Advice

[Samjane]

Quick question for anyone to answer...I’m a supervisor in a children’s nursery and in my room we look after 1-2 year olds. Well today we have had 3 off poorly with chickenpox and sent one home with this afternoon. Do I need to ring my nurse/hospital? I’m due my last chemo next Tuesday.

Thank you lovelies xxx

[Caroles1]

Hi Hun, I would, I am 3 years NED and get anything my 1 and 4 year old grandkids come in contact with.

I am sure if you tell them they will be able to check via bloods if you are storing any virus.

Better to be safe and not waste your last chemo,

Best wishes,

Carole xx

[Samjane in reply to Caroles1]

Yes I thought same too, I’ll ring them in the morning, thank you.

Sam xx

[Kryssy]

Hi ya! So pleased you've got to the end of your treatment as we started together. I fell by the wayside but it's ok as I'm still in the race. The one thing I would say is get a shingles shot as the alternative is a nightmare. I wish I had known about it before chemo. My shingles has lingered on for months and still shows no sign of going, despite all the medication. There's a new jab now called Shingrix which does not contain live cells so you won't get a dose of the pox. It is available in UK so rattle some doors and don't accept the old vacine - Zostavax - which has live cells in it. The only hurdle I see is that you don't look anywhere near over 50 which means you may have to beg a bit, but you obviously have a weakened immune system because of the chemo so with a sympathetic GP and a bit of luck you'll be eligibile. Good luck my lovely and well done for enduring the chemo course. xxxxxxx

[Seasun36-uk in reply to Kryssy]

Hi Kryssy,

I asked about the shingles vac here (uk). They seem very strict. Have to be 70 & they only seem to have the live vac. Apparently that can make you quite ill? So...cleft stick etc. Lxx

[Kryssy in reply to Seasun36-uk]

You are probably right. I've done a bit of digging and found this - fleetstreetclinic.com/news/... - shame really. Looks like it's the private route or take a chance. It's available here privately and should be covered by the system in a year. If I had known I was at risk of shingles then I would have sought out the vaccine as I'm fed up with it now. It's causing my peripheral neuropathy to flare in my fingers and toes too so I'm back on the Alpha Lipoic Acid and that's helping. Oh well, I assumed again. Doh! But, it's for the over 50s not 70s. xxxx

[Seasun36-uk in reply to Kryssy]

Thanks for looking into it Kryssy xx

[January-2016-UK]

I know you need to make contact with your doctor if you come into contact with someone with shingles and we are told to avoid those with shingles. Not sure if chicken pox is the same, but it would be wiser to ring and check I think.

[Neona]

I believe there might be an issue with chicken pox if you are on steroids- worth checking.

[lorraine71-Australia]

Hi , As Kryssy said i would talk to your team or GP about the shingles vaccine especially working with children, i did not know about shingle and had it on my face,it was like a electric shook straight to my eye, it's been a few month and i still have side effects i now see a eye specialist.

Good news about your last chemo I hope you get you good results, take care of yourself Lorraine xx

[Minihoncho51]

Have to say you should stay clear of anyone with as much as a cold

It takes a while for your immune system to build up to near normal

Again, inform your doctor for blood checks, stay safe,

[Anne-2]

Hi!

I work in a Nursery too and have to be careful if my asthma plays up and I'm put on steroids- have to avoid chicken pox.

Hope you don't get it!

Love

Anne x

[Samjane]

Thanks everyone. Rang nurse and she said I should be ok as I’ve had chickenpox just to be careful. Turns out some of them had hand foot and mouth instead! Oh the joys of working with children! Good job I love it xx