I was with my daughter and grandson this morning and she mentioned Chickenpox was going around. A bit worrying I thought, so best take evasive action having had shingles a few years ago. Reading the NHS website it states shingles cannot be caught from Chickenpox, however I wonder if that includes triggering it having had shingles in past.
Reading and decision to try to chat to GP or hospital support team was a bit overtaken this evening when my daughter sent me a photo of a spotty tummy (not her's .. my grandson's).
Other than discussing with a medical person tomorrow and possibly taking on some Acyclovir if they say it's a good idea does anybody else have any thoughts?
best to all, robin
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Oleboyredw-uk
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Everything I’ve ever read says it’s not possible to catch or have shingles triggered by exposure to chicken pox Rob but I sure understand your concern.
‘You cannot get shingles from someone with chickenpox but you can get chickenpox from someone with shingles if you have not had chickenpox before. When people get chickenpox, the virus remains in the body. It can be reactivated later and cause shingles if someone's immune system is lowered. The risk for CLL’ers is the very rare but possible second chicken pox infection (even if they’ve had chicken pox before).
If he is at the ‘scabby stage’ I’d be inclined to wait until any infectious stage has passed to see them again to be on the safe side.
I feel you’ll wanting to be consulting your doctor anyway and even though the possibility is very very weak, he/she may give you a prescription of Acyclovir to keep in to put your mind at rest.
Interestingly, I was taken off Acyclovir about a month ago, but I have a couple of unopened boxes that I've not sorted out disposing of. May be lined up read if GP recommends.
Shingrix on my discussion list @caven with GP for June appt.
A longer term 'solution' would be to pursue the Shingrix vaccine. You'll sleep easier, particularly knowing that you've previously had a bout of the dreaded shingles.
Rob, I also had this confirmed by my immunologist that it is impossible to get shingles from chickenpox exposure. You can only catch chickenpox. My son had chickenpox last year, shortly before I started treatment and my immune system was really not working at all. I was fine. I feel you should definitely discuss with your doctor though, I always find them a calming influence and I definitely don't know if having gone through CAR-T could put you at an increased risk in this situation.
a dilemma most of us grandparents face! I didn’t take the risk with grandchildren. However I worked in a school infant classroom for six years after diagnosis without catching it.
Hi, It might be a bit late, but, just in case anyone needs to know. If you are immunocompromised (eg CLL) and are in regular contact with say your young child / grandchild, then (especially if you have not had chicken pox) that young child could get the chicken pox vaccine on the NHS - it's 2 shots spaced a few weeks apart, and it is live.
My daughter had the vaccine on the NHS (it's not part of the regular schedule in the UK) because her Dad has never had chicken pox and has CLL.
I had shingles several times over a two year period, despite being on Aciclovir 400. The first episode was the worst. Subsequent episodes were uncomfortable but not so painful and extensive. I finally got the Shingrix jab from my surgery which is recommended for CLL patients. My haematologist wanted me to stay on Aciclovir too, belt and braces. I haven't had an attack since the jab. Good luck!
HiI have CLL on treatment, 59, I got my 3 Yr old vaccinated for chicken on the NHS free of charge because I am immunocompromised. I suggest you investigate that route.
Hi, just a word of an unusual event with shingrix to be aware of. I, having had both chicken pox and shingles as a teenager had part one of the shingrix jab, and shortly after had a painful middle two fingers, pads only and swollen. Luckily when seeing my GP as pain started radiating up my arm he spotted the first signs of a rash he identified as shingles. Subsequently a biopsy of the pads of my fingers were taken and identified as live shingles virus. I always have acyclovir to hand to repel any shingles but I was not expecting this presentation.
GP was thinking of writing a paper on it, I don't know if he ever did. I did not have part two.
I'd go for the shingrix - I had chickenpox as a kid and knew family members who had shingles. Didn't fancy it myself, so had the shingrix jabs a year or two back... two doses at a few months interval (it was like that then, don't know if it's changed). No serious side effects that I can remember - maybe a sore arm? No big deal anyway.
You may need to look out for the ignorance of GP receptionists - when I told ours that I was due a second shingles vax, she said: "You only need one jab for that." Yes, sure - for the normal vaccine, but not for shingrix!
