Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Shingles bell for xmas and Mil

314 replies

arcticpandas · 19/12/2025 20:27

My 15 y old son has got the shingles. My Mil says he can't come to hers because she's afraid. I have told her it is not contagieus unless she licks his back (only on back) because she has already had chicken pox as has the rest of the family.

She is convinced that it is contagieus even though I have sent her nhs links "oh, I don't care about the net" because she is adamant she got it from someone in her thirties and it was extremely painful. She does anecdotal evidence rather than scientific ex insists on antibiotics for viral infections so you can't reason with her. She's normally a lovely woman and a wonderful grandma but my son is so sad if he has to stay home for christmas (with me ofcourse). Personally I don't care but since christmas is important for him I'm frustrated with her stance on this. So DH and ds2 will go and ds1 will he heartbroken. To add: he's autistic and very immature, I doubt his brother would be as upset as him for ex.

Am I unreasonable to think that Mil should follow scientific guidance rather than her own "experiences"?

(And why didn't she get the vaccine when she went to have her covid and flu jab if she's so worried about it- they do all three and it's on a big sign in our pharmacy we both go to).

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
dementedpixie · 27/12/2025 13:40

Evan456 · 27/12/2025 12:30

So what you’re saying is if you haven’t had chickenpox you can’t catch the virus?

You cant catch shingles from shingles or shingles from contact with chickenpox.

You can catch chickenpox from shingles by contact with fluid from blisters.

You cant develop shingles unless you had chickenpox in the past as shingles is the dormant chickenpox virus reactivating along the line of a nerve in times of stress/low immune system, etc

FastFood · 27/12/2025 13:04

How was your Christmas OP? And how's your son?

Redty10 · 27/12/2025 12:44

Evan456 · 27/12/2025 12:30

So what you’re saying is if you haven’t had chickenpox you can’t catch the virus?

Yes more or less, although you don’t catch shingles, it is reactivation of the chickenpox virus often triggered by illness/ stress etc

Evan456 · 27/12/2025 12:30

Redty10 · 21/12/2025 11:35

That was what I originally said!!

So what you’re saying is if you haven’t had chickenpox you can’t catch the virus?

Ginburee · 23/12/2025 13:29

Zonder · 21/12/2025 23:29

Presumably you had not already had CP though, unlike the lady in question.

I had as a child but must have been mild.

Zonder · 21/12/2025 23:29

Ginburee · 21/12/2025 22:08

I was hospitalised with chicken pox after being in close contact with shingles. I wouldnt mix.

Presumably you had not already had CP though, unlike the lady in question.

saraclara · 21/12/2025 22:17

BunsBoots · 21/12/2025 20:29

Your DH should stay at home. Why do his Mothers feelings trump his own sons? That’s absolutely appalling!

OP has posted many times to explain that her son prefers to spend the day with just her. He doesn't want his dad and brother to stay behind. His autism is a factor in this.

Ginburee · 21/12/2025 22:08

I was hospitalised with chicken pox after being in close contact with shingles. I wouldnt mix.

TheAutumnCrow · 21/12/2025 21:06

endofthelinefinally · 20/12/2025 03:17

It always is on shingles threads. MN should be required to edit the titles of any threads about shingles to include a link to the nhs website page.

I started a thread a couple of years ago about the Shingrix vaccine and how immunocompromised adults aged 50+ could access it via their GP, and a poster came on purporting to be a nurse at a GP surgery spouting unnecessarily ill-tempered crap.

Bizarre.

BunsBoots · 21/12/2025 20:29

Your DH should stay at home. Why do his Mothers feelings trump his own sons? That’s absolutely appalling!

Acommonreader · 21/12/2025 20:10

Christmaseree · 19/12/2025 21:24

I thought you could only get shingles if you have had chickenpox.

Correct. A lot of misinformation on here!

Ireallycantthinkofagoodone · 21/12/2025 20:07

Evan456 · 21/12/2025 07:47

That’s not true! You are more likely to get it if you had chicken pox because the virus is in your body

You are wrong - you cannot develop shingles if you haven’t had chickenpox. However, some people may have had chickenpox as a child so mildly that they (or their caregivers) were unaware. Shingles is a re-emergence of the same virus, but it has to be present already in your body in order to reactivate, obviously.

Acommonreader · 21/12/2025 20:07

Alpinette · 19/12/2025 20:35

The only time I had shingles was after the only prolonged contact I’ve had with someone with it. If it’s not contagious that’s a one in a million coincidence! Shingles isn’t fun for any age but if you’re older it can be extremely hard to get rid of and last for ages. I really don’t believe the ‘not contagious’ view at all. I don’t blame her.

