Anyone had shingles?

[Haroted]

Posting here for traffic......

I think I have shingles, started with a sore neck, followed by red itchy rash that has spread across my neck. The blisters have started today and now is weepy and yucky. I am going to the doctors tomorrow. Does this sound like shingles?

My worry is, I have a 3 year old who hasn’t had chicken pox - does this mean he’s going to get chicken pox now? If so, how long will it be before we know if he will develop the virus?

It’s really bad timing (is there ever a good time?). Will I be able to carry on going to work - I feel well enough in myself but a bit grotty with an annoying ugly rash on my neck. I work in a school office and have lots of direct contact with the kids every day - there is also a child at school undergoing treatment for leukaemia but it’s rare that I will be in contact with her.

I realise it may all be academic, I’m not medically qualified to self diagnose but it’s all pointing in that direction.

Thanks in advance.

It can pass on chicken pox but would need contact with the fluid inside the blisters as it's not airborne. Strict handwashing and no touching of the area will minimise the risk. Can you cover it with a dressing or clothing?

Shingles only sits on one side of the body as it follows a nerve path, so it depends what your rash is like. As far as I’m aware you actually have to be in contact with the blisters to get chicken pox.

Shingles can be quite painful though. Nerve pain.

I was signed off for two weeks as I was in contact at work with high risk people (pregnant and sick) I had a rash that went right round my body (a ring) but felt fine. Was the best full paid two weeks off I've ever had. Spent the whole two weeks replanting my garden.

I felt a bit fluey had a sever sore throat and aches and thought I was coming down with something, then got a black rash on my tummy and back on one side. It left a mark for ages. Don’t share towels or bedding with people who haven’t had it.

Hey 👋🏻
My husband had shingles just before Christmas and I sent my GP friend lots of questions because there are so many conflicting stories around this virus.

She said;

You can only get shingles if you have had chicken pox before, it’s same virus, just reactivated.

It’s unlikely that children will get chicken pox from you, you need to have skin to skin contact for that to happen. If rash is covered up the risk of children getting chicken pox is very low.

The rash is the least of your worries with shingles. It can really knock you about, my husband was in bed for a good three days.

You can take medication for shingles, but a common side affect is diahorrea, again only going on what my husband experienced, but he preferred to not take anything, he felt weak and tired enough as it was.

dementedpixie it’s quite a large rash but I could cover with a dressing - it’s a shame it’s a bit warm for polo neck jumpers!! I don’t know whether my DS will have touched the fluid as it’s only really started this evening but I’ll keep my distance until I know for certain!

sometimesigetnervous the rash is just on one side of my neck - about 10cm across. It’s very sore and painful to touch, has got worse as today has progressed.

You may be offered anti virals. Take pain killers too

Unfortunately you can catch chicken pox from shingles. I had it last year, and my 1 year old caught it. I had it covered most of the time, but I think it was inevitable from all the cuddles she was going to get it. If I remember right she started getting spots exactly 2 weeks after my blisters appeared. I was signed off for 10 days, and took anti viral medication for 5 days.

My rash was on my neck, just one side. It started with a really sore neck, I thought I had pulled a muscle. Then came the rash. I felt truly dreadful on the anti virals, I think they were worse than the shingles!

Take care xx

I had shingles once a cross my stomach and another time, years later on half my face. With my stomach one l also had lumps under my arms which were swollen glands. The most important thing is early intervention as otherwise the pain can take hold and be more difficult to shift.
Both times for me it was at a time of severe stress

My ds2 had this as a late teen and was off college for 6 weeks and very poorly.
june my ds was under stress with exams.

Not to worry you, but a few years ago I had a rash that I think was mild shingles (never got it diagnosed) and DD did get chicken pox a couple of weeks later. I'm almost certain she caught it from me.

I had shingles on my neck and shoulder. Had the rash for a few days thinking it was an allergy or something. Felt quite fluey, achey and tired. Then noticed a lump on my neck that felt quite big so went to the Dr's.
They diagnosed shingles and the lump was swollen glands on my neck. They gave me antivirals the rash seemed to be irritated by clothing and was sore. The rash was hard white lumps more than blisters it lasted for ages. You can catch chicken pox if you come in contact with the fluid in the blisters.

some years ago I had shingles on my face and my 2 kids came down with chicken pox 2 weeks later. As far as I know as you work in a school you will not be able to go in until rash is healed.

I had it spots on my hip/around one side of my back. I was lucky to get the Anti virals in time (and has no side effects with them). My spots were always covered and never noticeably wept at all. Even so my baby caught chicken pox. It seems like he shouldn’t have - no direct contact with spots, good hand hygiene, no shared towels or anything like that but yet he did so it certainly can happen. Luckily the CP was mild for him and didn’t cause any issues.

I felt proper poorly in myself the day before the spots appeared and then the spots were painful and I felt a little under the weather but not awful. I really feel for anyone with a severe case.

It is important to get the anti virals as quickly as possible, they sooner you can take them the more effective they are & the better chance you have of recovering quickly & it not getting too painful. I think it is recommended to start taking them within the first 48hrs if possible.

You can pass on chicken pox if you have shingles. I think the incubation period is 2-3 weeks? I had it round one side of my torso. Felt fine though, and wasn’t prescribed any medication either.

Romany it was exam stress for me first time round too. I actually went to doctor with the lumps. Was ignoring the rash.

Pls see the GP asap - there is medication that can make it less severe.

I had it a couple of years ago, thankfully not too badly, though I was on fairly strong painkillers for a while. It started on a Good Friday, so I couldn't see the GP until the Tuesday.
It started with a deep throbbing ache in the kidney area - TBH I thought I had serious kidney trouble. Rash came later - in fact I wasn't even aware of it until GP asked if there was anything to see. Sore and itchy in waist area.
Spent a good 2 weeks largely lying on the sofa with a good book or telly - thank God I was retired by then and no children to run around after.

I'm convinced I got it because I was thoroughly tired and run down, after nearly a week of emergency toddler-care, with a stinking cold on top.

You'll need to take your GP's advice on work. We were advised DD was ok to go to school with the rash covered, but with your role I would be very cautious to be honest. Our school office staff are often the ones who stick on plasters after scrapes, deal with teeth falling out, administer medicines, etc. That sort of thing seems higher risk to me than 2 adults interacting in the office or 2 children interacting in the playground.

I had shingles last year and my daughter didn't get CP. She has been vaccinated but I know it isn't 100% successful. I kept the rash covered with two layers of clothing.

It was bloody painful and I felt like crap. I did get anti virals but a bit late as I didn't realise what it was at first.

I’ve seen the GP this morning - The good news is that it’s not shingles!!

The not so good news is that I have a severe skin infection that is contagious. I’m on two lots of strong antibiotics and the doctor has said that I have to go back on Monday to have it checked and if it gets any worse before Monday or I start to feel ill then I have to be checked much sooner. His words were “it’s a good job you’ve been in to get it checked”.

Thanks for your comments, I can relax about the pox for a bit longer!

That sounds nasty OP. Hope the ABs work their magic.

Go to the GP, I've had shingles several times. The first time I was four and had chickenpox at the same time and they hurt like nothing else. The GP usually gives me medication to take down the swelling and speed the infection up (can't remember what they're called but it's the same medication you get for cold sores), you don't want to wait for it to get infected =.

She's been to the gp already

@dementedpixie, didn't realise. Must of posted before refreshing the page for updates.

@Haroted, glad you've seen your GP and on the way to getting it sorted. Fingers crossed the antibiotics work quickly for you