This happened to me recently. Exposed hugely to both my Granddaughters the day before the eldest started with chickenpox spots, closely followed by the baby breaking out too. I’d had chickenpox as a child. Happened to coincide with an appointment with my Haematology consultant who reassured me that if I’d had chicken pox I should be fine and that I couldn’t get shingles from exposure to chicken pox. Hopefully you’ll be fine.
I caught shingles about 15 days after my CAR T for my aggressive Follicular NHL. The trial docs had forgotten to give me acyclovir pills when I was discharged. . I do not know what exposure caused my shingles outbreak but I broke out on a Friday night when my own oncologist office was closed,( isn’t that always the case!).,,I do know that I had chickenpox as a child…so I went to ER to get the acyclovir pills. The ER doc was glad I came in. He wanted to put me on steroids but I was supposed to avoid steroids immediately after my CAR T trial so I asked him to call my oncologist. I was able to follow up with my oncologist that Monday AM who said that my shingles was the worst case he had ever seen and I had a couple of FU appointments with him.
Stomach and extended down right front leg and across right lower back bottom area. I was thankfully not left with any nerve pain. Lucky there for sure! Thanks for asking
I had chicken pox as a child of about 5 or 6 years old. The virus lay dormant in my body for 60 years. I came down with a nasty case of shingles about 6 years ago, when I was 70, and before I was aware that I have CLL. The left side of my face still tingles at times. My primary care doc put me on Acyclovir plus some steroid eye drops to keep the virus out of my eye. I also received the shingles vaccination about 2 years ago. Chicken pox and shingles are spread by air and touch - a highly contagious little bugger. Once the virus is in your body, you are stuck with it for life. I am not so sure what prophylactic benefits of taking Acyclovir have in preventing you from contracting the disease, but it may mitigate the symptoms if you have the disease. Like CLL, there is no cure, unfortunately.
Confused...children don't get chicken pox anymore. They are vaccinated for it. My grandkids are in their 20's and my daughter & I were just discussing the fact that I was always worried when they were younger that she would call to tell me I was exposed. She laughed & said u worried for nothing. Unless ur family didn't believe in the vaccine but I believe its mandated to attend school. We live in USA.
Interesting. I thought it was an international vaccine. I thought how wonderful that future generations will never have to worry about ever getting shingles.
I didn't mean it like that...I would expect Rob had chickenpox as he wasn't particularly worried about that so assumed that was out of the question...sorry if this offended anyone.
I had chickenpox as an infant. After my cll diagnosis in 2021, I had my first Shingrex vaccine. That resulted in horrible itching hives covering my upper arm. Allergy testing confirmed I am allergic to the vaccine. I am not able to get the 2nd dose.I once cared for a leukemia patient with whole body shingles...I'll never forget that patient's suffering. Especially considering my allergy & cll...
I pray anyone able to be fully vaccinated do so and thank your lucky stars.
Hi. Because the level of chicken pox immunity is so high in the Uk chicken pox vaccine has never been the norm. It is 90% in adults. (Scottish health department).
Most chicken pox vaccines that we have had until now have had 95% effectiveness in children, and approximately 75% in adolescents and adults, so in the Uk protection for adults has been much higher because they caught it as children. When that balance changes I am sure they will start vaccination, but it will be complicated as you will have a big pool who have not been vaccinated and have not been exposed to the natural disease in childhood who could be very vulnerable as adults so it’s not an easy choice.
In other countries natural immunity is not as high because there is less chickenpox so vaccination is very important.
Because there are now good shingles vaccines the most vulnerable people (ie the elderly) are vaccinated. However there wasn’t a big supply, and so distribution was very limited, and it was a live vaccine.
We’ve had discussions on this site that some hospitals in uk have recommended shingrix (non live) and that individuals with cll have been given it., but sadly I don’t think that’s official policy yet but I hope it will come soon.
My understanding is that anyone who is immunocompromised can be vulnerable if exposed to chickenpox if they don’t have good antibodies. Your previous shingles I imagine makes that less likely, but I would be inclined to ask advice from your hospital department if you’ve been on aciclovir til recently.
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