# shingles connection?



## maybaby

Anyone here think there is a connection to Hashi's and getting shingles?

I had shingles in Feb of this year before I knew I had a thyroid problem. This past week I came down with shingles again.

I really think there is a connection.


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## webster2

maybaby said:


> Anyone here think there is a connection to Hashi's and getting shingles?
> 
> I had shingles in Feb of this year before I knew I had a thyroid problem. This past week I came down with shingles again.
> 
> I really think there is a connection.


I don't have Hashi's but in the year before I was diagnosed with a thyroid problem I had shingles twice......no fun.


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## HeidiBR

I had shingles 10 years before I got Hashi's - at age 35.


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## I DClaire

Isn't shingles related to having chicken pox in childhood? Something about the chicken pox cells lie dormant until _something_ causes then to regenerate and become shingles??? I've heard my sister talk about shingles - she has had it twice, I believe. I've never had any childhood diseases even though I've certainly been exposed to everything.

Interesting!


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## maybaby

I DClaire said:


> Isn't shingles related to having chicken pox in childhood? Something about the chicken pox cells lie dormant until _something_ causes then to regenerate and become shingles??? I've heard my sister talk about shingles - she has had it twice, I believe. I've never had any childhood diseases even though I've certainly been exposed to everything.
> 
> Interesting!


Yes in order to have shingles, you must have had chicken pox as a child.

What got me thinking about if there is some kind of a connection is that the doc in the box told me to let my primary know I had them again because I need to have my immune system tested. To me, an AUTO-IMMUNE disease like Hashi's seems the likely culprit.


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## I DClaire

maybaby said:


> Yes in order to have shingles, you must have had chicken pox as a child.
> 
> What got me thinking about if there is some kind of a connection is that the doc in the box told me to let my primary know I had them again because I need to have my immune system tested. To me, an AUTO-IMMUNE disease like Hashi's seems the likely culprit.


Absolutely! My sister is 4 years younger than I am and has the very tiniest thyroid imbalance on labwork so her doctor says she's fine...yet she has had shingles and is nearly crazy from constant ringing/noise in her ears.


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## Andros

maybaby said:


> Anyone here think there is a connection to Hashi's and getting shingles?
> 
> I had shingles in Feb of this year before I knew I had a thyroid problem. This past week I came down with shingles again.
> 
> I really think there is a connection.


Of course you know that this is a virus from the chicken pox. That said, it is possible that it could keep on reoccuring because your immune system is compromised.

Also, are you being exposed to a lot of children or are you in the health care industry? Has your doctor Rx'd you the appropriate med for this? I think Valtrex? Not sure but I think so.


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## maybaby

Andros said:


> Of course you know that this is a virus from the chicken pox. That said, it is possible that it could keep on reoccuring because your immune system is compromised.
> 
> Also, are you being exposed to a lot of children or are you in the health care industry? Has your doctor Rx'd you the appropriate med for this? I think Valtrex? Not sure but I think so.


Yes, I know this is from having chickenpox and my point is that people with thyroid have compromised immune systems and are probably more likely to get shingles.

Yes both times I've been on Valtrex.

I don't understand why being around a lot of children or in the healthcare industry could cause a shingles outbreak if it is something that is dormant in your body and not contagious per se.


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## Andros

maybaby said:


> Yes, I know this is from having chickenpox and my point is that people with thyroid have compromised immune systems and are probably more likely to get shingles.
> 
> Yes both times I've been on Valtrex.
> 
> I don't understand why being around a lot of children or in the healthcare industry could cause a shingles outbreak if it is something that is dormant in your body and not contagious per se.


I agree about the understanding part. All I know is that several friends who over the years got shingles told me that their doctors said that yes, you must have had the chicken pox and the virus lies dormant BUT, being exposed to the chicken pox or others with shingles can trigger what is lying dormant.

The above is only hearsay.

Shingles is contagious though. It can cause someone who is not immune to the chickenpox to get the chickenpox.

Are you contagious? 
A person with shingles can pass the varicella-zoster virus to anyone who isn't immune to chickenpox. This usually occurs through direct contact with the open sores of the shingles rash. Once infected, the person will develop chickenpox, however, not shingles.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/shingles/DS00098/DSECTION=causes


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## maybaby

Yeah I know that I shouldn't be around folks that have never had the chicken pox/vaccine or pregnant women. My Dr did tell me that back in Feb.

I am around groups of elementary age children on a regular basis.


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## Andros

maybaby said:


> Yeah I know that I shouldn't be around folks that have never had the chicken pox/vaccine or pregnant women. My Dr did tell me that back in Feb.
> 
> I am around groups of elementary age children on a regular basis.


There is no question in my mind but what you are informed of this. That was just a copy and paste from the link so that others reading may learn.

Hate this for you as it is very very painful and dibilitating.


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## Wondering123

That's a really interesting point! I had shingles a few years ago (about 6 months before my underactive thyroid diagnosis) but the doctor I had at the time said it was caused by stress


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## maybaby

Wondering123 said:


> That's a really interesting point! I had shingles a few years ago (about 6 months before my underactive thyroid diagnosis) but the doctor I had at the time said it was caused by stress


Yeah both times both Dr's said stress first. Funny thing is, I haven't had any unusual stress prior to these episodes. I even commented to my husband this time that I handled X pretty well last week and wasn't stressed about it at all. When I'm stressed, I have an all out anxiety attack.

When I told the latest Dr that I didn't have any unusual stress, he even went so far as to say the holidays can be stressful for many people. I didn't even respond back. My husband and I have the most stress free holidays of most anyone. We both have really small families, no children and no obligations to be anywhere and rush around.

As usual, I don't feel like Dr's really know much.


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## HeidiBR

Shingles is not directly caused by stress. It is a varicella-zoster virus leftover from the chicken pox. A weakened immune system brings it back on.


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## webster2

I agree, the weakened immune system sets the stage. I also had the Postherpetic neuralgia that goes along with it, very painful.


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