Adults w/ no immunity to chicken pox. Vax or not? - Page 2

[JenBuckyfan]

This is one of those decisions I'm glad I won't have to make. I'm not sure what I would do in your DH's shoes. Part of me says to chance it and the other to hope for partial. I ended up getting the CP at 16 years old thanks to my younger siblings getting it. It was bad then, if it gets worse, I would try to avoid it if I could find more info on the effectiveness of the vaccine. I lucked out that I ended up on medication that cost $70 per pill, one pill per day, with the lucky part being that I didn't itch. However (TMI warning), I ended up with CP everywhere inside and out - inside my mouth, my throat, inside my vagina... I have a good amount of scars on the outside from it too, though I'm very fair-skinned so the spots aren't really noticable so it's not a real big deal to me. I had to lay with a pillow between my legs because they got really irritated if they touched each other and I could only eat jello and other slimy/brothy things that would slide down my throat - it took me almost 10 years before I could stomach eating jello on it's own! I'm so thankful I didn't have to deal with the itching part too.

Good luck in finding more research. It sounds as if the vaccine may not give immunity so maybe your DH goes for the compromise of 1 of the shots so he might end up with some sort of partial immunity. The other option is to see if you can somehow keep him away from your kids while they are in the possible contagious stage after being exposed.

[thefragile7393]

My thinking, in reading some books like Wendy Lydall's book....is that I wonder if adults have a harder time with "kid" illnesses because they have a hard time resting and taking care of oneself as an adult. There is work, family responsibilities, and staying quiet and resting just isn't high on the list with a lot of people. It's just a thought wondering if maybe there might be something to that. With me personally, though I have yet to ever get Measles or Mumps (had CP as a child), if I don't take care of myself properly if I'm sick with something, it tends to take longer to get over..if I push myself and don't do proper rest, fluids, etc. and go up and moving around because I feel I have to get stuff done...it seems to take longer.

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by thefragile7393

My thinking, in reading some books like Wendy Lydall's book....is that I wonder if adults have a harder time with "kid" illnesses because they have a hard time resting and taking care of oneself as an adult. There is work, family responsibilities, and staying quiet and resting just isn't high on the list with a lot of people. It's just a thought wondering if maybe there might be something to that. With me personally, though I have yet to ever get Measles or Mumps (had CP as a child), if I don't take care of myself properly if I'm sick with something, it tends to take longer to get over..if I push myself and don't do proper rest, fluids, etc. and go up and moving around because I feel I have to get stuff done...it seems to take longer.

I did think about that but one friend had a very severe case anyway. She rested completely from day one but ended up so sick she actually took the antiviral but that gave her hallucinations. She couldn't function at all other than to stay in bed. She is a very healthy person otherwise. On the other hand, I know others who had a much easier time. It is so hard to predict! I appreciate all the thoughts so far. It is helpful to have varying opinions to think it through.

[Spy]

First of all, you don't really know if your dh is not immune. Just because his test is negative doesn't mean he is not immune. I wouldn't bother with the test for that fact, if he made it to 41 years alive and well, there has to be a good reason for it.

I know a few people who DID have CP in childhood but do NOT show positive antibody titer as adults without imminent exposure. Post exposure though their titers picked up and were 'enough' for some time.

I am 40 and never had CP either. About a month ago me and both my children were exposed, nothing happened neither to me nor to my 18 year old, not even to my 6 year old. Why in a million years would I consider a dodgy shot? If it happens, it happens, the outcome greatly depends on nutrition and proper treatment, not the age per se.

[WildKingdom]

Citations, as requested:

Population-based studies of varicella complications.
AU Guess HA; Broughton DD; Melton LJ 3rd; Kurland LT
SO Pediatrics 1986 Oct;78(4 Pt 2):723-7.

Population-based data on varicella complications are presented using information both from national sample surveys of hospitalizations and physician office visits and from reviews of medical records for all cases occurring within one community (Olmsted County, Minnesota) during a specified period. Acute cerebellar ataxia is the most common neurologic complication of varicella and occurs about once in 4,000 varicella cases among children younger than 15 years of age. Among adults, varicella pneumonia is the most common complication and results in hospitalization about once in every 400 varicella cases. Overall, varicella accounts for approximately 4,000 hospitalizations and 364,000 physician office visits annually in the United States and represents an important continuing source of childhood and adult morbidity.

PMID 3763290
46
Weber, DM, Pellecchia, JA. Varicella pneumonia: Study of prevalence in adult men. JAMA 1965; 192:572.

no abstract available

[jenmn]

My DH did not have the CP as a child, so we recently got his titers checked. Showed that he is immune, thank goodness!

[jacknme]

to jenbuckyfan

You say you took a $70 pill per day. I'm guessing it was an anti-viral med, like Valtrex. Do you feel like it shortened the duration of the virus? Thanks

[DashsMama]

My husband and I both got chickenpox as adults (30 and 31 yrs old). For us it wasn't that bad, but we took Zovirax and didn't get many lesions. We also were on our honeymoon, so we were able to stay in bed and take care of ourselves. My dh thinks I should mention that we were in SoCal where it was warm, dry, and pleasant, and so we were less likely to develop pneumonia. (I don't know if this is statisically true or not, but we definitely have had more lung illnesses since moving to a colder, wetter part of the country).

Would your husband take an anti-viral med if he developed CP? (My understanding is anti-virals only work when taken early, when lesions first start developing) What about a gamma globulin shot if he was exposed? These are alternatives to the choice between the vaccine or full blown CP, and things to think about, but I don't know the full pros or cons of them.

