Bugger......... Chickenpox :(

[steveadl]

Wish I'd taken that vaccine when I heard about it a year ago!

Anyway, does anyone know if my fiancee who has had it twice already as a child could still be a carrier even if she doesn't get them again herself? She needs to see some people this week, but if she could pass it on to them, can't risk it.

 

[Nards]

Ahh poor thing - chicken pox as an adult can be nasty - for some reason it is often more severe in adults..no idea why..

As far as I know your fiancee shouldn't get them again...if she is still carrying the virus it is most likely to manifest in her as Shingles, but I think this would be only if she still has the virus being carried latent in her body, not because she caught it from you..I would say she is safe to get out and about. You, however, are contagious from a few days prior to the blisters appearing (ie you have probably already infected unvaccinated people! ) until the blisters scab over and dry out
Check out http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/BHCV2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Chickenpox?OpenDocument for a better explanation.

Get out the calamine and DONT SCRATCH unless you want scars!

Cheers, Nadia

 

[moyjos]

Definately get out the calamine. and a paintbrush!! I literaly PAINTED my daughter when she has chicken pox.

Also cornflour in a luke warm bath can help.

Good luck.
Sue

 

[INVSTOR]

My daughter had chicken pox and two weeks later, as she began to scab up she got a new batch of blisters. Three years later she got it again. I took her to the GP and he was concerned she could get it a third time. He recommended to get a blood test to see if she had built up immunity. I'd ring a couple of doctors for their opinion.

 

[silversands]

Hey Steve,

ooooohh yuck!

Had them when I was 16. Apparently the older you are, the worse you seem to get them. We lived in a tiny sweatbox house with no insulation or airconditioning and it was a 40 degree heatwave week. Almost went crazy as the heat exaserbates (spelling?) itching. Theres a product at chemists and health shops called pinetarsol. Dab it on neat for relief or put it in a bath. Also phenergan(antihistamene) tablets over counter at chemist should help fight the urge to itch. At least temperature is damn near freezing here in Adelaide so that ought to help!

On the up side, a bit of forced time off work never hurt anyone!

Regards Jodie

 

[Pushka]

Ah springtime! I had them as an adult the Show week too! Springtime is the season for CP! The main risk is if you have contact with people undergoing cancer treatment, otherwise CP is pretty rampant at the moment. I dont think your Fiancee can give them to other people unless she is 'active'.

 

[Rob Williams]

Hey Steve, think we might cancel that Hot Chocolate "man date" for another time

 

[steveadl]

Thanks for the tips and well wishes everyone.

Nards, thanks for the link.

Pushka, really - spring time? Don't know who the hell gave it to me, but I come into contact with hundreds of people a week at work, so will never know.

Rob, fair enough mate Looks like I'll be missing your presentation next Tues though

 

[steveadl]

Meanwhile, only been home for 3hrs and starting to feel frustrated! Don't like breaks in my routine!

On the bright side, Magnum PI Season 8 is due out this Wednesday - so that will keep me occupied for a bit

 

[aaarghhh]

Hello

Did you visit a quack? They'd probably give you good advice as well...

 

[steveadl]

Yeah saw a doctor first thing this morning, but didn't ask about my fiancee as that only came up after.

Was hoping the doc. would give me something eg. antibiotics or something to perhaps speed up the process and get me back to work, but she didn't.

 

[Pushka]

Meanwhile, only been home for 3hrs and starting to feel frustrated! Don't like breaks in my routine!

Hmm, sorry to say this but give it a few hours and you will be glad of the break coz you won't feel like doing anything. Calamine is the best, but it is very cold to apply so warm it up by placing the bottle in warm water before you POUR it on the blisters.

I was 30 when I had it, then after two weeks I had given it to my five year old, who then gave it to my 12 month old! So we had 6 weeks of the pox! That was August-September a few years ago.

CP is a virus, not a bacterium, so no antibiotics for you!

 

[silversands]

Hey Pushka,

No kidding?? Warm it up? I found that putting pinetarsol really cold i.e. straight from the fridge gave better relief. The colder the better? However will note your advice, in case my little one brings cp home from school as it's sweeping her class at the moment also. Who knows maybe warm calamine would be better?

See Steve, who needs doctors when you've got SS!

 

[steveadl]

Ha, been ok so far, but if you guys keep talking about the itching I'll probably start!

So far I'm trying to keep busy and that distracts from the itching (sitting her doing my BAS). I can feel it itching mainly on my head, but have not succumbed yet...... fingers crossed!

 

[Pushka]

Hey Silversands, I think I had a fever with the CP, the cold calamine made me shiver too much. The first signs I had of CP (although I didnt know it at the time) was a very sore throat. The Doc said she thought it was herpes but within a day, I got the blisters around my trunk. So I rang her and she said Yep, CP was a herpes zoster virus And the sore throat - was actually CP blisters! The itching should kick in by Wednesday Steve! The blisters come in waves; over the next three or four days you will get more and more; these then break (and that is where the contagious fluids are :blech: ) and by then you will have another batch brewing.

 

[ethereal]

I am sure I remember when I got my kids vaccinated that the vaccine was supposed to provide immunity for 20 years. What happens after that? If it is worse for adults, perhaps it is better for kids to get the disease and be immune for life (usually).
I hope it doesn't get too bad for you Silversands. All the best with it you poor thing.

Louise

 

[tiger]

I think it is still recommended that kids get it as it is worse for adults. My partner got it when he was 29 or so, it was horrible. I'm glad i got it as a kid, though of course you can actually get it twice anyway.

 

[Nards]

I am sure I remember when I got my kids vaccinated that the vaccine was supposed to provide immunity for 20 years. What happens after that? If it is worse for adults, perhaps it is better for kids to get the disease and be immune for life (usually).

Louise

Being vaccinated against chicken pox is as much to protect those who are increased risk from chicken pox - ie pregnant women, very young infants and the immuno-compromised. It also help prevent a much nastier manifestation of the virus - Shingles. Even if the vaccine doens't give full immunity the chicken-pox infection will be much reduced in severity. Apparently about 15 people a year (in Aust) die of chicken pox and shingles infections.

If you aren't vaccinated by age 14, you will generally have your immunity checked before immunisation as many will be immune even though they have no recollection of the infection. I think you will require 2 vaccinations a month or 2 apart to achieve a good level of immunity.

Cheers, Nadia

 

[Jimmyjamjars]

I got shingles of the face and eye in August last year, nearly lost the eyesight in my right eye as it grabbed hold of the Trigeminal nerve, absolute agony and wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, not that I have any enemies Got pumped full of IV Acyclovir, 3 vials a day for a week then a month of drugs including Oxycontin, not nice. The worst part is the Post Herpetic Neuralgia.

JIM

 

[Pushka]

Hey JimmyJJ, shingles is an incredibly painful complication, especially in the eye. My partner had it on his side. Were you run down at the time? That seems to be when shingles takes hold. Oxycontin is hillbilly heroin - I had some when I had some major surgery, and didnt notice anything at all, it wasn't even good at controlling pain. Go figure!

Also, has Steve posted today? Maybe not a good sign for him; although it is a lovely day in Adelaide, maybe he has just gone for a walk, a very long walk....