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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To still go away for a weekend when I have Shingles?

43 replies

Whereyourtreasureis · 07/10/2015 23:59

I'm hoping for some wise advice if possible.
DH and I have a long-overdue weekend away this weekend. Haven't been away together in almost a year, and knowing our 3 DCs were spending the weekend with their Grandma this week, we booked a concert and 2 nights in a hotel and don't want to miss it. So of fucking course, a week ago I came down with an infection. One side of my face, my stomach and one tit for God sake is still covered in blistery spots. I've finished my course of Acyclovir, and plastered my body in calamine for a week, but I still have the blisters.
But I really don't want to miss going away this weekend, I feel OK in myself, occasional pains and temperature but this is controlled with Codeine and Paracetamol prescribed at the time.
I am just on the fence wondering if it would be irresponsible to surround myself with a lot of people at the weekend? Once I was told by GP it was Shingles, I asked DH to take DCs to school, as I know there's a lot of babies and young children up there that I shouldn't be around until I'm well. Maybe I'm being over-cautious or over-worried. But WitBU to attend an event with spots still remaining from Shingles? Thank you

OP posts:

Welshmaenad · 08/10/2015 09:13

If you're 13 days in and all the blisters are scabbed over and not fluid filled, you're no longer infectious, so yes go, and I hope you have a good time.

I went to uni with scabbed shingles, it was fine.

Marynary · 08/10/2015 09:16

Whilst it isn't as infectious as chicken pox I think that if you stay in a hotel and go to a concert then you could potentially infect people. I am immuno suppressed and chicken pox would be very dangerous for me.

Perhaps think of something else you could do for the weekend that wouldn't bring you into such close contact with others? e.g. sleep in your own house, keep the shingles areas covered when you are out and don't go into crowded areas where you could potentially rub against someone.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 08/10/2015 09:23

OP - are you going g to rub a weeping blister on someone? No? Then go. If you can keep all weeping blisters covered at all times, and make sure used dressing are disposed of in a tied plastic bag you cannot infect anyone.

ChestyNut · 08/10/2015 09:28

If the blisters are no longer weeping and crusted over you're no longer infectious.

ohtheholidays · 08/10/2015 09:34

Personally I wouldn't,I'm immunosuppressed and have 5DC and if I came into contact with someone with shingles and I caught it,it could kill me.

Alibabsandthe40Musketeers · 08/10/2015 09:34

13 days in, you are absolutely fine to go.

Have fun!

Branleuse · 08/10/2015 09:35

id still go if youre feeling well

NewBallsPlease00 · 08/10/2015 09:37

doray I have, but so had my son who then at 3 got shingles, and whilst was fine with CP was not well with shingles- even though it's not common in young children
I asked about jab when I had whooping cough and flu jab last week and they said they won't for shingles u less you know you've been in Contact because at this stage that also carries risks

greenhill · 08/10/2015 10:01

Aged 17 I caught chickenpox when my gran had shingles, I was very ill with it. I went back to school once recovered, but nobody would sit next to me on a school trip or for a few day after, as they all had siblings who'd not had CP either.

If you are completely scabbed over you should be over the worst of it. Apparently it's very painful. You have my sympathy.

Original poster

Whereyourtreasureis · 08/10/2015 12:24

Thank you to everyone who has offered advice, I genuinely am on the fence with this.

As a PP said, No I don't intend anyone to be sucking on my blistered face

I understand the risk of infection for immunosuppressed people, and had the break been last weekend I wouldn't have even considered it.
I've taken the full course of anti-viral tablets, and as I said, on Saturday I will be 13 days past it being diagnosed Shingles.
The rash is just lumpy, and not weepy.
All the information points to it being safe as it's not an air-borne infection.

I would hate to put anyone at risk, which is why I asked. But it seems that at this stage, the chance of catching anything from me is next to nothing.

OP posts:

cleaty · 08/10/2015 12:40

You say the rash is lumpy and not weepy, so it is not infectious. However your immune system will be very low as a result, so practice good hand hygiene.

whois · 08/10/2015 16:28

I would do, just don't rub your shingle blisters on anyone else!

endoflevelbaddy · 08/10/2015 18:06

At 13 days with blisters covered you're not contagious ( I used to promote shingles medication to GPs)
You will likely be knackered though so try get plenty of rest either side.

Original poster

Whereyourtreasureis · 09/10/2015 01:53

Thank you for all the advice you've all given me

OP posts:

Senpai · 09/10/2015 04:35

Senpai there are indeed many times when people can be ill and can't avoid going out totally appreciate that - sorry if I came across arsey in my previous post! If I was going to a concert I would reasonable expect that I might pick up a cold - I had one episode where a friend gave me whopping cough (long story) but the poor thing had no idea she had it and was so upset about passing it me - but I accept that sort of incident is just part of my life - had she done it on purpose I'd have felt very differently, knowingly going out when its non essential to a crowded public place and being infectious is another matter - in my case it would mean an much extended more severe bout of whatever but if I was a lot older or having chemo for a terminal illness or pregnant then its could be more severe. It would be akin to me when highly contagious with whopping cough going to visit other people to check their immunisations were working rather than the joyful 3 weeks I had to stay away from people enjoy a Netflix binge.

I didn't think you were being arsey.

I just wanted to clarify what I meant to make sure it didn't sound like a "Not my problem other people have shitty immune systems, now where's the nearest food place so I can cough on everything..."

I'm actually shocked you got three weeks off.

We're lucky if we get any sick days at all over here. Most times you have to bring a doctor's note if you miss a day, and you don't get paid for it. So people over here in the US unfortunately come in sick, especially around the food and retail industry because if they're uninsured (Or have shitty insurance with high deductibles), they're paying $90ish dollars to stay home sick. More often than not workers go in sick, but then get sent home once they've "proven" to managers how sick they are...because a manager can send you home, but "company policy" determines doctor notes if your manager doesn't like you...

We're expected to go on as normal unless we're dying over here, and so are our kids because we can't skip work to stay home with them. I worked at a place with a set number of paid sick days that are meant to be used when you're sick, and a coworker was docked during employee reviews for taking too many of his allotted sick days.

As you can imagine, the US would be the first to die if there was ever a zombie outbreak.

cleaty · 09/10/2015 08:06

Many people over here only get Statutory sick pay, which is very very low. So they go into work when ill as well. There is a real divide here between those who get well paid sick leave in the public sector/some big firms, and everyone else.

ExConstance · 09/10/2015 12:23

You have to be in direct contact with the fluid from the blisters to risk infection. I run a care service and provided PPE is used there is no reason pregnant care staff should not attend to those with shingles. Contact doesn't mean sitting close up to someone at a concert!

queenofthebored · 09/10/2015 15:57

Senpai - I was in isolation and housebound for 3 weeks but I was ill for 12 weeks as my body just cant fight illness and medication I have to take supress my immune system further its why I get a tiny bit precious about people who know they are contagious going out when they need not - I fully understand that often its unavoidable.

I was extremely fortunate to be working for a company that paid full sick pay up to 6 months at the time and they were aware that my condition fell under DDA. I know companies are paranoid about people taking advantage but its really better for productivity if someone who is ill is allowed to recover properly before coming back to work, a friend worked in an office of about 20 and for 3 months at least one person had flu/severe cold no one could afford to take time off so they would take a day or 2 when it was at its worst and came back still coughing and sneezing it was a constant cycle of reinfection.

But back to the original post OP if you aren't infectious there is no reason not to go if you take the great advice given on this thread

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