Hi all. Hope you are keeping well. I have SLE and have come out in chicken pox. Has anyone else experienced this ? I am 54 years old and am told by my Mum that I had it quite bad as a child. I am very confused as to how I have got this in adulthood?
I came out in shingles when I was pregnant 16 years ago, don’t think that has anything to do with it. I was just wondering if it may be Lupus related. Any clues would be greatly appreciated! 😊 Thank you
Is it CP or is it shingles?
Thank you. It’s definitely chicken pox. Had shingles before on my left side whilst pregnant. This is all over chest, back, torso and scalp.
How bizarre - very unusual to get it badly more than once. What does the GP say?
Disseminated shingles is found in autoimmune compromised and pregnant patients and present like chicken pox. You need to call your doctor these can be serious. My friend is in the hospital with it now after just having a baby at the end of may. She also has covid in march. If it is early still alyclovir can help. Ask if you can take a low dose aspirin. I had two strokes last time I had shingles and it turns out heart attack and stroke risks are increased with in a year of shingles.
Haven’t been able to see the GP due to coronavirus. I went into the chemist and they confirmed it.
I'd put a call into your GP. What meds are you on? PRO is right, it's very unusual to get it twice, although not impossible.
Thank you, I am not taking any meds just now. Was feeling ok, get a few bad days but able to cope. I have Hydroxy in the cupboard for back up if I go into a flare.
Maybe the chemist is wrong. I will try and post a pic. I’ve had lupus rashes before but none like this. These have fluid in them.
You may still be infectious so be careful who you go near. If it is wet singles and it's within 48hrs, you could be treated with aciclovir. That's why a GP input would be good. GP surgeries are still open.
Thank you. I haven’t been out for over a week. I will contact the surgery again and see if they will see me. I will of course be very careful 😊
Hi Llewelyn Just posting to say I had chickenpox last year at age of 55 and definitely had it as a 12 year old as I can remember the doctor visiting. It was a relatively mild case last year. Mainly itching, but I had come out of a Lupus flare. I’ve also had shingles twice in the last 15 years. I rang my GP and got started on acyclovir as soon as I was sure what it was. When I told my rheumatologist she said it sound like my immune memory is poor and to make sure I’m always up to date with vaccines, including Pneumococcal every 5 years. I’ve been on Prednisolone for a long time, as well as HCQ and methotrexate. Hope that’s helpful. Get well soon. It’s miserable to have as an adult. I remember having to spoon feed my husband when he got it.
Hi Cathyan.
Wow, that’s amazing ! I saw my Doctor earlier and he believe s it is chicken pox. Took some pics and sending off to Dermatology. That’s really interesting that you had the same thing. I will certainly inform him of your experience and will mention the Pneumococcal Vaccine. I know I have never had that one !
Thank you so much and take care too.
I also got chicken pox (gp diagnosed) a second time as an adult after a bad case as a child. I have SLE.
Good morning ShannonB
Thank you for your comments. I wonder if the fact we have SLE actually has a lot to do with it. Seems highly likely knowing how our immune system behaves.
Did it last long the second one as an adult ?
It wasn’t as bad as when I was a child (according to my mother) but it was pretty bad. I can’t remember note how long it lasted though. I had no idea what it was and was quite surprised to hear it was chicken pox.
Hi again. I’m going to add a further pic of the spots as the first one wasn’t so great. Maybe you may see a similarity?
Interesting to get chicken pox again, especially after not just chicken pox but shingles before. I had an aunt who, according to my mother, had chicken pox 7 times when she was young. My aunt died when she was 27, about 60 years ago and my mum is no longer with us either so I have no way of checking.
But I have to say that autoimmune diseases are in my mothers side of the family and my aunt had several miscarriages so maybe APS which one of my cousins has and I have too. I also have lupus. So maybe all those years ago it was a misdiagnosis.
I hope it gets better very quickly xx
Thank you so much, very interesting to hear that. My daughter had it 4 times also..It’s very clear to see from all the response I’ve received that you can indeed get chicken pox as an adult if you’ve had it before.
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