Chicken Pox & Shingles

[Robert747]

Hello,

Apologies if this has all been said before - but I will use that excuse while I am still ' new' (well 53 actually).

I have just started Azathioprine (no side effects yet) and heard that coming into contact with with someone who has Chicken Pox or Shingles can potentially be very serious.

These things do not worry me unduly, but is this an issue for people who come into regular contact with children?

All the best,

Rob

 

[notfullyfathomed]

Hi Rob,
My doctor didn't give me any instructions about avoiding chicken pox or people with shingles, but I did have chicken pox before I was diagnosed with Crohn's and went on any immunomodulators. I haven't had any issues with chicken pox since I had it when I was 5 (and I've been on thiopurines for 15 years). I did get shingles last fall, which was painful and annoying. They put me on an antiviral med and it cleared up in about 2 weeks. I do think shingles was due in part to stress and my suppressed immune system, however the only reason I knew what I had was shingles looked like was because my (healthly, mid 20s) roommate had it a year before I did. Shingles aren't contagious, so I know I didn't get it from him -- but it makes me less quick to blame it on the drugs!!

 

[Misty-Eyed]

It depends of you've had chicken pox before or not. If you've had it before, the virus is already in your body and you'll be immune to it. If you've not had it before, you can catch it off of anyone with chicken pox or shingles.

 

[Kip1]

Hi Robert thanks for posting this thread.

It mentioned chicken pox & shingles on the entocort warnings too but I didnt know why.

 

[Misty-Eyed]

Because entocort is an immunosuppressant. If you get shingles or chickenpox when you are immunosuppressed, it can be very dangerous. I got shingles when I was 13 and on prednisolone. I went to the doctors with a rash on my chest and didn't make it home for a week later! I got sent to the hospital and was put on a drip in isolation for a week. I could of been very ill otherwise.

 

[DustyKat]

Michelle is spot on Robert. It is due to Imuran being an immunnosuppessant and I was asked by the GI with both of my children if they had had Chicken Pox before he would commence it. If they hadn't he wanted them immunised. My children were older when the Varicella vaccine became available.

Once you have chicken pox the virus remains dormant in your blood. For some people this virus will then manifest itself, at a later time, as shingles given the right conditions. If you have had chicken pox you don't get shingles from someone else but if you haven't had chicken pox you can contract them if you come into contact with shingles. In other words, shingles are only contagious if you haven't had chicken pox...you don't get shingles from shingles you get chicken pox.

Good lord! Have I have confused you!

Dusty. xxx

 

[Aura]

Rob, just want to support all the other comments. I also work in early childhood - well did two weeks ago - and soon will go back to day to day relief teaching. I have been on methotreaxte and now aza - I was checked for my immunisation for chicken pox and was ok. The risk to infection in working with children, students is higher than with some other professionals - especially when they can not blow their nose yet...don't visualise the hand wiping on the face and then where the hand goes...Anyway I use a lot of hand sanitizer when working with children. Wash my hands heaps. I try my best to avoid all infections as even viral could lead to a secondary infection and that can be bad and increase risk of chest related issues. I also have asthma and diabetes. So working with children makes it a challenge, but not impossible - but there is increased risk

 

[Chrismac]

I used to work at my local hospital as a Healthcare Assistant, when you start they give you vaccinations for chicken pox (if you haven't had it) and Hepatitis B.. but when I went to have them they told me I couldn't because I'm on Azathioprine and they are live vaccines, meaning they carry a little bit of the virus and would be too dangerous to me with no immune system to fight it.
Problem is, I've never had chicken pox.. although I'm starting to wonder if I have a natural immunity. When I was little and my sister had it I didn't get it. I was playing with a friend's child the day before she broke out in spots, when she was most contagious, and I didn't get it.
Working in a care environment makes me quite nervous sometimes. I'm already on my 3rd big cold in a row because I catch it from the residents.

 

[Carrie171087]

So if you've had chicken pox previously you have now risk of catching it again or contracting shingles either?

Sorry if I'm coming across stupid. There's a big out break of it in my local area and in my sons nursery and I've just started taking Azathioprine. My specialist gastro nurse warned me about it before dispensing the prescription?

 

[mama21princess]

If you've had chicken pox, you should not get it again. But, you can get shingles.

 

[Arkansas Crohny]

I have a person I work with that has shingles.She went to Dr. Sunday 8/17/14 & came to work today 8/20/14. I called my Dr. He said to not have skin contact with this person wash hands & try to not be around her. So my question is if shingles is not contagious then why can people like me with crohns taking 6mp and remicade be at more risk if you cant catch them from infected people ? I realize I can get shingles because of low immune system from taking the medications. Thanks You for any information in advance !

 

[Cosmojo]

Its not that shingles is super contagious that is the issue. Its that IF you would get it, you might get VERY ill.
My doctor discovered that I'm not immune to chicken pox and he told me flat out that if I was to catch the virus I would spend months in the hospital fighting for my life. This was a few years ago when I was on double dose Humira, steroids, and 6mp, Crohn's had already decimated my health so it may not be that severe for everyone but the chance does exist.