Come talk to me about shingles please, reassurance needed!

[Todayisnottheday]

Hi, I'm hoping people who've had shingles will give me a bit of straight talking - I'd like to be reassured but realism is most important and where better than mumsnet

So, I've been off work long term due to an ongoing condition that suddenly appeared 6 months into my new job - timing couldn't have been worse. However work have been great and made changes to the whole work environment to enable me to return. The condition is controlled by medication and I'm on my last week of phased return which is going great.

Yesterday I was diagnosed with shingles. I'm in pain. Work have checked and I can continue working with certain safeguards so that's fine but is it realistic? I can't take a single moment off or I won't be paid for the month I've already worked and am at risk of losing my job all together.

Has anyone managed to continue working through shingles? Do I have any chance or am I going to have to figure out something else? Perhaps I can use holiday or something? I just want to have some idea what to expect!

[yongnian]

Sorry to hear you're having a tough time .
Whereabouts is your shingles? Have you been prescribed anti-virals? And are you otherwise fit and in good health apart from your other medical condition?

[Todayisnottheday]

It's on my head, the pain is across my scalp, in my ear and down my cheekbone. I'm generally in good health but currently have a nasty cough/cold.

Thank you for the

[tobysmum77]

You know what to expect because you have it. I had it on my head too, not pleasant but tbf I worked for a day with it before I knew what it was.

[threenotfour]

Yes you will be fine but don't scratch it and then touch shared things like door handles, phones, etc. My dad, mum, daughter have all had it reasonable lay recently. It isn't massively contagious.
The main thing I would say it dob't take the anti-viral medication is it is offered to you. My daughter was fine with a small amount of mild pain and a rash ... until she started the medication. Then she felt awful, got a bad tummy and vomiting. My dad felt much worse after the medication whereas my mum was fine and didn't take any.
Hope it passes quickly for you.

[LIZS]

They can't withhold pay for hours already worked if you are signed off. Can you work from home?

[Everythinghaschanged]

Are the spots/scabs visible?

I had shingles spots on my stomach and spots under my eye.

I had the pain a week or so before the spots and didn't know what it was so went to work as normal.

It's contagious for anyone who hasn't had chickenpox.

If your spots are open, don't touch them. Can you sit in a corner or a room away from everybody?

[Todayisnottheday]

Tobysmum, I have it but it's only just started and I understand it can last 4 weeks. I don't know if it will continue like this, get worse, get much worse, so no I don't know what to expect. Also I'm not talking about one day at work I'm talking working through the whole illness whilst also continuing to run my family as I'm a sp.

I'm keeping the spots covered, at the moment they're in my hair so a head scarf is fine, if any appear elsewhere I will use wound dressing. I'm being scrupulous about not touching, hand washing, cleaning work areas etc as I don't want Co workers affected.

It's more the pain side, I spend all day on the phone and with the pain being across/in my ear I'm worried it's going to be more than I can cope with. I've been told all the doom and gloom stories so far of people who have been off for weeks, my own mother went to a&e the pain was so severe (before diagnosis) and she is definitely not a wimp! I'm scared this is going to cause me to lose the job I love.

[Todayisnottheday]

Sorry lizs I missed your post! No there's no capacity to work from home sadly, we're all special systems and stacks of papers! They would pay me hours worked but if I complete phased return without sick days I'll be paid my full wage, I just can't afford to miss that.

[nmg85]

I had shingles all down my back... I attempted to go back to work after initial diagnosis and pushed though how ever 4 weeks later my body had just had enough and I was constantly exhausted etc and dr signed me off and said it was lasting effects of the virus in my body. I am sure this is very rare but do try and take it easy as much as you can.

[Todayisnottheday]

Thanks nmg I'm pretty exhausted already so I think it's going to be a case of all pull together to keep things going. Urgh, right, time to stop complaining and bash on!

[Todayisnottheday]

I've just read back, tobysmum my response to you was rude, I apologise. Thank you for taking the time to reply.

[tobysmum77]

no need to apologise I'm not that thin skinned .

While I think it is true that some peoples pain it's unmanageable, in my case the stage you are at now was the worst and by 4 weeks it really was the odd twinge.

[Todayisnottheday]

Oh well that gives me some hope, I'm tired but if this is the worst of it I can cope! Fingers crossed then