1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Polymyalgia Rheumatica and GCA

Chicken pox

Posted , 12 users are following.

tricia11872
tricia11872

To my knowledge I have never had chicken pox. I have been taking Pred for three years and am now down to 3mgs from 15. My granddaughter is with me with chicken pox. Should I be worried please??

Tricia.

0 likes, 24 replies

24 Replies

Next
  • tricia11872
    tricia11872

    Posted

    May I add that people keep telling me that I could have had it mildly and not noticed or immune to this virus.

    Tricia.

  • JandaPea
    JandaPea tricia11872

    Posted

    I am an 83 year old man. PMR for 5 years, 11mgs Pred trying to reduce. SLOWLY. 28th.December 2015 I noticed a slight itchiness in my left eyebrow. Two days later half my forehead my left eyelid and scalp were covered in pustules which later burst and scabbed over. I did not know what it was and felt really bad, it was the New Year holiday everywhere was closed, I managed to get an appointment with a Doctor on 5th January, she at once diagnosed HERPES ZOSTER or Shingles caused by the chicken pox virus which apparently has been lurking in my body for years. ( I cannot remember having had the disease).

    Too late for any anti viral medicine, just pain killers and grin and bear it! I now have post herpetic neuralgia for which I am treating with Lidocaine plasters and pain killers. I have a photograph of the affliction when it was at its worse, but I will not post it, it could frighten horses!! 

    I do hope that you do not catch this horrid disease Tricia. Please watch out for any symptoms as I described.

    Good luck

    • angelcake61
      angelcake61 JandaPea

      Posted

      Ouch !!! I think it's probably the worst place you can get it and of course can do damage to your eye.   I hope the pain goes away soon.

      take care 

  • nick67069
    nick67069 tricia11872

    Posted

    At our age, assuming that you are over 60, it would be a miracle that you did not have it as a child. There was no vaccine at that time, no alternative.  You could be tested for chickenpox antibodies, but if youhave spent any time with your granddaughter, you would be infected by now anyway.  Incubation is 1-2weeks usually somethimes a bit longer.
  • tina-uk_cwall
    tina-uk_cwall tricia11872

    Posted

    Tricia, the chicken pox virus is highly contagious for anyone. You say that your granddaughter is with you and has chicken pox? I am assuming that she is at the non contagious stage because if she isn't, granddaughter or not she wouldn't be at my house. We have a lowered immune system as it is and if you read anywhere about our condition and taking preds we are advised to stay clear of the infection. There is currently an outbreak of chicken pox in Great Britain. Regards, tina

     

  • EileenH
    EileenH tricia11872

    Posted

    At what stage of her chicken-pox is she? When did it start?

    Yes, you could have had it but it isn't a given even at our age - I discovered when my younger daughter had it that my mother-in-law had NOT had it and neither had my brother - he definitely had not had it as he caught it a few years later from a work colleague. 

    If it has started this weekend then you are considerable risk of catching it if you haven't had it. If she had already developed it a few days ago and all the scabs are crusted over she is probably no longer infectious.

    However - if any symptoms, however mild, appear in about 10 days (14 to 21 days from the first symptoms), you should immediately go to the GP and get antiviral medication which should reduce the severity of the attack. It might be an idea to tell the GP in the meantime so they can be ready - if it happens in the evening or at a weekend especially you must act quickly, the antivirals will only work within a very short period of time after the symptoms start, about 24 to a maximum of 48 hours. As far as I know it doesn't work to take the antivirals now, prophylactically.

    You are at least on a very low dose of pred and it won't be suppressing your immune system as much as if you were on a higher dose. But be watchful - chicken pox in adults can be very nasty, even occasionally requiring hospitalisation, whether the person is on immunosuppresants or not.

    • EileenH
      EileenH

      Posted

      PS - I forgot to say that the warning on the pred data sheet about avoiding chicken pox and shingles are purely BECAUSE people don't know and if they haven't had it there is a risk. It is less important if you have already had CP - but that doesn't rule out you developing shingles as they don't really know what reactivates the virus which has been dormant in nerve endings in the meantime.
    • tricia11872
      tricia11872 EileenH

      Posted

      Thank you Eileen. My granddaughters spots are still developing and have not crusted over yet.

      tricia.

    • EileenH
      EileenH tricia11872

      Posted

      In which case I'd speak to the doctor on Monday so he can't say he didn't know if you DO have some spots next week!
    • EileenH
      EileenH tricia11872

      Posted

      In which case I'd speak to the doctor on Monday so he can't say he didn't know if you DO have some spots next week!
    • Buffy61
      Buffy61 EileenH

      Posted

      There is also ZIG zoster immune globulin injection that one can get if exposed to chicken pox. I know this is offered to children and medical health workers if exposed to CP. Maybe TA could check with her doctor if she would be a good candidate for this as she is on prednisone and if elderly.

