Hi All,
Just a quick inquiry, I was due to visit my daughter at the weekend but she has just rang to say my 3year old Grandson has chicken pox. I have Psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis and so on DMards etc. Do you think I should cancel my visit ?
Hope you are all having a good day.
Maggie
Have you had chicken pox in the past?
I had a similar experience so rang the practise nurse at my surgery who reassured me I would be fine. However we are all individual so check it out before you make a decision.
Hope you managed to go.
Thank you Smithfield, I didn't have chicken pox as a child, when I was 40 I had a mild form which I caught when my Daughter had it. I will ring my Rheumy docs secretary, put my daughters mind at rest as she is worried I will get shingles.
I can understand that my daughter had the same concern when my granddaughter had it.
Last thing you want!!
It's definitely one of those 'Should I or should I not ?' It's only Wednesday so maybe by Saturday he won't be contagious.
It would probably be best, unless this is a very special visit.
Chicken pox & shingles can be nasty in adults and nastier for the immune compromised as it can spread more wildly and aggressively. I guess you have no idea whether you had it as a child to the extent of building up antibodies to it? You can have a blood test for this, as you can get chicken pox more than once if you haven't built up antibodies to it. But rather late now!
Thank you helixhelix,
Nothing special going on just a visit as they live so far away so only get to see them once a month. It's always good to visit when we have a Bank Holiday it means I get a day to recover before going to work on Tuesday. I love him very much but I am completely drained after a weekend with him. ! I remember asking my Mum many years ago if I had had chicken pox but she could remember, she said she can only remember me having Yellow Jaundice.
I don't want to pour cold water in your visit, but.........I had chicken pox as a child & before going on Mtx I had tests that proved I had the anti bodies.
In March this year out of the blue I had shingles .....luckily. I got the anti virals quickly & the rash only lasted about 3/4 weeks....but I was completely washed out & I couldn't have gone to work....5 months later I still have "pins & needles" headaches & don't feel 100%.
Can you wait a little while & then have a longer visit to compensate....or can you Skype.....kids love that!
Do think carefully.....shingles really can be very unpleasant.
I have just seen your post is 4 months old.......but mybe my tale of woe may save someone from catching shingles!
Hi Maggie
I had no memory of chicken pox as a child so my rheumy nurse said when I was on DMARDS that I should never knowingly put myself in the presence of someone with it. Before Biologics I had a blood test to see if I had had chickenpox in the past and apparently I had! it was a surprise to me.
Chickenpox as an adult or shingles are no joke and because our immune system is under the influence of DMARDS or Biologics we have to be very very careful.
I have two grandchildren who I adore and so I know how hard a decision this is for you. We want to spend as much time with them as we can but chicken pox is very infectious. Suggest you talk to your rheumy nurse or GP for advice.
Can you do Skype or FaceTime instead? Know it is not the same but may be a safer choice.
BG
Please don't take the risk! My late husband contracted this only a month after retirement and it was treated as an insect bite initially and antidote came too late to prevent the damage down the side of his face and neck. His pain was horrendous for months and he was left with scar craters when the black scabs dropped. We had been refused a home visit but as soon as we arrived at the practice, by taxi, the on-duty GP took one look at him and whipped him into a side room! The nerve damage was frightening.
I definately would not risk it, especially if you are on biologics. I have been told that if we get shingles or chickenpox whilst on biologics it can be extremely dangerous. If you have not had chickenpox you could easily catch it. Please be careful.
As I replied to Maggie I had chickenpox as a child & tests proved I have the antibodies now ....but I got shingles in March & I stil have the after effects 5 months later.
There is a vaccine for shingles for people over a certain age...70 I think. But you have to be EXACTL the right age to get it. Anyone who is worried should look on line to get the exact regulation,
Do take shingles seriously it's very nasty for a long time after the rash disappears.
bells ringing in the back of my mind. If on Methotrxate if you are known to have been put in the area where someone has chicken pox you have to go to the doctors. Anyone else remember this?
Yes I remember that.....but I had the antibodies & still got shingles! So what went wrong there?
Was the test result wrong,? I know 100% I had shingles- I have the scars on my face to prove it......but still I got shingles.
To my knowledge I wasn't in contact with anybody with chickenpox or shingles but still I caught it!
So Beware folks!
AC
Many Thanks to all of you for your help with this , you have offered such sound advice and I am really grateful. I rang the NRAS helpline and they too helped me. I won't be going to see my Grandson this weekend, it just isn't worth the risk, especially as I am having a flare up. I am so glad I joined this site with all the lovely people that are on here 
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