should I get cp vax for myself?

[JustSo]

I've never had the chicken pox as a kid (though I was exposed at least once - my little sister had it), and my varicella titer tests have come back negative twice in the past two years.

I have one toddler (2 1/2 yrs) and would like to become pregnant again soon. I do not want to vax my son and future child against chicken pox, so will most likely become exposed to it myself (quite possibly even during this upcoming planned pregnancy).

Should I get the cp vax or seek natural exposure? Is adult cp that bad? Which is worse adult cp or shingles??

I am so very confused. I'm very skeptical of all vaxes for my son (and have stopped vaxing him since he was about 6 mos - wish it were sooner!!), but for some reason think that I may need this cp vax for myself to protect my soon-to-be unborn child.

Any advice, experience, commiseration is most appreciated... thank you

[just_lily]

I don't have a lot of advice, but I am in the same position. No CP, no titres. I have decided not to vaccinate my current babe, but haven't made a definitive decision for myself.

If I was done having kids than it would be 100% no. But like yourself, my concern is future pregnancies. At this point I am about 90% No, 10% Yes.

With my luck, I would get the vax and end up with shingles.

[JustSo]

Originally Posted by just_lily

With my luck, I would get the vax and end up with shingles.

That would be me, too. I had a scare when I was pregnant with current DS. When I was about 5 mos pregnant, I met a friend for lunch. Right after we hugged hello, she sat down and said that she had shingles...imagine my reaction! Then she backtracked and said she wasn't sure that's what it was... she was mortified that I was mortified.

All turned out well, I didn't get cp, but I never did find out if she really had shingles, either (we lost contact )

[loveyourohana]

Talk to an ND I would look at the homeopathic vaccs before I put any chemicals in my body... just a thought, and something to look at if you decide to get a CP vaccine.

I am still sceptical of them at this point... but I think they are way way safer than traditional neurotoxins.

[peainthepod]

My friend had CP as an adult. It wasn't fun but it wasn't dangerous either. If I were in your shoes, I'd dose up on sodium ascorbate if my little one ever came down with CP or I thought they'd been exposed. I'd rather do that than inject myself with a bunch of scary preservatives and pathogens for dubious benefit.

Just my $0.02.

[jjawm]

Personally, I'd get the vax. I wouldn't want to risk it as an adult, or pregnant.

[JustSo]

Originally Posted by loveyourohana

Talk to an ND I would look at the homeopathic vaccs before I put any chemicals in my body... just a thought, and something to look at if you decide to get a CP vaccine.

I am still sceptical of them at this point... but I think they are way way safer than traditional neurotoxins.

That's something I hadn't considered... thanks for bringing it up. I'll look into it.

[mamakay]

Yeah, I'd probably get the vax.
I'm not a fan of universal baby/childhood immunization for cp, but I think the vax is useful in some cases, like kids about to undergo chemo, or in adults, especially women about to try to conceive.

[JustSo]

Originally Posted by mamakay

Yeah, I'd probably get the vax.
I'm not a fan of universal baby/childhood immunization for cp, but I think the vax is useful in some cases, like kids about to undergo chemo, or in adults, especially women about to try to conceive.

Thanks, mamakay. I appreciate everyone's input! (still trying to decide...)

[Marnica]

I would not get it. Its a live virus vaccine. It sheds and you could end up with CP anyway. I had CP as an adult. Not fun. I spent a week in the bathtub in oatmeal. But Id do that again 100 times over getting a vaccine that increases your chances of coming down with shingles that is much worse.

[JustSo]

Originally Posted by Marnica

I would not get it. Its a live virus vaccine. It sheds and you could end up with CP anyway. I had CP as an adult. Not fun. I spent a week in the bathtub in oatmeal. But Id do that again 100 times over getting a vaccine that increases your chances of coming down with shingles that is much worse.

but you could get shingles after contracting cp naturally, too... (still not sure what I'm going to do)

I was wondering if it sheds. Thanks for answering that for me. Just found out today that DH shows no immunity on a titer. He is NOT jazzed about possibly getting it. He is 41 yo and a healthy guy, but I don't think he wants to risk it.

We may do this: DH gets cp vax, DS and I get exposed to DH's potential shedding... and I spend a week in an oatmeal bath

[mamakay]

Originally Posted by Marnica

I would not get it. Its a live virus vaccine. It sheds and you could end up with CP anyway. I had CP as an adult. Not fun. I spent a week in the bathtub in oatmeal. But Id do that again 100 times over getting a vaccine that increases your chances of coming down with shingles that is much worse.

It doesn't individually increase YOUR chances of coming down with shingles. The increase in shingles is what happens with mass vaccination of babies and kids. It's a "mass epidemiological" phenomenon.

Here's a good, completely referenced breakdown on the relationship between the CP vax and shingles.
http://insidevaccines.com/wordpress/...-sure-why-not/

The vax itself can be good and useful. It's the way it's recommended (universally) that's the problem. A TTC woman with a non-immune kid is the perfect situation this vax should be intended for.

[Livviesmom0207]

I'm 30 and I've never had CP. I got the vaccine about 6 years ago as a condition of employment. I had an allergic reaction to the vaccine.

