[SoCaliMommy]

I'm not immune to the chicken pox but was exposed a bunch as a child just never got them.

After the birth of my son they told me i needed the vax before i could leave the hosp so i agreed they gave me the shot, then they said i'd get a 2nd shot at my 5wk pp checkup.. i was never given another shot for the chicken pox.

So i doubt that 1st shot did anything.

Why is it so bad to get the chicken pox as a adult ?

 

[Plummeting]

You know you didn't have to get that vaccine to be discharged from the hospital, right? I just want to be clear on that for anyone else who reads this. They can't force you to get a vaccine in order to check out of the hospital. They might recommend it and they might tell you that you have to have it, but there is no law, no insurance rule, no NOTHING that would EVER require you to be vaccinated against ANYTHING in order to leave the hospital.

Chickenpox is more serious in adults, but it's still not deadly in healthy individuals. The CDC just started saying that hospitals should vaccinate all women with Tdap and Varivax before they leave the hospital. If you were exposed several times, you probably are immune. You don't actually have to get sick to be immune. Some people have subclinical infections, with no symptoms.

 

[SoCaliMommy]

when i had bloodwork done when i was pg with my son the doctor told me i'm not immune to it and how i needed to make sure i didn't come in contact with anyone with it while i was pg.

 

[Plummeting]

That means you didn't have antibodies, but it doesn't necessarily mean you would've gotten sick if you'd been exposed. It also doesn't mean that you were required to have the shot before you left the hospital. Whether or not to be vaccinated is your choice.

 

[FrederickMama]

I was 13 when i had chicken pox. I thought it was awful. It lasted 3 weeks and I stopped breathing at one point.
But I would prefer my children have that than the vaccine.

I have no idea where i contracted it from but my mothers boyfriend got it from me about halfway through my outbreak. He was much less sick than i was.

 

[bdoody11]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DustysSweety03 So i doubt that 1st shot did anything.

I would disagree with that. I had the first CP vax (never had it as child) at 18 and never went back for the 2nd shot. When I was leaving for grad school at 24 I had the 2nd dose. The injection site swelled up and got really hard, hot and itchy.

When I went back to get my TB test read I showed them my arm. They said that wasn't a normal reaction and was from my already having immunity to CP from the 1st shot. Apparently the 2nd shot wasn't needed

:

I would suggest you get your titer checked if you are contemplating getting the 2nd dose. They recently checked my titer again when I found out I was pregnant, I'm still good to go.

 

[RachelGS]

Chicken pox as an adult is horrendous and dangerous. My DH had it at 34 and the only people I have ever seen who were sicker were people who actually died of their illnesses. It was horrifying. Honestly, I'd get the vax as an adult.

This is exactly why, though, I'm terrified of kids getting the vax. Better to develop actual lasting immunity to the thing, kwim?

 

[2busy2clean]

My dh got chicken pox at 38, and it was rather mild. Why he didn't get it as a child is beyond me.

 

[phoebemommy]

I got it at 24 and it was no biggie for me. Just some anecdotal fodder.

 

[xmasbaby7]

I'm in the same boat as Kami, in that I tested neg for anitbodies, but I declined the vax.

I will decline it or postpone it until after I ween dd.

Rachael, if your husband was so sick, would you describe him as one who gets sick alot anyway? Would you say he eats well to fuel his immune system?

I wonder what makes one adult get hit so bad by it and the next not too severe?

Any light to shed here?

 

[mother_star]

I had the chicken pox at 21, no complications at all. Wasn't that sick either. They only lasted 5 days for me.

I was a person who got sick all the time. A person could be walking on one side of the road and me on the other, if they have a cold and say just as much as "hi" to me and I'm sick for the next 2 weeks.

 

[BeagleMommy]

I had chicken pox at 21, too. It was unpleasant and I was out of work for about a month. I got it from a co-worker's kids. I was sick a lot as a kid- mostly strep. And I was under a great deal of stress at the time I got CP- newly married to a jerk (ex-hubby) and working a stressful sales job. It was made worse when I was finally diagnosed (the doctors didn't know what was wrong with me- my only pox were on my scalp at first.) when my hubby drove me an hour from our home and dropped me off at his mother and father's house! He visited on weekends. I guess he couldn't be bothered taking care of me. I was too sick to protest much.

When my sister had CP when we were little the doctor insisted I wear my sister's clothes after she did and had me bathe with her to make sure I got it. I never did. He said I must be immune.

 

[appifanie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plummeting Some people have subclinical infections, with no symptoms.

good to know, thx! my mom, 1/2 sister and i have all never (at least visibly) had chickenpox. mom is 64 and had shingles last year (we're still trying to figure that one out . . .)

 

[suschi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DustysSweety03 I'm not immune to the chicken pox but was exposed a bunch as a child just never got them.

Sounds to me like you're pretty darn immune!!

 

[lyttlewon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by appifanie good to know, thx! my mom, 1/2 sister and i have all never (at least visibly) had chickenpox. mom is 64 and had shingles last year (we're still trying to figure that one out . . .)

From what I understand if you have incomplete immunity to CP you can then produce shingles. I had the CP when I was 5 months and had about 5 pox. I had the shingles when I was 5 and entered kindergarten. It sounds like your mom had the CP.

 

[kayjayjay]

This is an interesting thread for me, I live in fear of the Chicken Pox because I never had them as a child and bloodwork says I'm not immune. My brother and sister also never contracted them although we were all exposed, but then my brother had them at 26. I know my sister had herself vaxed.

My kids are unvaxed and I really want them to have them, but at the same time I'm so afraid of getting them myself particularly right now since I'm pg. I want us all to have them sometime when I'm not pg so my kids don't have to fear them as adults. OTOH, I hear all the time about people who had them as kids having them again, so I guess it's just life.

Not considering vaxing any of us, just wondering how much I should worry.

 

[appifanie]

thx lyttlewon!

 

[aniT]

When did they start checking for chicken pox in prenatal bloodwork?

Or is this something they have always checked for and just not told you as usual?

BTW... both my kids have only had one chicken pox shot and there is no way they are getting a 2nd.

 

[lyttlewon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aniT When did they start checking for chicken pox in prenatal bloodwork? Or is this something they have always checked for and just not told you as usual? BTW... both my kids have only had one chicken pox shot and there is no way they are getting a 2nd.

I think the vax company had a brainstorming session on how to increase the uptake on the shot since many people that DO vaccinate find the CP vax to be pointless.

 

[bdoody11]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aniT When did they start checking for chicken pox in prenatal bloodwork? Or is this something they have always checked for and just not told you as usual? BTW... both my kids have only had one chicken pox shot and there is no way they are getting a 2nd.

They checked my titer when I said I never had CP as a child. This happens often. After the results are back they let it go.