story). At least the doctor told him he can't go to his regular job, sheriff's deputy-corrections officer. That means he'll be home for 2 weeks. That'll be fun, NOT.

DS's doc said he could get a chicken pox booster if I wanted him to but since he's already been exposed it may not help. DM works at a hospital and has a friend there who is an infection control specialist so she's going to ask what she thinks about getting DS the booster.

You can still get it even if you had the chicken pox as a child. The virus lies dormant and can come out at any time or not at all.

Are you talking about chicken pox or shingles? I know I can't get shingles from DH. And every medical professional we've talked to has said I'm in no danger of getting chicken pox from him since I've already had it. Or do you just mean that it's possible for anyone to get shingles if they've had chicken pox, not that I can catch it from DH?

 

[SillyMe]

My dd15 had them last year and they put her on Valtrex. Dd7 had the chicken pox vaccine and she didn't get chicken pox from her sister having shingles. Your son should be fine.

 

[KellyLynn]

Everyone that has had chicken pox can get shingles although most do not.

Shingles is caused byt the reactivation of the Varicella Virus
After primary infection, VZV remains dormant in sensory nerve roots for life. Upon reactivation, the virus migrates down the sensory nerve to the skin, causing the characteristic painful dermatomal rash. After resolution, many individuals continue to experience pain in the distribution of the rash (postherpetic neuralgia). In addition, reactivation of VZV infection can cause a spectrum of atypical presentations ranging from self-limited radicular pain without rash to spinal cord disease with weakness.

Pathophysiology: The host immunologic mechanisms suppress replication of the virus. Reactivation can occur if host immune mechanisms are compromised. This can occur from medications, illness, malnutrition, or from the natural decline in immune function with aging. Upon reactivation, the virus migrates along sensory nerves and produces sensory loss, pain, and other neurologic complications. If motor nerve roots also are involved, then weakness can occur in addition to sensory changes. Leptomeningeal involvement can occur rarely when the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve is involved.


Stress can aslo cause a reactivation.

I hope he is feeling better.

You can not catch shingles form someone that has shingles.
If you have had chicken pox already there is no need to fear "catching"shingles. the only thing that can happen is is you have never had chicken pox ther eis a slight chance of "catching"them.

 

[hydster]

Are you talking about chicken pox or shingles? I know I can't get shingles from DH. And every medical professional we've talked to has said I'm in no danger of getting chicken pox from him since I've already had it. Or do you just mean that it's possible for anyone to get shingles if they've had chicken pox, not that I can catch it from DH?

No I was saying that anyone who has had the chickenpox is susceptible to shingles. Technically you can't catch shingles from your dh that is true but you can still at any point get shingles even while he has them you could get them. I've known people who have gotten shingles a week or 2 apart so while you won't "catch" them from your dh you are still at "risk" to get them at anytime or not at all.