Shingles

[snail]

Is it true that if you are taking or have taken high dosage of steroids you are at risk of catching shingles from contact with chicken pox?

[2greys]

The leaflet says,

"If you come into contact with chicken pox or shingles within 3 months of taking Prednisolone contact you doctor imeadiately."

[snail in reply to 2greys]

Thank you for your reply.

[PMRPete]

 Chickenpox and Shingles: If you, anyone in your family or regular contacts

catches chickenpox or shingles. This is because you may become very ill if

you get chickenpox whilst taking prednisolone. You should avoid contact

with people who have chickenpox or shingles whilst taking prednisolone and

for up to 3 months after you have stopped taking prednisolone. Do not stop

taking prednisolone.

medicines.org.uk/emc/PIL.31...

[snail in reply to PMRPete]

Thank you, most helpful!

[ElTope]

It is not possible to get shingles from someone with chicken pox. People who develop shingles have previously had chicken pox, maybe many years previous, and the virus has laid dormant in their body .

[Ccupcakes]

Hi,

No you can't catch shingles from someone with chicken pox, See link below.

nhs.uk/conditions/Chickenpo...

If its any help, I was given a blood test to check my immunity before starting high dose steroids, however you do need to avoid shingles sufferers for a while after your steroids have ceased until your immune system is up and running again.

Hope this helps

Cc.

[AngieB72]

I am still recovering from my recent bout of shingles. No explanation of how I got them other than having chicken pox when I was a child and I now have a compromised immune system. What I do know is if I was in the age bracket to have the vaccine I would jump at the chance. It was/is the most painful and uncomfortable thing I have ever experienced!!!!!!

[hallentine47]

I discussed this only last week with my visiting Community Matron who told me that you cannot catch shingles from someone with chicken pox but you must have had chicken pox previously in order to have shingles. She also said that you cannot catch shingles from someone with shingles but when I was in Hospital after ICU for 3 weeks, I was isolated because I had shingles. Seems a bit contradictory to me.

[snail in reply to hallentine47]

It's all very confusing! Thanks for your reply.

[veg58]

Shingles is your own chicken pox which has remained dormant in the body for years reappearing. Therefore it is not caught from someone else. Your immune system is normally what keeps it at bay so if you take steroids that can weaken the immune system, it is possible for shingles to arise.

[sibkev]

i had shingles on preds only way to get it from anyone is by touch of the fluid that weeps from the sore chick pox is another story that is tranmiited by air after u have c pox it lives under skin till your emune sys is low and comes out as shingles if you are on azathioprine that is quite fatel if you get chick pox it blocks the recepter for anti virels

[Sapper21]

A very interesting post, snail. I take Pednisone (steroids) at regular intervals, and I had a severe attack of shingles in my head, which left me blind in my right eye. I think there are risks we take with any medication, but we have to try them to alleviate our distressing lung complaint symptoms. Albert