Chickenpox Lollipops - Page 3

AOII Angel · #31 11-07-2011, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carnation

Y'all make sure you get your shingles vaccines at 60! I've known a lot of older folks who didn't and have regretted every second of that.

AOII Angel, these children are between 11 and 21 and only 1 shot was recommended at the time. Interestingly, all contracted the virus within a year of their shots.

Quote:

Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel

I had the chicken pox when I was in third grade or so, over my birthday so I stayed home and played with my new Barbies. I have a few scars but nothing disfiguring. My eldest sister never had it and I'm not sure if she got the shot before she started to plan to get pregnant. I'm slightly concerned about shingles and though the shot is recommended for older people, I get random health problems that my body poorly responds to which could be an unexpected shingles experience in the making.

I have quite a few vaccinations that don't show up on a titre but I had the full amount as a child and have kept up on all my vaccinations as an adult. Since my field work is in Alaska there is no messing around with MMR and TB, so one time I had a short window before flying out and had to get proof of my MMR. Getting a copy from the doctor I had before I left home as an adult would have been a massive hassle, so my doctor did a titre. I was lacking one of the three, not mumps but one of the measles, and it had to be specially ordered instead of just giving me another whole MMR shot (which probably wouldn't have hurt me...).

I had another titre done for the hepatitis series that came back with no immunity and I did that whole series again. I've also had a positive tb test and that was with tines, not Mantoux, probably a false positive, so I'm going to be a bossy pants and demand the TB blood test to avoid a yearly chest x-ray since I'm not keen on exposing my bodacious tatas to any more radiation than necessary. My titres also denied that I had shots for pneumonia, bacterial meningitis, and sometimes DPT. Since I'm "high risk" for tetanus I got one before the 10 year period, and within six months the titre was in denial. This is when the doctor decided it is possible I'm a non-converter and don't show antibodies, like your husband experiences.

Some people also supposedly don't have detectable titres but will actually respond when exposed to the antigen. I had to have an extra Hep B, too. I converted after that. They don't check you later to see if you keep immunity. I've been told that lots of people test neg for chicken pox who aren't really negative...the antibodies are just really low. Oh well...I got the shots.

carnation · #32 11-07-2011, 10:04 AM

It never occurred to me that immunizations might not confer immunity. The college made the whole staff have the Hep B series about 15 years ago and I'd be aggravated to learn that it didn't "take".

As far as M and M and R, my sibs and I had intense cases (well, chicken pox too) and were exposed time and again before the immunizations came out. Suurrely we're immune, my doctor father probably brought home everything!

AOII Angel · #33 11-07-2011, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carnation

It never occurred to me that immunizations might not confer immunity. The college made the whole staff have the Hep B series about 15 years ago and I'd be aggravated to learn that it didn't "take".

As far as M and M and R, my sibs and I had intense cases (well, chicken pox too) and were exposed time and again before the immunizations came out. Suurrely we're immune, my doctor father probably brought home everything!

Yep...he probably did. That's why we have to be tested, vaccinated and retested. Hep B is a big offender. If you wonder, ask your doc to run a titer. If it comes back negative, most people only need a booster. Very few people require a whole new series...or never develop immunity. The immune system is a complicated thing.

CeCe Newbie · #34 11-09-2011, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillarneyRose

I had both Katie and CeCe vaccinated and CeCe ended up getting chicken pox not once but TWICE! They were, thankfully, mild but quite the surprise.

I still don't think I ever had chicken pox!!!

I always got bitten by mosquitoes (because I'm so sweet) and scratched the bites, so my body was covered in scabs when I was in early elementary school. Some nosey kindergarten volunteer moms decided that I had chicken pox when they saw me and said I should go to the doctor. The doctor seemed kind of crazy, diagnosing me with chicken pox twice. I wasn't even itchy! I was just excited to get stay home from school.

amIblue? · #35 11-09-2011, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CeCe Newbie

I still don't think I ever had chicken pox!!!

I always got bitten by mosquitoes (because I'm so sweet) and scratched the bites, so my body was covered in scabs when I was in early elementary school. Some nosey kindergarten volunteer moms decided that I had chicken pox when they saw me and said I should go to the doctor. The doctor seemed kind of crazy, diagnosing me with chicken pox twice. I wasn't even itchy! I was just excited to get stay home from school.

This is hilarious.

jenidallas · #36 11-09-2011, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Does your doctor prescribe anything for this? Antiherpetic drugs like Acyclovir can be helpful for this postherpetic neuralgia problem. Im sorry you have to deal with this. It's what I fear about the chicken pox.

Yep. I take an antiherpetic although I only take it when I'm under (or about to be under) a lot of stress or know I'm going through a period when I'm run down. It makes me sick to my stomach so even though I should take it all the time, I just can't handle it otherwise.

I also have RA and the shingles seems to come along with arthritic flares so my rheumatologist monitors my inflammation markers every six weeks when I go in for my infusions.

DrPhil · #37 11-09-2011, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amIblue?

This is hilarious.

I swear it is!

Mevara · #38 11-10-2011, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carnation

Y'all make sure you get your shingles vaccines at 60! I've known a lot of older folks who didn't and have regretted every second of that.

AOII Angel, these children are between 11 and 21 and only 1 shot was recommended at the time. Interestingly, all contracted the virus within a year of their shots.

If you don't get it at 60 can you never get it later on?

amIblue? · #39 11-10-2011, 09:54 PM

I think carnation's point was that you should get it as soon as is recommended rather than putting it off and getting a surprise case of the shingles.

southbymidwest · #40 11-10-2011, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mevara

If you don't get it at 60 can you never get it later on?

You most definitely can get it after 60-our neighbor got a nasty case of it that lasted for a few months. At the time, he was in his mid 70's.

I think that 60 is the earliest age that they will let you get the vaccine, if I understand correctly.

AOII Angel · #41 11-11-2011, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenidallas

Yep. I take an antiherpetic although I only take it when I'm under (or about to be under) a lot of stress or know I'm going through a period when I'm run down. It makes me sick to my stomach so even though I should take it all the time, I just can't handle it otherwise.

I also have RA and the shingles seems to come along with arthritic flares so my rheumatologist monitors my inflammation markers every six weeks when I go in for my infusions.

That explains a lot. RA and all of your immunosuppressive drugs don't help things. What a nasty little disease RA is.

AOII Angel · #42 11-11-2011, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by southbymidwest

You most definitely can get it after 60-our neighbor got a nasty case of it that lasted for a few months. At the time, he was in his mid 70's.

I think that 60 is the earliest age that they will let you get the vaccine, if I understand correctly.

You can get it at any age, but 60 is when they recommend it.