DD is unvaxed completely. I decided to look for CP for DD this year so I got my titres checked-I'm NOT immune. The vax didn't work.

I wouldn't do it. I still don't know what the heck I'm going to do about this!

[RomanGoddess]

I would get the vaccine. No, it is not always effective but it often is. CP as an adult is gross. You get it on your genitals. Eww. And then there is the pregnancy risk. No thanks. Give me the toxins.

[JustSo]

Originally Posted by RomanGoddess

I would get the vaccine. No, it is not always effective but it often is. CP as an adult is gross. You get it on your genitals. Eww. And then there is the pregnancy risk. No thanks. Give me the toxins.

laughup

yuck about the genitals. I didn't know that.

[JustSo]

Originally Posted by Livviesmom0207

I'm 30 and I've never had CP. I got the vaccine about 6 years ago as a condition of employment. I had an allergic reaction to the vaccine.

DD is unvaxed completely. I decided to look for CP for DD this year so I got my titres checked-I'm NOT immune. The vax didn't work.

I wouldn't do it. I still don't know what the heck I'm going to do about this!

Sorry to hear that you had a reaction. Was it serious?

Despite the reaction, do you think the vax "worked" for a time, but then wore off after 6 yrs? I thought I read somewhere that cp boosters should happen every 5 yrs (which is a lot, I think)

[JustSo]

Originally Posted by mamakay

It doesn't individually increase YOUR chances of coming down with shingles. The increase in shingles is what happens with mass vaccination of babies and kids. It's a "mass epidemiological" phenomenon.

Here's a good, completely referenced breakdown on the relationship between the CP vax and shingles.
http://insidevaccines.com/wordpress/...-sure-why-not/

Great article.

The vax itself can be good and useful. It's the way it's recommended (universally) that's the problem. A TTC woman with a non-immune kid is the perfect situation this vax should be intended for.

That's me! Very seriously considering it now...

[triscuitsmom]

I'd say no... I'd be worried about it not working and then you have all of the downsides to the vaccine without any of the positives.

The fact that you have been exposed and not caught might just mean you won't *shrugs* One of my best friends has been knowingly exposed to chicken pox over 20 times (and who knows how many unknowingly)... she is 25. She has never caught it and is not immune. She just doesn't worry about it anymore. Might she catch it in the future? Sure I suppose, but might the vaccine not work... also possible. Might the vaccine give her a reaction again, also a possibility and considering the number of times she's been exposed probably a higher possibility.

Me on the other hand... I've had chicken pox three times. Cultured, it's chicken pox. And then it's over I'm better, I have a titre run... I'm not immune. I had it the last time when I was pregnant with my son. Was it fun? Nope. And there are risks to contracting it while pregnant, but it's not like the other side is risk free either.

Definitely weigh pros and cons... I just wanted to throw out the possibility that you won't build an immunity to the vaccine either, and then you're still in this spot of possibly having your baby exposed during pregnancy. Good luck Mama

[JustSo]

Originally Posted by triscuitsmom

Me on the other hand... I've had chicken pox three times. Cultured, it's chicken pox. And then it's over I'm better, I have a titre run... I'm not immune. I had it the last time when I was pregnant with my son. Was it fun? Nope. And there are risks to contracting it while pregnant, but it's not like the other side is risk free either.

That must have been scary. How many weeks along were you when you got it?? That is my worst nightmare. Were you just beside yourself with worry? Did you self treat with homeopathics or just ride it out?

And how can you get cp three times?? I thought once you got it, you're immune for life : (I'm so confused)

The thing is, I'm not sure what the cp vax's scarier risks are (anyone know? please chime in)... it's pretty new, and the "worst" reactions I've heard of are a rash and the disease itself. I've had two vaxes in the past 5 yrs (tetanus for a wildlife job I held, and then rubella post-birth, which I would have declined had I known what I know now) and no reaction to either, so I'm not sure if that lowers my risk for serious or any reaction to the cp vax.

[triscuitsmom]

Originally Posted by JustSo

That must have been scary. How many weeks along were you when you got it?? That is my worst nightmare. Were you just beside yourself with worry? Did you self treat with homeopathics or just ride it out?

And how can you get cp three times?? I thought once you got it, you're immune for life : (I'm so confused)

The thing is, I'm not sure what the cp vax's scarier risks are (anyone know? please chime in)... it's pretty new, and the "worst" reactions I've heard of are a rash and the disease itself. I've had two vaxes in the past 5 yrs (tetanus for a wildlife job I held, and then rubella post-birth, which I would have declined had I known what I know now) and no reaction to either, so I'm not sure if that lowers my risk for serious or any reaction to the cp vax.

I'll let someone else handle the side effects as I'm really really short on time right now...

As for my own personal history, most people are immune after catching, and some are not... But you have a MUCH higher likelyhood of being immune via natural exposure than the vaccine. If you aren't contracting it after being exposed to it naturally I just wonder how likely it is you'll actually be immune if you get the vaccine (btw I don't know statistics on this... it's just thoughts running through my mind based on the experiences of those around me).

As for worrying I did... a lot at first, less with more and more research, risk is relative. And at that point I couldn't change it. He was perfectly healthy btw thank goodness