Chicken pox and shingles!

[jeanjack]

My grandson has just developed chicken pox today. I was last in contact with him 3 days ago. Am I at risk of getting shingles and should I stay away from him until he is no longer contagious? I am on Methotrexate and Sulfasalazine.

[Scottishlad]

Look at this website

nhs.uk/conditions/Chickenpo...

At 3 days you should be okay. Keep clear for a week until scabs are crusted over.

[Hidden]

If you are taking methotrexate and you develop chicken pox or shingles, (or come into contact with someone that has) you should see your doctor as you may need special treatment.

[SueB]

My GP assured me some years ago that while you can catch chicken pox from shingles you cannot catch shingles from chicken pox.

Sue

[Hidden in reply to SueB]

I was told that if you have had chicken pox when young, then when you are older contact with chicken pox could bring on a case of shingles.

[Hidden]

Hello BOB here

The risk here is the DMARDS can reduce your immune system

On Monday telephone the Rhumi nurse at tell here what has happened,

She will know what to do,sometimes,people can carry early on in their infection.

All the best

BOB

[jeanjack]

Thanks everyone for your input. It's unfortunate that this has happened at the weekend when you cannot get hold of any medical person for advice but will contact Rheumy on Monday. It's reassuring that you can't catch shingles from chicken pox so I'm not quite sure what the risk of contact with it is especially as I had chicken pox as a child. The general advice always seems to be that we should keep away from anyone with chicken pox, but why?

[helixhelix]

Chicken pox & shingles are both due to the varicella virus. And although chicken pox is mild in kids, it can be a severe disease in adults. And shingles is pretty miserable too. But the concern is that people with diseases like RA, and especially if on drugs like steroids, or immunosuppressants have less resistance to this virus so it can cause even more severe disease in us. And severe shingles (or chicken pox) is really not good, as can get all sorts of nasty complications. So always best to check with your rheumy as soon as you can, as you can get chicken pox more than once if your body didn't develop antibodies to it the first time you got it. But don't get too worried, as other research I've read says that the evidence for this increased risk has been exaggerated. Polly

[Alderess]

I have just had shingles for the second time. All the information on the web says you can't catch shingle from chicken pox but it seems strange I got it when 30 children at school had chicken pox?!

I saw my gp the first day the blisters appeared and was prescribed Aciclovir (an anti viral) I only had 4 blisters altogether and the pain subsided after 4 days so it hasn't been major. The recommendation is to get the antiviral within 72 hours of the first blister appearing and it seems to have worked.

Try and see your gp if you get sharp pains in spots anywhere, because that's the first sign. Otherwise, it is not really that likely you'll develop shingles. I've had it twice in 14 years on methotrexate. I meet chicken pox every time it goes around school. I am also on Cimzia and hydroxy now.

I hope you don't get shingles but see the gp quickly if you do...