shingles and pregnancy

[mum2jakeyroo]

i suspect my dp has shingles - he is off to docs later to check but just wondered as i am 23 weeks pg whether there is a risk. thanks

Have you had chicken pox?

yes, when i was 13.

Then it shouldn't be an issue. Your immunity will protect your baby too and you can't catch shingles from shingles. Your poor DH, shingles can be s painful

thank you. he says they are really sore but feels fairly ok in himself so has gone to work. i told him he shouldn't as it might be contagious but he thinks it is just a rash. men eh!!!

you can catch chicken pox from shingles although I think you need direct contact with the blistrs for that to happen. You should be ok as you had chicken pox before. If it is shingles I am not sure he should be at work as there will be some risk of passing on chicken pox.

Shingles rash is contagious until all the scabs are dry. You do not catch shingles but you can catch chicken pox from them. So, until his rash has cleared/dried up he should not be at work.
Even if he feels fine, it is not fair on anyone out there who could potentially catch it from him.
My sympathy though - shingles is horrible and can leave you feeling low for quite a while afterwards. Not nice.

thanks all. it is shingles. we have caught it in early stages apparently. doctor said he can go to work if he feels up to it but he is not allowed in the same bed as me and i need to see midwife asap as there is a slight risk to baby.

Has anyone ever had or known shingles as at the moment other than having a bit of a rash that is a bit painful he is fine. Is it likely to get much worse does anyone know.

I had shingles when I was 11. I remember the pain. I still get some pain now (I'm 29) where the rash was. I think I'm right in saying it can recur when you are ill/stressed, although I have never had the rash again.

I had shingles when I was pg with ds1 and the doctor told me there was no risk to the baby but I could not take any anti viral medication.As for your dp the rash can get very painful and when ds2 had shingles at the age of ten,it made him disorientated at night and I wok to find him wandering around the house.

Aren't there different sorts of shingles? My DH had stress induced shingles a couple of years ago which only affected a quarter of his body - was very odd, but not contagious!

Both my dds have had shingles . In fact dd1 has had it 4 times.

Not at all ill with it just a small patch of itchy spots treated with acyclovir. However I think the older you are when you get it the worse it is.

Shingles info from NHS direct

Does shingles make you grumpy as I am about to throttle him I think