Chicken pox

[ludo]

Hi Im on mychophenolate and predisolone for GPA. My grandson has developed chicken pox. Should I avoid contact with him. I have had chicken pox and shingles in childhood.

[Hidden]

Hi ludo,

I would avoid him to be on the safe side. Although you should be immune having had chickenpox in the past there is no guarantee that you won't catch it again. Chickenpox can be very nasty in the immunosupressed.

Your grandson is contagious till his spots completely scab over. He would have been contagious for a few days before the spots appeared as well so if you do get any symptoms then you need to get anti vitals from your GP as soon as possible.

Hope this helps

Keyes

[ludo in reply to Hidden]

Many thanks for your advice Keyes. It's much appreciated.

Looks like I best stay clear for a while.

Best wishes

[julsno]

I would keep away until he is not infectious.

[ludo in reply to julsno]

Yes thanks Judsno I guess for advise

[ludo]

Sorry Judsno that was meant to read thanks for advise. I best stay away, especially as I'm just recovering from a chest infection. Hope you are keeping well.

Regards Ludo

[KirstyW1999]

HI ludo,

Whilst having Cyclophosamide infussions. My Grandson visited with the family, we where unaware he was carrying chickenpox, until the spots came out a day later. I called the clinic and they advised a blood test to check my immunity. Fortunately my immunity was o.k.

So I didn't have to take anti virals.

I think it's best to stay away as you are vulnerable.

Hope you recover quickly from your chest infection.

[ludo in reply to KirstyW1999]

Good to hear you didn't develope chicken pox Kirsty that's reassuring. Thank you

[PCAD]

Hi, stay well clear without a shadow of doubt, but you still might need to act quickly if signs of chicken pox appear. I say this all from my own experiences.

I started Pred in Jan 2013 and was aware of the warnings about chicken pox (which I had as a 10 yr old). Two weeks later my daughter caught chicken pox with the spots appearing whilst I was working away. I was immediately advised to come home by GP and consultant (given the nature of the close contact in incubation period), but even before I left to return spots started to appear. Long period on anti viral medication followed, and although it stopped the chicken pox, the whole episode had a negative impact on my overall health problems.

[ludo in reply to PCAD]

Gosh thank you for that. makes me realise how serious it can be. Hope your health is much better now.

Best wishes Ludo

[vivdunstan Volunteer]

Yes stay away from him until he is no longer infectious, because there is a chance you could catch it again.

I never had chickenpox as a child, and caught it in 1998 as a newly immunosuppressed 25-year-old adult. It was a medical emergency. I was rushed to the local infectious diseases hospital unit, and put into isolation for a week, on anti-viral drips. I was told that I only just got there in time - and we rushed! I was lucky to survive. Chickenpox can kill adults, even healthy ones, never mind immunosuppressed ones.

12 years later I developed shingles, which was much more painful, but less life-threatening. You cannot catch shingles from someone else with chickenpox or shingles. Shingles is where an old chickenpox infection in your own body reactivates, sometimes due to stress or infection, and often due to immunosuppression. But chickenpox is the really dangerous one.

Good luck!

[ludo in reply to vivdunstan]

Many thanks. Sounds like you were lucky to get there on time. I didn't realise until this posting there were anti-viral medications available. Fingers crossed I don't get it. I will certainly stay away until the all clear.

Best wishes

[AndrewT]

Dear ludo,

Basically the answer to your question is.....YES definitely. I was advised to avoid Chickenpox-even though I have had it-as it can be DANGEROUS. I was told, and this has been confirmed by my GP, that if I have contact with anyone who has got, or recently had, chickenpox then I need to have 'anti-virals as quickly as possible. Sorry to be so dramatic but it WAS impressed, on me, this much! Surely your Grandson can 'survive', for a few weeks anyway.

Take him, indeed all the family, out for a lovely meal in a months time. I'm quite sure that he will 'forgive' you.

AndrewT

[ludo in reply to AndrewT]

Gosh didn't realise how serious chicken pox could be with a suppressed immune system. Thanks Andrew T.

I was supposed to have my grandson for the weekend whilst his parents go to a wedding that's why it was so important to me to know.

It's all coming across loud and clear to avoid contact with him so sadly I won't be able to.

Thanks for reply. Best wishes Ludo

[braindamage]

If you do get it, you should ask your GP for antiviral medication. I had it twice since being diagnosed with WG.

[ludo in reply to braindamage]

Your advice is much appreciated. Thanks

[Tony-LakeDistrict]

Hi If you have chicken pox as a child then you carry the shingles virus for the rest of your life, held at bay by the immune system. if your immunity is suppressed, then shingles can appear, it happened to me 6 weeks into my treatment.

Tony

[ludo]

Many thanks tony your reply makes sense now I think about it.

Best wishes Ludo