Myth? You can't have shingles unless you've already had chickenpox?

[Nope2024]

Just wondered if sometime can confirm this for me.

I've definitely had shingles (confirmed by GP) but don't know if I had chickenpox as a child. Nobody in my family can remember.

I'm pregnant in my third trimester and my niece has chickenpox.

I'm staying away just in case, but had heard you have to have had chickenpox to have shingles so I probably don't need to worry?

A quick Google says you can't get shingles unless you have had chicken pox.

Yes that's right, Shingles is from the chicken pox virus which stays in the body after you've had it
www.nhs.uk/conditions/shingles/

You can, however, get chickenpox more than once.

If you’ve had shingles then you’ve definitely had chicken pox

You can also get shingles more than once. Sadly.

Fact not myth. Shingles only happens if you've got the chicken pox virus lying dormant in your system. You can, however, get both chicken poor Shingles more than once.

Thanks - I've avoided Google because it didn't seem very definite. Some sites made it sound like you usually don't get it unless you've had chickenpox.

@Chamomileteaplease I've actually had shingles twice. Once as a baby, once as a child 🫠 Which is why I'm a bit curious about things being rare vs impossible!