[jacknme]

Thank you

Yes, I think it's true about early intervention with the anti-viral meds. And yes I do believe he would take the meds. Its so funny, I asked him today about CP and he said he doesn't want the vax, especially since we are hearing it doesn't "take" sometimes. He is willing to chance it.

[proudmommaof31/2]

I actually had CP, as an adult, while pregnant with my first child. I was either at the end of my 1st trimester or beginning of my 2nd. It was not that bad. Of course the itching was very uncomfortable but other than that, no biggie. Luckily, my dd was perfectly fine, no complications!

[jacknme]

Cp

Oh gosh, what a time to get CP. I'm glad it wasn't that bad. I had the pox when I was very young, like 3 or 4 yrs old. I had a pretty good case of it. I still have a few little crater-like scars, but they are so minimal, I'm probably the only one who even knows they are there. Thanks for the info.

[skolbut]

My FIL has not had them and does not want to get the vaccine. He would rather risk not ever getting it to getting the vax and possibly shingles (or cp and possibly shingles).

IMO, he most likely has some immunity to it, since all 4 of his children had them, and didn't move out of the house through the course of the illness!

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by DashsMama

Would your husband take an anti-viral med if he developed CP? (My understanding is anti-virals only work when taken early, when lesions first start developing) What about a gamma globulin shot if he was exposed? These are alternatives to the choice between the vaccine or full blown CP, and things to think about, but I don't know the full pros or cons of them.

We did decide to get the antiviral meds. I spoke to a dr. well versed on the subject and he said that the vaccine has a higher rate of reaction in adults. Being a live virus vaccine, adults can react more strongly to the virus in it just as they would to actually having the virus. He suggested dh try to avoid close contact w/ the kids while contagious and have the antiviral rx on hand to take the first day if he comes down w/ it. The only glitch, one of my kids came down w/ it yesterday and we didn't know he was going to! After several shared meals, drinks, lots of hugs, etc. dh is well-exposed now. I am hoping that he really does have immunity because I know he has been exposed in the past and didn't come down with it. In the meantime, we are also doing some extra immune building for dh.

The funniest part is that 3 days ago I exposed both the kids so that we would have at least 10 days to get prepared. We ended up actually being exposed a few weeks ago! I am really hoping my other ds comes down w/ it very soon but it is looking like he won't from our first exposure. That means we will be going through this for a few weeks.

I read somewhere (just someone mentioning it not medical info or such) that people who come down with it following other family members have worse cases. Supposedly, by being exposed for a longer period it creates a stronger case. Anyone know if there is any truth to that? That would not be fun.

[serenbat]

I got it at age 28, after my dd, I was told the max was 28 days and I got it in the 28th day! My dr. told me to take nothing prior, not even as aspirin, ALSO if he starts with a sore throat - get to the dr. ASAP!! - it can mean they are internal. You don't want to hear it but the pain was far worse than childbirth and it lasted for days! meds didn't help the pain.
IF dh does get it-this summer might be H@LL on his skin (I had it the end on May), my skin reacted very bad to the sun the first few months following.

[serenbat]

NONE- no rash, never a fever. I woke up on the 28th day with a sore throat and went to the Dr. and was put on strong antibiotics.
On the 29th day I woke up with (quarter to 1/2 dollar size) welts ALL OVER (in my nose, ears hair-up and down) and a few spot that looked like real CP. I was than put on ( I think it was??) Zovirax. I know when I went to get the script filled they said the dose I was taking was 3 times the normal amount one would take. I didn't feel well, but I wasn't bad BUT on the 30th day, I was REAL BAD. Very week and in tons of pain, nothing helped. The meds I was then given for the pain did nothing! I never itched. My Dr. wanted me to be put in and put on morphine but I would not do it. I was really weak and the pain was un-real! (far worse than childbirth!) I really thought I was going to die and didn't want to do it in the hosp.! It lasted for about 5 days. I then scabbed over on my spots like normal cp. The meds did a number on my body and it took over 6 months until I felt better.

By the way, I was exposed lots of times as a child and never got them. I REALLY think Dr. don't know enough, I have now been told by 3 Dr. that I could get them again, having them bad doesn't mean you can't get them again-from what I was told.
I was preggers this was winter and my mother was exposed to shingles (everyone says you can't catch them, but if the person as just scratched the shingles and does not properly wash their hands -yes there can be transmission!)- I was 8 months along and my DR. wanted to do my titeres (spelling?) and would not let me near my mother for 10 days. I ended up not getting anything, she didn't come down with shingles. But even my OB said my levels was high-susposedly immune, but I was told not to take any chances. All the Dr.s I have ever spoken to have said that when you get them as an adult they really do not have good / enough data on us types to know if we can get them again and how we would respond.
I have only given birth 2 times (both with out any meds) and by far cp hurts sooooooo much more!!! It just lasted and lasted and I never thought it would end! The ones on top in my hair were so bad, I could hardly lay down, they didn't itch but I scratched them until they bled to give me some relief! They really hurt in my nose and going to the bathroom was no treat!

[alegna]

Originally Posted by serenbat

I was preggers this was winter and my mother was exposed to shingles (everyone says you can't catch them, but if the person as just scratched the shingles and does not properly wash their hands -yes there can be transmission!)-

You can't catch shingles. You CAN catch chickenpox from someone with the shingles.

-Angela