DH Diagnosed with Shingles

[asta]

I would like to piggy back a question on to the original poster's. My daughter just found out that she has shingles. She is 18 years old and is a college freshman. She goes to school about six hours away and I don't know what to expect. I guess that I am just looking for practical advice. Will she be able to continue in school? The campus doctors prescribed a drug but she has had the blisters for over a week (she thought that maybe it was poison ivy and delayed going to the doctor). She is complaining of a back ache (the blisters are on her lower back) but she really feels lousy overall. She also has (and has had for a month) a terrible cold. I would like any advice. I am so frustrated with her doctor here at home. We must have contacted him four times over the holidays with her cold and just feeling bad. I know that there is no way that he could have known about the shingles but his only advice was that she had a virus and she would just have to give it time. So now she goes back to school, is living in a tiny, crowded dorm room and finds out that she now has shingles. I have thought about driving over to her school, getting a hotel room and have her stay there with me to see if this might help her be able to stay with her classes. Does this sound to over-protective?

 

[KristiKelly]

I haven't read all the posts yet but I had Shingles in 2005. From beginning to end was 5 weeks to run course. I was breastfeeding at the time and refused to quit doing that to take the anti-viral meds for it to run it's course faster. I did take the pain meds though.

My DD, 5 mo at the time, did end up with a mild case of chicken pox.

They are very painful. Mine were around my waist where my pants came to, I had to start wearing my maternity clothes again for comfort and looseness. I also had to keep banages over it to keep clothes from rubbing.

It is very painful, similar to being touched with a lit cigarette and the pain goes down deep. It feels as though it's going into the bone. I guess these are the nerves where it originated. I still have occassional pain in that area even though it was over a year ago.

If he can take the meds, make him and encourage him to take the pain meds even though they made me sleepy.

As far as your son goes, in our elementary school, we had Chicken Pox go around 1st grade about 2 months ago and all the kids that caught it HAD been vaccinated against it as babies. Keep an eye on your son. It seems like my Ped. said that kids need a C. Pox Booster around 11 or 12 y/o, you may want to call and find out.

I hope your Dh is feeling better soon.

 

[Va-bear]

My husaband is just getting over shingles - it's not a fun thing. Our doc told him that as soon as the initial rash is "scabbed" over - which should happen pretty fast (though the other symptoms and PAIN can last much, much lionger...) he's not contagious. He also said that as long as he wore a shirt (his rash was on his trunk...) that was all the safeguards needed (my sons have the vaccine too.) He wore a long sleeved shirt and that was it - even hugged the boys goodnight and all was fine.

The pain from the nerves is the worst part, appearantly, amke sure he gets good meds for that. My Dh's was in his head and face and the doc said the closer to the eyes the more dangerous - so make sure he gets seen again of the pain gets near his face/eyes. (This nerve pain will linger MUCH longer than the rash...months for my DH.)

Good luck and best wishes to DH.

 

[Zandy595]

DH actually went out to mow a lawn this morning. I told him it wasn't a very good idea but he never listens to me. He's on this medication that is a controlled substance and probably shouldn't be driving.

asta ~ Sorry to hear your daughter has it too. Is she going to classes now? I'm surprised the campus doctor didn't want to keep her somewhat quarantined.

 

[asta]

Thanks for the reply. I am really clueless here but the doctor told her that as long as she keeps the rash/blisters covered, she is not in danger or infecting others. But the doctor also told her to avoid elderly people. I feel so sorry for my daughter's roommate. First waking her up at night with her cough and now shingles.

 

[Va-bear]

Thanks for the reply. I am really clueless here but the doctor told her that as long as she keeps the rash/blisters covered, she is not in danger or infecting others. But the doctor also told her to avoid elderly people. I feel so sorry for my daughter's roommate. First waking her up at night with her cough and now shingles.

Thats exactly what they told DH - keep the rash covered, take a day or two to rest and then go back to normal life. I hope shes well soon.

 

[suzannen]

Thats exactly what they told DH - keep the rash covered, take a day or two to rest and then go back to normal life. I hope shes well soon.

This is exactly what I was told as well when I got it 2 years ago and my DD who had had the chicken pox vaccine was fine.

Everyone should go on-line to see a photo of what shingles look like and learn the symptoms (burning sensation). Seeing your doctor early and getting on the Valtrex or other anti-viral within 72 hours of the first sign of rash is the key to treatment. The medication reduces the duration, severity and duration of the outbreak and can be key in preventing the long-term nerve damage. I was lucky in that a co-worker had gotten it the year before so I recognized it very early and got to a doctor pronto.

According to the CDC, 25-30% of people will get shingles at some point in their life. There are 1 million cases in the US every year. The majority of these only have one outbreak, but an unlucky 4% will get reoccurences. Meanwhile, quick healing to all of those affected!

 

[KellyLynn]

Whoo Hoooo I am one of those unlucky 4%!

Sorry i have to find humor in my reoccrences or go crazy.

I had shingles in the face and the eye, my vision in my left eye has been affected from the scars. I was told I had an eye infection in the ER while i was on Vacation.

I see a pain specialist for the PHN and my last out was about a year ago.

 

[suzannen]

Whoo Hoooo I am one of those unlucky 4%!

Sorry i have to find humor in my reoccrences or go crazy.

Don't blame you one bit. Just tell yourself, "gee, I must be really special to be amidst such small, selective ranks!" Here's hoping you won't get anymore outbreaks.

 

[CEDmom]

I don't think you can get chicken pox from shingles. I'd be more worried about your DH because shingles can be very painful. There is medication though that can help.

 

[Zandy595]

I don't think you can get chicken pox from shingles. I'd be more worried about your DH because shingles can be very painful. There is medication though that can help.

Yes, you can definitely get chicken pox from someone who has shingles if you have not had chicken pox or been vaccinated.

I'm not going to worry about him if he's out running around town and mowing lawns. LOL He's on plenty of medication, the bottles are littering my kitchen counter. Until he starts following the doctors orders and/or acting like he's in pain he gets no sympathy from me. And believe me, if he's in pain he will milk it for all it's worth.

 

[KristiKelly]

I don't think you can get chicken pox from shingles. I'd be more worried about your DH because shingles can be very painful. There is medication though that can help.

Last year when I had Shingles, my GP was not available so I had to go to a walk-in. The Walk-In Dr. told me that my #3 DD 5 months & unvaccinated from C. Pox was fine and would not get them. Also, my #2 DD had a friend with leukemia and we had a playdate planned, the Walk-In Dr. also told me that she was not at risk (I cancelled playdate regardless).

Well, 2 weeks later DD 5 mo. had small bumps on her, Pediatrician comfirmed that it was C.Pox and that she had contracted it from me. Fortunately it was a fairly mild case.

I also asked the Pediatrician about middle DDs friend with Leukemia. He told me under NO circumstances should anyone with Shingles get around someone with a weakened immune system, such as a cancer patient. He asked for the Dr.'s name since apparently he had told me 2 false things.

You can't catch Shingles from someone but you can catch C. Pox from someone with Shingles.