It doesn't happen very often - it requires very close personal contact and some open sores. I would guess someone who is giving close personal care would be at higher risk.

I hope your friend promptly got treatment for her shingles. The meds really make a huge difference in the severity and pain of shingles, as well as any postherpetic neuralgia. As someone who has had shingles twice - the first time at age 13 when there were no treatments, and again 19 years ago when there were, I can promise you it is night and day with meds. It's a disease I never again want to have and yes, I've had both vaccines to prevent it.

I had the shingles vaccine (both), and about 3 years later, I came down with

about 3 patches of shingles on my lower back. I thought it couldn't possibly

be shingles...when to Dr...yep, it sure was. She gave me prescription for

meds, and they stopped itching, paining, almost immediately. The patches

themselves took about 2 weeks to go completely away. The Pharmacist

told me, "what's worse...you could get them again. The meds aren't guaranteed". I asked him why he thought it took so long to get them after

the vaccine and he said, "they absolutely didn't know, but the newer vaccine

(the second shot I had), they believe is much more effective". AND..to make it

worse....I had chicken pox as a child, and a pretty bad case.

I had a physical the other day and I talked to my dr. about the shingles vaccine. He said he recommends the vaccines but the company is unable to make the product fast enough. He said his clinic is unable to get any of the vaccine and that Walgreens gets some sometimes.

Any doctor treating patients for shingles should inform them that they are contagious until after the scabs are shed and the lesions are healing. Patients should stay away from pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems -- let alone open sores.

Anyone who even suspects he or she has shingles should be seen immediately. Starting anti-herpes meds within 72 hours of onset helps a lot -- and you don't want to infect anyone with the pox.

Thanks for the info Michael.

I

jewels, I got my first & second dose at Walgreens. They have a waiting list. A phone call will get you on it.

I am toward the end of my second bout of shingles within 3 months. The first was on the left side of my scalp and brow. I was mostly worried about my eye. Took anti virals for a week and ibuprofen for the pain and it's anti inflammatory properties. Don't know if the Famciclovir did any good since it was a bit late by the time my shingles was confirmed.

Now I have them mostly on my right shoulder blade down to mid back. They are almost gone.

With my head shingles there was intense shooting hot iron pain that came and went intermittently. I still get a few shorter bouts of that. The ones on the back created more deep muscle and joint pain in the area. The former was a lot more intense but the latter is far more annoying and disabling. The worst for me is the flu like feeling of fatigue.

Best thing for the itching is Calmoseptine. It's OTC but I had to order online since local stores didn't carry it. Goopy, zinc based stuff but it really works.