Chicken Pox

[macdonald88]

Sorry for the confusion in advance!

I know when on imuran, remicade and humira you are to stay away from people who have chciken pox or shingles.

My colleague who i sit next to at work, her daughter has the chicken pox, she and myself have both had it when we were children but i was just concerned if she could be a carrier or if i could catch anything from her.

Any info would be great, my gastro nurse is calling me about something else tomorrow so i will double check with her then.

Thanks

 

[littlemissh]

I have researched this a lot and the guidance is that if you have had as a child then you should be considered immune even if on immunosuppressants- so cannot catch chicken pox again. You can get shingles at anytime as this is a reactivation of the chicken pox virus that lies latent in your system.
So, you should be fine.

 

[CLynn]

That is what I have always understood as well.

 

[StarGirrrrl]

Sorry to say I have had chicken pox twice- as a baby and a few years ago. It definetly was chicken pox both times too.

I'm afraid it's a popular myth that you can only get it once. Some people do not develop the anti-bodies correctly the first time and so can get it again.

The risk I think is low but it is there all the same, I am a good example of that!

 

[macdonald88]

Thanks guys, will see what my gastro nurse says today.

 

[littlemissh]

The research I have looked at is based on large studies and is used by the various gastro societies to decide if chicken pox vaccination is required.
If in doubt you could just get your varicella antibodies checked and you will know if you are immune or not.

 

[CLynn]

Well, yes, I have heard it is possible to get them twice, if the first time that you get them is not a bad enough case.

 

[braveheart]

Doctors instucted me to stop having inmunosuppresants right the way when I had Chicken Pox. I understand Chicken Pox is very dangeorus for people with low inmune systems.

 

[Lorimichelle85]

I thought when you got chicken pox later in life it was then considered shingles????

 

[Rebecca85]

Nope, chicken pox is what occurs the first time you catch the virus, regardless of age. Shingles occurs when the virus (which lays dormant in your body the rest of your life) reactivates, usually due to some form of stress or illness.

 

[CLynn]

I have always heard that chicken pox in adults is more dangerous than in childhood.

 

[StarGirrrrl]

Having had Chicken Pox both as a child and adult, it was much much worse the second time (and again it wasn't Shingles the second time).

 

[outlier]

i just got over shingles. you give it to yourself (isn't your body kind). you can only get shingles if you've had chicken pox or the vaccine. If you've had chicken pox once or the vaccine the chances of getting again are negaable from my understanding. if your really nervous ask you gp if you can get the vaccine