Shingles at 26 weeks pregnant

[Jennifer48]

I'm at 26 weeks of amenorrhea and was diagnosed with shingles on Monday. I felt redness around the area of my bottom bra strap on the left side of my body starting around Wednesday last week. I thought it might be just sensitivity or sweat because I have sensitive skin, but it developed into a rash on Sunday evening. Photo attached. Some people on a Facebook group I posted on, and even a midwife, thought it looked like a spider bite. I went to a dermatotologist on Monday and he said the rash had spread and that it was shingles.

I have been prescribed Zelitrex (Valaciclovir) to take orally six times a day- twice in the morning, twice at lunch-time, and twice in the evening for a week. Once a day I apply Diprosone, a corticosteroid cream, to the rashes.
The dermatologist and my gynaecologist have both said these treatments are fine during pregnancy. Nonetheless, I'm worrying (I think I would anyway but bear in mind that I'm am 43 and this is my first pregnancy, by IVF) and not sleeping great, partly because of the stress and partly because of heat and itchiness of the shingles.
I thought shingles just affected one side of the body but I have a bit of itching and what feels at times like a heat rash on the other side of my body.
I have posted in various mums' WhatsApp groups and a Facebook group but nobody there, nor even my dermatologist or a doula I spoke with, have encountered a case of shingles during pregnancy. It seems very rare. I trust the dermato and the gynaecologist regarding the safety of the treatments but of course a lot of medications can't be tested on pregnant women. I'm on my own without a partner and at times it can feel very lonely.
Any thoughts would be gratefully received.

Hello, accidentally came across your post.

Being pregnant and having shingles can be a stressful time. Have you tried NHS 111? They might know about some services or support groups for women facing the emotional and physical challenges of pregnancy.
If you have the chance, check out HealthUnlocked; it has various health communities. You may find women who are going through this or have experienced it in the past.

I hope you find support and friendship, so you don’t feel alone.
Take care, hope you feel better soon. x

I developed shingles whilst pregnant, I was further along (30 weeks +? - it was a long time ago). I can’t recall having any treatment at all, however it was an extremely worrying time. In the end, all was fine. I hope that your symptoms die down quickly

Thank you both @PerriDowton and @losingthemind

I developed shingles ar around 14 weeks pregnant. My midwife have never had a case and everything I read was that it was very rare. I ‘put up’ with it and didnt take the anti virals. DD was born absolutely fine and is now 12 years old.

I hope it passes quickly for you OP,

Yes, but I'm taking the anti-virals and that's what I'm worried about.

@Jennifer48 the antivirals are perfectly safe to take. Thousands of women take them during pregnancy to prevent herpes simplex outbreaks. Shingles is a strain of herpes (herpes zoster), so the medication is the same. You don’t have to take them if you don’t want to, it just helps with preventing post herpetic neuralgia and helps the rash not to spread.