      And alas, this child is at highly infectious stage until scabs crust over.

  • steve_1
    steve_1 tricia11872

    Posted

    I developed shingleson my neck and shoulder about 10  years ago and have suffered with post herpetic neuralgia since, which I treat quite successfuly , with opioid pain killers (Tramadol).

    I was diagnosed with PMR about 2 1/2 years ago so I'm also taking preds etc.

    The main problem I found was distinguishing whether the pain I suffered at any time was PHN or PMR so knowing what medication was appropriate was tricky.

    I learned in the end.

    I don't want to belittle either ailment but in my oppinion PHN is no where near as painful as PMR is in it's pre pred period and once the medication is sorted both are bearable, although unpleasant to some degree.

     

  • karenjaninaz
    karenjaninaz tricia11872

    Posted

    I had chicken pox as a child and also had the zostavax immunization- the US  vaccine against herpes zoster. I got a mild case of shingles on my chest. An antiviral ointment really gave relief to the small rash I had.

    was your granddaughter vaccinated? if so maybe her case will be mild.

  • artfingers
    artfingers tricia11872

    Posted

    Has this, I suspect, been discussed in another thread - whether or not we, with PMR, or any autoimmune disease, should be getting the shingles vaccine?  I think I recall that if you are on low doses of pred that maybe you could? I can't recall.  Aargh.
    • Anhaga
      Anhaga artfingers

      Posted

      No, you shouldn't even be exposed to people with shingles especially if you've never had chicken pox in the first place... If you haven't had chicken pox you certainly must not get a shingles vaccination (you wouldn't even be offered one), nor should anyone living in the same house as you.
    • EileenH
      EileenH artfingers

      Posted

      It depends on who you ask! It's alive vaccine so, technically, no you shouldn't have it while on pred. However - some experts suggest that if you are on a dose of below 10mg it is fine, other say under no circumstances!

      Personally I don't think I'd bother since the older you are the less effective it is anyway and if you have a compromised immune system then the chances are you are less likely to develop the immunity a vaccine is meant to develop. And in the UK they decided they'd start with the 70-80-year-olds who are the least likely to develop the immunity according to the studies they've done.

      There is a thread somewhere - I suppose you might find it with the search function.

    • artfingers
      artfingers Anhaga

      Posted

      Well, all five of us siblings had chicken pox, mumps, measles (thank God not polio) back in the 50's as kids so that chicken pox virus is in there, dormant.  I guess I'll wait for now.  I think the fact I take acyclovir to keep Herpes at bay, I suspect it may also keep the chicken pox virus at bay as well.  My mom Got shingles and it was horrible.  She was hospitalized and also quarantined at the time about 8 years ago.   One thing as a teacher of roughly 650 students at 2 schools, I get exposed to a ton of colds, flue, strep all kinds of stuff.  After the first couple years teaching where I had cold after cold, I haven't had a cold or flu (knock on wood) for ages.  I do wash my hands a LOT tho, smile.

       

    • EileenH
      EileenH artfingers

      Posted

      Acyclovir or something similar would be what you would be given if the spots appear I think. 

      You do realise that you've probably brought down the curse now?????? Like using the "Q" word if you are a paramedic...

    • Buffy61
      Buffy61 EileenH

      Posted

      ICU nurse here...never say the 'q' word!! 😂😂

      and yes acyclovir if spots come out and very sick. If not too sick usually let illness run its course.

      in immunocompromised person ZIG injection can be given before any spots if contact with confirmed CP case and risk of CP complications eg pneumonia or encephalitis 

    • EileenH
      EileenH Buffy61

      Posted

      Yes, I thought that was the difference - you don't use an antiviral prophylactically but ZIG can be. ZIG must be given within 10 days, preferably much sooner - but I can't see your average UK GP being too happy at giving it at IRO£500 per shot out of their budget when acyclovir is cheap as chips...
    • tricia11872
      tricia11872 EileenH

      Posted

      Acyclovir is only on prescription in the UK. So I have to wait. Fingers crossed.
    • EileenH
      EileenH tricia11872

      Posted

      Which is why you call out-of-hours when you realise what's going on - this counts as an emergency not routine and you don't need to wait a week for a GP appointment. I wouldn't say that to anyone "normal" with possible shingles - just to people on pred.
Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.