I took my brother to the doctor as he had shingles. We actually saw a consultant due to complications. He assured us that shingles is not contagious. But I’m sure your personal situation proves all medical advice wrong!

Acommonreader · 21/12/2025 20:03

shiningstar2 · 19/12/2025 20:37

You can get shingles even if you've had chicken pox. I have had the shingles jab to protect me, even though I had chicken pox as a child. I know olde people who have had shingles even though they have had chicken pox and it is extremely painful.

You can only get shingles if you have already had chickenpox.

Mcoco · 21/12/2025 19:38

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 21/12/2025 14:50

you can't get shingles if you have had chickenpox

That‘s (unfortunately) wrong.
anyone who's had chickenpox can get shingles because the same virus (varicella-zoster virus) causes both and stays dormant in your nerves. So it potentially reactivates later in life…

I‘m not trying to call you out specifically, just trying to point out a really common piece of misinformation…

. I actually meant that if OPS mother in law visited her son she wouldn't contract shingles from him if she has had chickenpox. But you are right if you have had chickenpox the virus lies dormant and you can contract shingles. Ooh hope that makes sense.

Pithypal · 21/12/2025 15:40

arcticpandas · 19/12/2025 21:25

No, her brother and her Sil. But she would be devastated.

Why is her devastation more important than your son's hurt at being excluded at Christmas?? 🤷🏼‍♀️

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 21/12/2025 14:50

Mcoco · 21/12/2025 14:43

My mum had shingles recently and I kept my daughter away as she had not had chickenpox. My daughter has since had the chickenpox vaccine. You can't get shingles if you have had chickenpox but I really understand your mother in laws concerns as its pretty nasty.. personally I would keep away from your mother in law but you should all have Christmas as a family.

you can't get shingles if you have had chickenpox

That‘s (unfortunately) wrong.
anyone who's had chickenpox can get shingles because the same virus (varicella-zoster virus) causes both and stays dormant in your nerves. So it potentially reactivates later in life…

I‘m not trying to call you out specifically, just trying to point out a really common piece of misinformation…

Mcoco · 21/12/2025 14:43

My mum had shingles recently and I kept my daughter away as she had not had chickenpox. My daughter has since had the chickenpox vaccine. You can't get shingles if you have had chickenpox but I really understand your mother in laws concerns as its pretty nasty.. personally I would keep away from your mother in law but you should all have Christmas as a family.

dementedpixie · 21/12/2025 11:56

Redty10 · 21/12/2025 11:35

That was what I originally said!!

Sorry, message was likely directed at Evan456 who was arguing with you

Redty10 · 21/12/2025 11:35

dementedpixie · 21/12/2025 11:24

You do need to have had chickenpox (even if very mildly) because shingles is the virus reactivating after infection. The virus can't reactivate if you've never had it

That was what I originally said!!

dementedpixie · 21/12/2025 11:32

@Evan456 you and whatever doctor you spoke to are wrong. You only develop shingles if the chickenpox virus reactivates due to stress or other reasons. You can only have a reactivation if you had chickenpox in the first place. You cant have shingles without a chickenpox infection in the first place.

dementedpixie · 21/12/2025 11:24

Redty10 · 21/12/2025 11:09

Of course I have seen that happen! You stated that it wasn’t true that you had to have had chickenpox to get shingles though!!

You do need to have had chickenpox (even if very mildly) because shingles is the virus reactivating after infection. The virus can't reactivate if you've never had it

Redty10 · 21/12/2025 11:09

Evan456 · 21/12/2025 08:20

Some of my friends who had chicken pox as a child have had really bad shingles as an adult, I don’t know about your experience but am surprised you have never seen this happen

Of course I have seen that happen! You stated that it wasn’t true that you had to have had chickenpox to get shingles though!!

Laurmolonlabe · 21/12/2025 11:00

No i'm sorry, I'm not comfortable with people deciding on the fly how something is contracted.
This is your MILs choice, but for me I would insist on solidarity from DH and none of you go. have Christmas at home and let your MIL learn the meaning of "you reap what you sow"

Evan456 · 21/12/2025 10:20

dementedpixie · 21/12/2025 09:42

But you can only have shingles if you had chickenpox. If you havent had chickenpox you wont develop shingles. The prerequisite for shingles is having chickenpox in the past

That’s not true either! My doctor told me you can get shingles even if you’ve never had chicken pox, I thought the same thing before I was told that

Swipe left for the next trending thread