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Chickenpox and shingles

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  • 04-05-2017 8:24pm
    #1
    pajoguy
    Registered Users Posts: 825 ✭✭✭


    Just looking for some advice.
    My youngest daughter, age 3, has just developed the spots from chicken pox in the last 24 hours. Her sister age 5 developed the spots exactly 14 days ago so kind of glad in a way as it will be done with.
    My question is, is there any risk of my parents getting shingles if I was to visit them. My mother had cancer 15 years ago and went through chemo so her immune system might not be the greatest but she is in the full of her health now thank god.
    I have googled but not getting anything definitive.
    Thanks.


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    #2
    January
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,862 ✭✭✭✭January


    pajoguy wrote: »
    Just looking for some advice.
    My youngest daughter, age 3, has just developed the spots from chicken pox in the last 24 hours. Her sister age 5 developed the spots exactly 14 days ago so kind of glad in a way as it will be done with.
    My question is, is there any risk of my parents getting shingles if I was to visit them. My mother had cancer 15 years ago and went through chemo so her immune system might not be the greatest but she is in the full of her health now thank god.
    I have googled but not getting anything definitive.
    Thanks.

    Apparently you can't catch shingles from someone with chicken pox but you can get chicken pox from someone with shingles


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    #3
    pajoguy
    Registered Users Posts: 825 ✭✭✭pajoguy


    January wrote: »
    Yes it's possible to catch shingles from chicken pox

    Thanks for the reply.
    Just to clarify you are saying that my parents could contract shingles even if only in contact with me?


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    #4
    Kalimah
    Registered Users Posts: 1,186 ✭✭✭Kalimah


    From what I remember the virus that causes chicken pox lies dormant in the body after the illness has passed. If you have ever had chicken pox and are exposed to the chicken pox virus again you might develop shingles.
    If you have never had chicken pox and are exposed to the virus you might develop chicken pox. It happened to my sister as a 21 year old and it was quite severe. It can also be very severe if you are immuno compromised.
    If it was me I'd be inclined to keep your little ones away from your Mam for a couple of weeks.


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    #5
    Cheshire Cat
    Registered Users Posts: 2,277 ✭✭✭Cheshire Cat


    As far as I know shingles are caused by the chicken pox virus which can lie dormant in your body after you had chicken pox. I.e. You can only get shingles if you had chicken pox before. This dormant virus can be reactivated when your immune system is lowered for whatever reason. I don't think that contact with somebody who has chicken pox would do that.
    However, to be on the safe side I'd give your GP a quick ring!


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    #6
    Queenalocin
    Registered Users Posts: 175 ✭✭Queenalocin


    Some useful information here: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Chickenpox/Pages/Introduction.aspx#complications

    Chicken Pox is contagious until all of the spots are crusted over so you would be better to keep the kids away until then.
    It isn't so much chicken pox itself you need to worry about, it is the risk of her getting shingles from contact and then running into complications from shingles.


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    #7
    Millem
    Registered Users Posts: 7,729 ✭✭✭Millem


    Cheshire Cat wrote: »
    As far as I know shingles are caused by the chicken pox virus which can lie dormant in your body after you had chicken pox. I.e. You can only get shingles if you had chicken pox before. This dormant virus can be reactivated when your immune system is lowered for whatever reason. I don't think that contact with somebody who has chicken pox would do that.
    However, to be on the safe side I'd give your GP a quick ring!

    This is exactly what I was told too by gp :)


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    #8
    freshpopcorn
    Registered Users Posts: 30,558 ✭✭✭✭freshpopcorn


    I got shingles a few years ago and the only advice I can give you is go to the GP straight away if you you think you've developed them. The GP gave me a great thing and they cleared up fast. I know when I got them I had them a few days(Thought they weird spots at the start.) I was in a lot of contact with my family and nobody else got them!


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    #9
    Orion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,807 ✭✭✭✭Orion


    pajoguy wrote: »
    My mother had cancer 15 years ago and went through chemo so her immune system might not be the greatest but she is in the full of her health now thank god.

    This wouldn't be a concern. Your immune system recovers within a month after chemo finishes so her chemo 15 years ago will have no impact now.

    That said the other advice on the thread is still sound - chicken pox is contagious for a couple of days before the spots appear and until they are scabbed over - 6 to 7 day after the spots appear. Best to keep everyone away from them until then.


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