Chicken pox

[Ambler54]

Inhave just come off pednisalone after 4 years…would I be at risk if I went and helped with a granddaughter with chicken pox

[Nextoneplease]

Hello Ambler 😊

I do sympathise with your situation, you must be longing to get back to ‘full functioning’ after getting off pred!

I’m afraid I can’t answer your specific question about chicken pox as I always find this confusing myself. However I do know that our immune systems remain somewhat suppressed for a while after coming off pred - I understand it can take several months to a year to build up to normal 😟

I hope someone will be along soon to address the chicken pox issue - I’ll be interested in this too - got my Shingrix jab later this week. Have you had the shingles vaccination by the way?

All the best x

[Ambler54 in reply to Nextoneplease]

Thanks for that. I had shingles pre polymyalgia, all down one side of my face,lovely…… there seems to be no definitive answer to the chicken pox issue anywhere.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Ambler54]

You have had CP, you aren't likely to get CP as such but it COULD poke your immune system to allow shingles again. And that could happen with or without pred. As soon as the blisters are all scabbed over, that will be fine and the most infectious point is in the 24 hours BEFORE the first spot appears. How long has she had it?

[Ambler54 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you…she is on day five and pickled….but I did think as I have had CP I would probably be okay, especially as I have been below 5 mg for the last 6 months so a really low dose of pred.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Ambler54]

As you say - no definitive answers. The most likely definitive answer would come from someone saying don't risk it. But each day that passes reduces the risk anyway and you are probably getting there!

[Nextoneplease in reply to PMRpro]

So is the point not so much that being on pred makes us more likely to get shingles - but more that if we do get it, we are more likely to be more ill? Unless we get antivirals pronto?

[MrsNails in reply to Nextoneplease]

From Nice cks.nice.org.uk/topics/chic...

Adults are almost always much worse if they catch CP so if you are very Immunocompromised the risk is greater even if you have CP Antibodies.

Personally l’d Avoid It - we avoided Charlotte but had no idea Theo was brewing it - l had to have my bloods done & luckily l still have Antbodies 🙏🏼

Information from the NHS

[Nextoneplease in reply to MrsNails]

Thank you MrsN 😊 I think it’s the last paragraph that would apply to me x

Hope Theo’s doing well.

[MrsNails in reply to Nextoneplease]

He’s much better - he developed cerebellitis as well so we were really worried but he bounced back 🙏🏼

[Nextoneplease in reply to MrsNails]

Oh thank goodness 🙏xx

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Nextoneplease]

As MrsN's post shows - the shingles problem is probably because the immune system being suppressed allows the virus to resurge which is what causes the shingles symptoms. That can happen anyway - but I'd assume pred probably makes it more likely. But as MrsN' says, having CP as an adult can be a very nasty experience anyway.

[Nextoneplease in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks PMRpro 😊

[MrsNails in reply to PMRpro]

I can attest to that - my boys gave me the CP - l was so poorly & the boys were running around with it. The GP came in everyday to see Martin because of his allergy risks but he was fine - not so much me 😢

[Karenjaninaz in reply to Nextoneplease]

I was very ill despite getting the antivirals right when the rash emerged.I had terrible pain for 3 weeks.

[jinasc]

Short answer is Yes..................Even if you had never been on Pred, If you had chicken pox as a child - you can get shingles and I can tell you it is horrible. So as much as you love your Grandchild - stay away for the time being.

This tells you when it is infectious and when it is not.

nhs.uk/conditions/chickenpo...

[Nextoneplease in reply to jinasc]

Hi jinasc 😊

Thanks for this. What I don’t understand is that down the ages, parents and carers have looked after children with chicken pox, without getting chicken pox or shingles themselves…..I did so myself, and had had chicken pox as a child. So is the risk we refer to, related to reduced ability to withstand infection, whether because of age, frailty or medications like pred? Are the 30-40 year olds less at risk than older/immunosuppressed people?

I’ll get to grips with this one day!! 🤞

[jinasc in reply to Nextoneplease]

No idea at all.

I had chicken pox as a child, then shingles around 60 and then GCA and around 2 years later, still on 20mg.......... a visitor (a Grandma( came and she told me she had been looking after her grandchildren (two of them).

Next day, pain in hip and little red marks. I called my GP, and she came out quickly (they did look after me when I had GCA, I was lucky). She took one look, rang the chemist and for the 'stuff' that stops it in its tracks, if taken within 24 hours - chemist delivered it within 1 hour and it worked.

Sometimes, I just think it is 'pot luck'. When you get to grips with it, please let me know.

BTW Shingrix was not around at that time.

[Nextoneplease in reply to jinasc]

Glad you had such a good GP (and chemist) 😊

Perhaps the main takeaways are to avoid children with chickenpox (and their parents/carers) where possible, and if we do suspect shingles, to contact GP for antivirals absolutely asap!

And that’s about as far as I’ve got in practical terms….😉x

[Ambler54 in reply to jinasc]

Thats worth knowing…..I have had chicken pox, as a child, and shingles a few years ago …..anyway as it happens my Daughter feels its not worth the risk and they will cope…..I just feel terrible as they have had it hard…baby was born just before first lock down , first baby, and they have had to cope for long periods with only phone help…as soon as we could travel we parked on the drive in the motorhome so we could be there without staying in the house and we have had a few periods of what could be called normal times re visiting etc..now I can't go and help again…..the baby is now 2 1/2 and she hasnt yet seen one health visitor, its not a concern as she is doing brilliantly but the lack of support from any health service has been concerning….how many children who are not so well looked after have fallen through the web…..

[Nextoneplease in reply to Ambler54]

This is so frustrating isn’t it? 😟

I do sympathise, I have two grandchildren in London, one six months old at lockdown, and one just four months old now. I’ve seen so much less of them than I have of our five year old grandson, who both lives locally and who was just three at lockdown in 2020. I hate not being involved in their lives and I know we all feel it…..and as you say, it’s been complicated by PMR, pred etc. What can I say other than chin up…..hopefully brighter days may be to come 😊☀️xx

[MrsNails]

I’ve written a couple of Posts on CP in the last couple of weeks - as l was in close contact with my baby Grandson the day before his rash came out….I’ve had to have blood tests & stop my MTX due to the risk to me, l had my Blood Tested for Antibodies to CP which has come back positive - so that was good news for me. But l still have a ‘script just to be on the safe side! 🙏🏼

We avoided our Grandaughter when she had the Chicken ‘Pops’ just to be on the safe side.

[Ambler54]

I have just managed to speak to my doctors surgery….as I have had CP and been on a low dose and now off pred….then I should be okay