News anchor Karen Davila has opened up about getting shingles and the struggles she had to endure when she fell victim to this debilitating disease.
Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash caused by the varicella-zoster virus—the same virus that causes chickenpox.
Shingles did not only affect Karen’s job, but also her mental and emotional states.
She was thrown into panic that was rooted from her lack of knowledge about this viral infection.
She added that she also felt “ashamed” when she had it in the past.
Karen confessed, “I don't think many people know. The first time I had it, I was so ashamed. Because when you read it, you think it's related to sex.”
That has been, in fact, a common misconception about this disease.
Shingles is called herpes zoster and because of the word “herpes,” others think it is sex-related, but is actually not.
The ABS-CBN journalist interjected, “So, I think that's why I want to share my experience. I think that it's something you can't ignore.”
She has come forward to “open discussion” about this condition that a lot of people do not know much about.
At the “Sabi Nila: The Truth About Shingles” forum mounted by biopharma company GSK last March 12, 2024, Karen shared, “So, actually, the reason I want to talk about having shingles is I've had it twice.
“And actually to have it twice was quite alarming for me, So, I'm 53 years old now. But when I first had shingles, I didn't know what it was.
“So, I had it when I was maybe in my 40s, and my schedule was very hectic.”
At that time, Karen had a morning show, a weekly show, a radio show, and a late-night newscast—and getting five hours of sleep at the most.
Then one day, some rashes appeared on her forehead.
“And I didn't know what it was at all. So, the first person I called was a dermatologist,” Karen said.
“When the dermatologist told me that, ‘You have shingles,’ I thought it was pimples or, I don't know… something weird... But it was very, very painful.
“The pain that I associate shingles with the first time, when it came out here in my head, it was very scary.
“Because you were not just having headaches, but it was just an electrifying kind of pain.”
“I had to isolate myself at home. I couldn't go to work for two weeks.
“But more than that, I was so scared because I thought I would get blind.”
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While she consulted a doctor, she read articles about shingles on Google. She found out about possible implications of the illness if left untreated. This scared Karen.
“I started to Google, I started to research, and then I saw that a side effect could be blindness and paralysis.
“So, I didn't know that, and I was in my 40s then, and a dermatologist then [told] me what I had to do.
“So, that's the first time.”
KAREN GETS SHINGLES THE SECOND TIME
A decade after, she would get it again.
Karen recalled, “I was in a trip. And I suddenly got parang mga butlig in my stomach. So, I thought, ‘Ah, baka it's an allergy,’ you know. Maybe it's too cold, or anything.”
She took a photo of the allergies and sent the pic to her derma.
“And the dermatologist told me, ‘Karen, I think I have to see you. It could be shingles again.’”
While it was milder this time, she took antiviral medication. However, experiencing it a second time alarmed Karen.
The TV personality said she never smoked, and while she might lack sleep, she felt generally healthy.
She admitted to having an autoimmune disorder, though. And this disorder has maked her prone to the reappearance of shingles.
“So, the reason I came out and I wanted to share is, I don't think Filipinos know how dangerous shingles is,” Karen stressed.
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WHAT IS SHINGLES?
Since shingles is caused by the same virus as chickenpox, anyone who had chickenpox in the past is vulnerable to shingles.
It’s because the chickenpox virus lies dormant in the nerve tissue and can reactivate years later.
In the Philippines, 21 percent of people in the 50-59 age group had the highest incidence of shingles. While a person may appear healthy, his immune system declines with age.
Shingles start with a painful skin rash that often blisters and scabs over in 10-15 days.
Explained Dr. Irene Robredo-Vitas, a dermatologist, “Karamihan talaga ng may shingles ang unang-una talagang nakakakita ay mga dermatologists.”
Dr. Rontgene Solante, a disease specialist, highlighted that the rashes that occur are severely painful.
Solante explained, “A characteristic of shingles is that may tumutubo na mga rashes in one side of the body lang, but the more important characteristic is—ito ay napakasakit.
“It’s very uncomfortable to the point na yung iba, nahirapan silang magdamit, nahihirapan sila gawin ang house work nila, daily chores nila, because of the severe pain.”
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And more importantly, the effects of shingles are beyond skin deep.
“It has complications that can lead to higher morbidity,” Solante stressed.
“It can lead to depression, anxiety, and it can also affect your vision.”
DEBUNKING MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SHINGLES
Solante clarified that shingles is not a sexually-transmitted disease.
He explained, “Because the shingles virus is the same virus that causes chickenpox. When you get older, your immune system goes down and that’s when chickenpox virus reactivates and can become shingles.”
Is shingles infectious?
Dr. Vitas and Dr. Solante answered this question at the forum.
Dr. Vitas said that one person with shingles cannot infect with shingles. However, a person with shingles could infect a person with chickenpox.
Dr. Solante, on the other hand, said that a person with shingles is oftentimes isolated because he becomes prone to other diseases since his immune system is low.
So is a person who never had chickenpox safe from shingles?
Not really, answered Solante.
The diseases specialist explained that there have been cases of some people who never had chickenpox but developed shingles.
How is this possible?
Dr. Solante explained that these people may have been exposed to the chickenpox virus, but did not manifest physically.
However, they may have had the antibodies inside their system and would reactivate as shingles in the future.
THE BEST DEFENSE AGAINST SHINGLES
Having mentioned all these information about shingles, what is the best approach to deal with it?
The two health experts at the forum highlighted: Consult your doctor!
“Knowing more information about it, spread awareness and right information to patients,” explained Dr. Vital.
This way, people can also avoid believing the misconceptions and misinformation surrounding shingles.
“Prevention is better that getting the infection.”
The doctors and the guests at the forum highlighted “regular consultation with doctors” to properly educate people about this illness.
Meanwhile, GSK also launched a website fully dedicated to properly inform and educate the public about shingles.
Visit www.whatisshingles.ph to know more.