Shingles - he hasn't left the house!!!!

[Lou0808]

At the start of the week, DH developed what we thought were bites on his back.
As the week has progressed he's been complaining of stabbing pains and burning, his nipple has become painful and the blisters/bites have started spreading around his front.

He's called the Dr and had a video consultant and they've told him it's shingles.


This is what's confusing.

Neither of us have been in contact with anyone since March.

We have all of our shopping delivered, we've seen family through the car and we saw DH's parents last week but we're way over 2M apart on their drive.

He's been to the Dr's with DD for her vaccinations but there was no one in the surgery at the same time!

We are baffled.


DD is only 4 months and I'm concerned now about her risk of chicken pox.

How on earth does he have this??

[RoseDog]

You can't catch shingles or pass it on, you can pass it on as chicken pox if someone hasn't had chickenpox touches the weeping shingles!

[eurochick]

You don't get shingles. You develop it from the chicken pox virus that has been laying dormant being reactivated, often by stress or low immunity. He presumably had chicken pox at some point so the virus was in him.

Your baby could only catch chicken pox from your husband if she comes in direct contact with the blisters so he should keep them covered.

[GreyishDays]

As above, it pops up after previous chickenpox.

Have a quick google and you’ll see that only the spots are contagious, so just make your your baby doesn’t touch them.

[Justgivemesomepeace]

You dont catch shingles. Once you have had chicken pox the virus lies dormant in your system. It can be reacctivated and appears as shingles.

[dementedpixie]

you don't 'catch' shingles. Shingles reactivates from chicken pox that you have had in the past. Its not always clear why it reactivates - could be stress for e.g.

[Lou0808]

Ah okay. I did not know this!!!

The Dr asked DH if he'd been in contact with anyone so we assumed he must've caught it.

The worst of the blisters are on his back, but he had a couple on his front and he has been holding DD.

We thought they were bites. ☹️

[Destroyedpeople]

Yes as others have said the chicken pox stays in your spinal fluid and pops out again as shingles when you are stressed.

[Quartz2208]

As others have said you dont catch shingles. At some point he caught chicken pox and the virus has remained dormant and has now reactivated

He is however contagious at the moment and he can give your 4 month old chicken pox so he does need to be aware and act accordingly

[dementedpixie]

maybe he asked if your dh had had contact with anyone as shingles can pass on chicken pox if there is contact with fluid from the blisters

[Mojitomogul]

My mums got it and also has not been in contact with anyone!! The doc said it will be stress driven. Shes on antivirals now but the pain round the area did get worse before better!

[dementedpixie]

If the blisters can be covered by clothing and your dd hasnt been in direct contact with the blisters then she shouldn't get chickenpox from them. There is 10-21 incubation period though so you won't know if she has caught it for a wee while

[user1471530109]

The pp have said it now. But just to add that both times I've had shingles, my body was really really run down. First time I was developing type 1 diabetes. Second time, my control (of diabetes) was not stable (understament) and I was under huge stress. I'd be a little concerned as to why he has shingles.

And you need to look out for chicken pox on your DC.

[frippit]

I got shingles on my shoulder, and carried my one year old granddaughter for a day or so in just a vest top. She must have touched the blisters which I thought were just an allergic reaction or something.
Anyway she didn't get chicken pox, so hopefully your baby won't either. Think the blisters have to be weeping to pass on the virus.

[PAND0RA]

The Dr asked DH if he'd been in contact with anyone so we assumed he must've caught it

The doctor is asking this in case he has infected someone else.

[Newjez]

I was very ill when I had shingles. Off work for a month, and I was self employed.

Stress will do it.

I had residual pain for over a year afterwards.

Hope it's a mild case.

[chasingmytail4]

I had shingles when I was still breastfeeding and co-sleeping with my baby, luckily he didn’t catch chicken pox from me. I was four months pregnant at the time and that was when I discovered that shingles/chicken pox can have serious implications for pregnant women. That’s probably one of the reasons why your doctor asked who your DH had been in contact with.

[StarJumpAlertTakeCover]

I’ve got shingles at the moment! Never had anything so painful apart from labour obviously...
I imagine it’s because of the stress around Covid. DH is being shielded, is immunocompromised because of his medical history. He’s extremely vulnerable.
So we are giving each other a wide berth in the house as well! Plus three adult children have come back WFH during lockdown.... so it’s been busy and I guess stressful!
We were told by DH’s consultant nothing will change for us until there is an effective vaccine at the earliest some time next year.
After 16 weeks of not leaving the house that was tough to hear.
Hence the shingles!
Apparently there’s a lot about at the moment, lots of us dealing with the worry of that scary virus out there.

[AriettyHomily]

I had shingles in March. Dr said probably triggered by being run down after a viral infection. An infection I am now convinced was CV.

[AriettyHomily]

It was horrible, I was off work for three weeks.

[Lou0808]

Thanks everyone.

I do feel concerned as to why he's now got this.😞

Do you think the lack of contact with other people could maybe be impacting on his immune system?

[Doveyouknow]

Very unlikely. I had it when my first was about 6 months. I think it was just being a bit run down due to tiredness. It wasn't too bad (though I know it can be really painful) and I recovered quickly. So it's not always an indication of something bad. I also didn't pass it on.

[Quartz2208]

Its just one of those things. When I got shingles there was nothing of any note happening before or after it

You do sound quite anxious though OP

[Lou0808]

@Quartz2208

Its just one of those things. When I got shingles there was nothing of any note happening before or after it

You do sound quite anxious though OP

Anxiety & OCD sufferer! ☹️

I tend to just over think / assume the worst!!

[dementedpixie]

My ds had shingles age 3 after chickenpox at around 6 months. Was just one of those things and nothing noticeable had triggered it

[ItsSpittingEverybodyIn]

My dh started with shingles when our daughter was born, the gp gave him antiviral medicine and it stopped it in its tracks.