Hi all, my 4 year old daughter has got chickenpox, the spots have appeared this morning..........will this affect me in any way?? I've had a headache for the past 3 days and now I'm worried about the virus attacking me. Does anyone know if this can happen and what I should do?? ThanksHave you had chickenpox already?
Either as a child or adult?
From what I know if you've had it then you can't get it twice. It's a one off like measles and mumps can be.
If you haven't then yes, I would say you probably susceptible to it but that doesn't mean you will get it just because daughter has it.
Hi Cordelia, I had chickenpox as a child, but with having a compromised immune system I'm worried that it could still have an effect, possibly shingles??
Well, I think that is good that you had it. I had it as a child too. My six year old daughter hasn't, so finger crossed. I suppose yes, with a compromised immune system like we deal with anything is possible. Hopefully someone else may have had some real experience with this or maybe a quick call to your doctor's with this questions may ease your worries.
I hope daughter gets better quickly and that you remain problem free.
It's not like I'm A doctor or anything, but if memory serves, the chicken pox virus stays in your body forever. it's the same virus that causes shingles. Anyway, since it's been in your body all this time, I doubt you'd reactivate it now. Oh, Aveeno oatmeal baths are great for the itching!!
^ the virus does stay in your body forever. I have had the chicken pox three times when I was 8, 10, and 12 and shingles when I was 24 (but only for 5 days, I got lucky), I don't know if that is because my immune system is a freak or what, but I doubt that it would reactivate for you again. My grandma has RA and was a nurse for 40 years, around people with chicken pox everyday and she never got it again, so I wouldn't worry too much.
The research supports several other studies that have found similar results, but so far, none of the studies have been able to determine whether the arthritis drugs are the reason for the increased risk of developing shingles or whether people who need to take these drugs have increased disease severity and whether that disease severity is the factor. One theory is that people with RA have a compromised immune system, even without the drugs, so they may be more likely to contract chicken pox or shingles from the varicella-zoster virus. The researchers concluded that more research should be completed to determine whether the risk is associated with RA disease severity or with certain RA medications. They also called for further study of the risk of complications from shingles among RA patients.
< ="" ="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/cm.ver.ra/rheumatoidarthritis;t=none;h=seniorhealth;%21category=right_expand;comp=;tile=3;sz=336x280;ord=97415916?"> Herpes zoster is also known as shingles and is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chicken pox in children and adults. People contract the virus by having direct contact with someone with active virus. It is estimated that more than 90% of adults in the US have had a varicella-zoster virus infection, and are therefore at risk of developing herpes zoster / shingles as adults. After a person gets chicken pox as a child, the virus stays in the body, but goes dormant in the nerve tracts that come from the spine. Many years later it can then reemerge as shingles in adults. The triggers are factors such as aging, stress and an impaired immune system. However, adults who haven't had chicken pox as a child or the varicella-zoster vaccine can also develop chicken pox as adults, which can be very painful and severe. Shingles are more common in adults over 60 years old, in children who had chickenpox before the age of one year, and in individuals whose immune system is weakened. It is a common disorder and the NIH estimates that up to 1 million people develop shingles each year.
According to Medline Plus (Part of the National Library of Medicine), the typical rash consists of red patches of skin with small blisters. The rash often increases over the next 3 to 5 days. Then, the blisters break, forming small ulcers that begin to dry and form crusts. The crusts fall off in 2 to 3 weeks, leaving behind pink healing skin. Shingles rarely reoccur. Lesions typically appear along a single dermatome, meaning the area of skin around that particular spinal nerve and are only on one side of the body. The trunk is most often affected, but lesions can also occur on the neck or face including the mouth or the eye.
Thanks guys for all the feedback!!
Boney..........I'm on Plaquenil
hi may i wonderd if you were on pednisone..