Shingles question

[Val1985]

Hi All, hoping someone will know more about this than I do! My dad came down with a rash a few days ago (and a swollen eye) eventually went to the doctor and he has shingles.

I always thought you could only get shingles if chickenpox virus in your system reactivates and that it couldn't spread. However cut to today and now my mum has it too. Even GP was surprised as she had said it wouldn't spread. Is this a thing? All my kids are double vaccinated for chicken pox so I'm assuming spread is unlikely?

GP did say if kids had been sick they could even have given it to my parents. They have been a bit off with a cold that turned into throat infections, but no rashes.

Are they both stressed, been ill, etc as it can reactivate if they have a lowered immune system?

GP is wrong about the kids being able to pass on shingles as you don't get shingles from chickenpox. (You can get chickenpox from shingles). Exposure to chickenpox is supposed to help boost immunity and help prevent shingles in those that have had chickenpox before.

Thanks @dementedpixie that's what I thought and then was totally doubting myself!

All of us had that flu that was going a few weeks ago, none of us were overly sick though. My parents considered it a Headcold! GP also said that because my fathers is on his face and they've been sharing a bed mum could have caught it that way. It's so confusing.

On the bright side antivirals do seem to be taking down swelling and neither are actually sick at all.

My DF had shingles - I seem to remember looking it up to see if you could catch it and I'm sure it can be passed on if you have skin to skin contact

I understand it cannot be passed on (well it can be passed on as chicken pox etc), but that doesn’t explain why I got it a few days after a close friend. So I recon it is possible.

If it’s affected his eye has it been checked at the hospital? He could need more treatment for that- not just the antiviral tablets.

@Notanother0nee No, just his GP. She put in steroid drops, gave him some type of eye ointment and antiviral tablets. So far one day in they seem to be doing the trick - his eye is almost normal looking again. He needs to go back at the end of the week for a check up to make sure GP is happy though.

You can pass on chickenpox with contact with fluid from the blisters; not shingles

I do remember three members of staff at work all had shingles around the same fortnight (school.)

I have actually come down with chickenpox (badly!) despite having it as a child and my kids having it too.

This time of year is the chicken pox season apparently

I too would have thought your dad would be referred to ophthalmology, such as Moorfields! At least the meds are helping.

If the rash can be completely covered with an occlusive dressing and there is no weeping, they can go out, but I'd recommend they stay at home.
Were they advised not mix with pregnant woman/newborns in particular? Are they getting shopping delivered?

Agree my dad had it in his eye and needed specialist care

Yep they're staying away from pretty much everyone as an incase- I've been in to them but so far they're managing pretty well. Both were out for a nice long walk today 🙉
My father's is all crusted over now and my mothers hasn't even blistered she caught it so early so hopefully by the end of next week they'll be all good.
Maybe the flu b that was doing the rounds ran them down a bit and then with dad's blisters uncovered for a few days at peak she picked it up.

Oh no @yellowpostitnote That sounds awful- hope you recover quickly, I know it's suppose to be bad as an adult.

I heard chickenpox was doing the rounds in younger years of the school alright, and weirdly of a couple of older kids with what was diagnosed as post viral throat blisters.

Thanks, I hope your parents recover soon too. Shingles is more painful I believe.

Maybe there's a particularly strong strain going around?

I thought one reason they didn't use to vaccinate in this country is because natural exposure "tops" up the immune system. I believe they are now offering vaccines to babies (?) but natural exposure is supposed to be better with shingles vaccines for older people.

It may be that at this time of year everyone's immune systems are a bit weary too. So prime time for lots of things as well as shingles breaking out.

Yep I'd be thinking the same. I feel like everyone's been low level sick constantly since Christmas.

One of my friends recommended my parents got the shingles vaccine in a few months, apparently her mum got it twice and second time was much worse.

You have to be a certain age to get the shingles vaccine through the nhs:

It's recommended for all adults turning 65, those aged 70 to 79 and those aged 50 and over with a severely weakened immune system.

You can pass on chickenpox with contact with fluid from the blisters; not shingles

Seems odd that after not knowing anyone who's had shingles for years, my df got it a week after a visit from my sis in law who had it.

@ladymammalade this is the strange thing. The anecdotal stories I read like this, and that I've seem from my own parents as regards spread, is different to what all information online says about how infectious shingles is. Even our GP said she thought my mum did catch it from my dad because they share a bed.