Exposed to shingles - what does the doctor need to know?

[strawberrybubblegum]

I'm really hoping that either a doctor, or someone who has been through this and knows the process can help!

I discovered yesterday that I'm pregnant . Then in the evening, I was chatting to my neighbour and she told me that she has shingles .

I've made a doctors appointment for this afternoon. I'm expecting that the first thing will be a blood test to find out whether I'm already immune (I don't know if I had chickenpox as a child). Then - according to the NHS website - if I'm not immune, there's some immune globulin stuff you can be given to help you fight it off.

One of the things they say on the site is that to decide your treatment, the doctor will need to know stuff like how long the person with shingles had it, to see whether they're still infectious.

I can phone my neighbour to ask her, but I'd obviously have to tell her why I need to know, which I'd rather not, since this is still incredibly early days - we haven't even told our parents yet!

So... will the doctor need to know this kind of information straight away, or only after we've got blood test results back, if I'm not immune? The NHS site says that 90% of pregnant women are immune, so chances are high that I am . But I don't want to unnecessarily slow down any treatment I need by not having all the information.

Any advice?

i think that to have caught chickenpox from the shingles you would have to touch the shingles themselves, but i am not sure.

i would guess your dr will just get your immunity checked even without knowing all the info ie how long the person has has the shingles, best to be safe xx

fingers crossed for you :)

I think you have to touch the shingles spot themselves to catch it.

I had something similar when I was pregnant and had to get a blood test at 8 weeks. Found out that my doctors wouldn't give the vaccine unless I had HIV or another immu suppressant type of illness so had to just hope for the best. It turned out I had obviously had chicken pix as a child but neither me or my mum could remember it.

Argh - well, I definitely didn't touch any of the shingles spots.
Fingers crossed, then .

I guess I'll see what the doctor says this afternoon.

and thank you both for your support :)

It's quite scary, being pregnant and hoping that all will go well!

strawberry I'm not a doc, but FWIW, I learned I learned I had shingles the weekend after going to a christening and visiting my ill and fragile grandmother and was paranoid about having infected either of them. The doc set me straight that you'd be very very very unlikely to transfer it. As I recall, you would have to have not only touched the shingles, but also touched the liquid from a burst blister. (or you touching her hand with burst blister liquid on it then touching your mouth). Again, all of the above v unlikely during the course of a brief conversation with the neighbour.

thanks, livvy! I've had the blood test now, and waiting for the results. Trying not to worry too much, but it's hard. Realistically, I know I've got a low chance of catching it... and I know there was nothing I could do to prevent the exposure... but only a few days into my pregancy, I feel like I've screwed up already .

I'm really hoping that the tests will come through saying that I'm already immune - then I can stop worrying.

Just wanted to 2nd what Livvy said really! Do not worry! I have had shingles and was told that its highly unlikey to pass them on unless i rubbed up against someone and even then they would hav to hav a bad immune system, be really old or a small child or an alcoholic (?!) obviously when ur pregnant its one of the many things on the long list of risks and things to certainly avoid but i am sure unless u were popping the blisters u will be fine! Hope your starting to feel a bit more relaxed about it!!