Shingles and Pregnancy (cont.)
In this Article
 Shingles Treatment During Pregnancy
Comment on this
Treatments exist that can lessen the severity of shingles and reduce the risk of postherpetic neuralgia. These include the antiviral drugs acyclovir (Zovirax), famciclovir (Famvir), and valacyclovir (Valtrex). If you believe you have shingles, it's important to see your doctor right away because you must begin one of these medications within a few days of a shingles outbreak for best results. If your doctor prescribes an antiviral medication, it's important to take it exactly as directed. Most are taken once daily for several days. When taken as directed, these drugs should be safe during pregnancy. In addition to the medications your doctor prescribes, there are over-the-counter (OTC) medications and self-help measures that are helpful for relieving shingles pain and itching and preventing infection. These include:
Before taking any OTC medication, it's important to speak with your doctor. Pregnant women should not take NSAIDs late in pregnancy. © 2005-2013 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved. Patient CommentsViewers share their comments
Shingles and Pregnancy - Symptoms and Diagnosis
Question: Please describe the symptoms that led to a diagnosis of shingles while you were pregnant.
Shingles and Pregnancy - Treatment
Question: How did you treat shingles pain and itching during your pregnancy?
Shingles and Pregnancy - Prevention
Question: How did you prevent the risk of shingles during your pregnancy?
|
Suggested Reading on Shingles and Pregnancy by Our Doctors
-
Related Diseases & Conditions
13 articles-
Shingles
- Shingles (herpes zoster) is a skin rash caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Under certain circumstances, such as emotional stress, immune
-
Rash
- The word "rash" means an outbreak of red bumps on the body. The way people use this term, "a rash" can refer to many different skin conditions. The most
-
Pregnancy (Week By Week, Trimesters)
- There are many symptoms involved in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. The first early pregnancy symptom is typically a missed period, but others
-
Diarrhea
- Diarrhea is a change is the frequency and looseness of bowel movements. Cramping, abdominal pain, and the sensation of rectal urgency are all symptoms
-
Itching
- Itching can be a common problem. Itches can be localized or generalized. There are many causes of itching to include: infection (jock itch, vaginal itch),
-
Stroke
- A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. A stroke is also referred to as a CVA, or cerebrovascular incident.
-
Stress
- Stress occurs when forces from the outside world impinge on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life. However, over-stress, can be harmful. There
-
Fever
- Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degrees F. (37 degrees C.), in practice a person is usually not considered
-
Glaucoma
- Glaucoma is a common eye condition in which the fluid pressure inside the eye rises because of slowed fluid drainage from the eye. If untreated, glaucoma
-
Nausea and Vomiting
- Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The
-
Meningitis
- Encephalitis is a brain inflammation that causes sudden fever, vomiting, headache, light sensitivity, stiff neck and back, drowsiness, and irritability.
-
Chickenpox (Varicella)
- Chickenpox (chicken pox) is a contagious childhood disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Symptoms have an incubation period of 14 to 16 days and
-
Birth Defects
- Birth defects have many causes and currently, are the leading cause of death for infants in the first year of life. Some of the causes of birth defects
-
Shingles
-
Medications
10 articles -
Procedures & Tests
0 articles -
Pictures, Images & Quizzes
3 articles -
Doctor's & Expert's Views
0 articles -
Health News
0 articles -
Health Features
0 articles
