I was banded on 12/09/08. Noticed a patch of what look like welps on my side that was itchy, burning. Last night noticed another small group on my stomach. Doctor diagnosed me with shingles. Was told it can be brought on by stress and that my weight loss may have brought it on since I am not under any other stress. My body is reacting to my weight loss (34 lbs). Anybody else been thru this or heard of this? Thanks

More likely you had chicken pox when you were a kid and were recently exposed again. Or you were exposed to someone else you had shingles.

I get reoccuring shingles when stressed on my neck. They are painful and oozie. Pretty gross. I just put on neo sporin and try not to inch. If they are out in the open, I would try to cover them up with a clean bandage.

I did have chicken pox as a child, but you can NOT catch shingles from someone else. The virus lies dormant in your body and may not every become active again or it can. You can catch it if your immune system is weaken by a disease such as cancer or in newborns, and you come in contact with the secetions. Stress does bring it on and in my case that is what the doctor said, the shock to my body by the weight loss. Thanks for your imput.

Yes, you dont catch it, you have the herpes/chicken pox virus in your body dormant and it can flare up.

Weight loss is very stressful on your body, any change can be. But its most stressful at first, your body gets used to it some desgree, so hopefully this wont keep recurring.

Once again, you cannot "catch" shingles by being around someone who has them! Maybe you need to google and read more about it!

oh god your right, I was thinking of scabbies....LOL

But, being exposed to someone who has chicken pox can cause shingles to appear.

Edited April 4, 200917 yr by Jaffa

You catch the initial virus dont you? You catch chicken pox.

But I thought you had to have had chicken pox so you have the virus in your body before shingles can develop.

You catch the initial virus dont you? You catch chicken pox.

But I thought you had to have had chicken pox so you have the virus in your body before shingles can develop.

Your right, but this person wants to differentiate from that, and I will let them, since I really don't give a damn.

Jachut, you don't catch the virus like yo do the chicken pox. The chicken pox virus lies dormant in your body since having the chicken pox as a child. I was 7 yrs. old when I had them. The virus may never become active or it will be brought on by stress. Thanks!

Jaffa Steve, if you don't give a damn then don't reply! I'm just asked a question!

That's wht I said - you dont "catch shingles" but you do catch chicken pox and then that virus lies dormant in your body forever, so that shingles can flare up in times of stress or if you become rundown etc.

But you have to catch chickenpox at some stage first for the virus to enter your body.

I've been around chickenpox as an adult five or six times, including when both Doug and the kids had it and never caught it myself, so I must have had it at some stage and not realised it, weird huh? Usually you'd know if you had chicken pox!

Neosporin is not for shingles. There is medications for shingles. Don't cover them either.

Dude, if you didn't notice you had the chicken pox, you are the luckiest person on earth! I had it twice... yes I know you're only supposed to have it once, but I'm just a special snowflake. The first time I had it it was pretty mild and my mother gave a big sigh of relief that I'd got over it without much fuss. The second time around though, I was sick. I had spots everywhere, including the inside of my eyelids! I still have scars from them. If you missed the boat, start lighting incense to the god of chicken pox in thanks.

I had shingles the week before my 50th birthday. My case was milder than most. I only got the rash running in a line from the crown of my head to halfway down my forehead. And since I had to renew my driver's license, I have the evidence on my picture for a couple more years. Doctor gave me Valtrex and it cleared up eventually.

If you've had chicken pox, the virus for shingles lies dormant in your body for years. It's waiting for stress or weakness in your immune system to attack. If you haven't had chicken pox, you can't get shingles.

Now they have a vaccine against shingles, but they're only giving it to people over 65. It came out right after I had shingles.

Hope yours clears up soon!

There is a vaccine against shingles now. It's called "Zoztravax" as I recall. I believe it is recommended for patients 60 and older ... shingles can, apparently be a serious problem for older adults.