HCV and Shingles

[CARUU]

I was dx yesterday with shingles.  I finished HCV tx 4/1/04 and was undetectable at 6 mo.  Is there any connection with the shingles virus and the HCV virus?  A possibility I considered is that my immune system is still low and allowed the shingles virus to act up.  This is not fun (but a piece of cake compared to HCV tx accompanied by thyroid disfunction).  caruu

[susan400]

I had shingles back when I was 30 years old, which they said was unusual for someone so young.  At the time, I didn't know about the HCV yet, but now in hindsight, I realize that I'd been infected back in 1982-1983 and I didn't have the shingles until 1991.  I'd be interested to know...

Susan

[Astrolady]

Shingles is the same virus as chicken-pox, it never really goes away.  

What is weird though is while we are on tx the peg-interferon is supposed to increase or help our immune system. Our bodies produce interferon naturally to fight infection, so I would think that the tx would have lowered your risk of shingles.

[CARUU]

I saw my neurologist today (a previously schecduled appt.).  He spent most of the time discussing the shingles.  He said the immune system isn't necessarily immuno suppresed with HCV but it can be "immuno altered" and this could set up the situation for shingles to occur.  I asked if this could be sign the HCV is coming back and he didn't want to make a guess on that.  He said many people who don't have HCV do have shingles.  So, who knows.  I left a message with the GI to see if maybe I should get tested sooner than my scheduled time in April.

The neuro gave me lidocaine patches to help with the shingles pain and I'm taking Valtrex and using a cream for the rash.  I'm managing is pretty well.  Thanks for your messages. caruu

[Mordred]

My father just got out of the hospital with a really bad case of shingles. Do I need to worry about coming down with a case of the shingles now?