Help, I have Chicken Pox! Update Post #25

[Jessd]

We leave for WDW in 3 weeks and I have the Chicken Pox. I started breaking out with them 2 days ago.

I have never had them before, my son got them about 1 1/2 weeks ago and now I got them. My son was vaccinated and he only got about a dozen bumps. I have never gotten vaccinated and I have them everywhere. I don't know what to do. My back and chest itch but the ones on my face hurt. I even have them on my scalp in my hair!

I am sitting here crying, it looks so ugly. I haven't called the doctor yet, I dont think there is anything he can do about it. I have to try to keep my 2 1/2 daughter away from me. She has been vaccinated, but my older son was too and he got them. DH already had them, my younger son never had them but was also vaccinated.

My mother also lives with us, she had them already but I am still afraid of giving her something. She has a weakened immune system, is on Dialysis, and is on a ton of drugs due to other health problems.

Sorry, I guess I was just feeling sorry for myself.

 

[aprilgail2]

Uggg sorry to hear that! Is your youngest child vaccinated? Hope your husband already had them or was vaccinated!

 

[ducklite]

You'll be over them by the time you leave. Take baths with Aveeno to soothe the itch, and stay away from pregnant women.

Anne

 

[Pembo]

Call your doc. My dd just got over the shingles and she was given a prescrip to limit the outbreak. Also tell your mom's doc. Take care.

 

[dmslush]

My 15 year old dd just got over them! They seem to really be making their rounds here lately!!

Get some Calamine Lotion and put on them for the itching. Get the pink kind, not the clear kind. DD said that the pink is more soothing and stops the itching better. Also, start taking ibuprophen and benedryl now! The benedryl will help you rest and help the itching. Once I started giving that to dd, she started feeling a lot better. She had a fever so that is why I gave her the ibuprophen. Also, the older you are, the more at risk for pnemonia (sp?) that you are, so you want to be careful. Don't smoke, and don't be around anyone that is smoking.

Go ahead tomorrow and make yourself a dr's appointment just to get checked out. Take care of yourself and don't scratch!!! You should be good as new for your trip! DD started breaking out on November 11, and is all better right now.

 

[ADisneygirl]

Oh, I feel your pain. I got chicken pox as an adult too. I was the first to get it in the family -- must have picked it up out at the mall that winter because it was the only place I was in contact with others. I was 24 at the time. We didn't know what it was at first -- husband though it was a terrible blemish on my forhead! But it was aching, so I went to look in the mirror and I knew that was no blemish.

I had it, then my husband got it and it was even worse for him. He had so many that they were connecting! The doctor didn't want to get too near him! He even had a fever over 104. The doctor said that adults get it much worse than children. After it started going away in my husband, my little daughter got it. Thank God the doctor was right -- she had the mildest case of the three of us.

The good side is that you will be over it by the time your trip rolls around. My advice: don't itch them, no matter how much you want/need to. Take a cool bath in Aveeno and rest. Keep your hands off them! The blisters break easily and once they break they leave you with a little indented scar.

Good wishes sent your way that you have a mild case.

 

[alliecats]

I had these in my late teens. Everyone told me not to break the blister, it would leave a scar. No one told me that if the scabs came off too early, that leaves a scar. I broke several blisters with no problems, but the scabs that came off too early DID leave scars. So please be careful of those scabs.

Aren't they awful? I wasn't allowed to come to dinner and my mother put pillowcases over the mirrors. The ugliness is the worst part. I am sorry you are dealing with this, but glad it didn't happen while you were AT WDW.

Good luck, and speedy heeling!

 

[Virgo10]

Try and stay away from your mother. While the consensus seems to be that Chicken Pox cannot cause Shingles, I still wouldn't want to take any chances.

Chickenpox is very common in children, and usually only causes mild illness. Once someone has had chickenpox, they are immune to further infection. However, the varicella zoster virus which causes chickenpox remains in the body for life.

Normally, the varicella virus lies dormant and does not cause health problems. But if the immune system, which normally protects the body against infection, is weakened the virus can reactivate. When reactivated, it causes shingles, which can be more serious than chickenpox.

The medical name for chickenpox is varicella zoster and for shingles it is herpes zoster.

Who is most likely to get shingles?
Shingles can affect adults and children, but is much more common in older people. It can not be triggered by contact with someone who has chickenpox.

Reactivation of the virus is more common in elderly people whose immune system is weakened. There are various possible causes of this:

conditions that affect the immune system, including HIV infection
periods of increased stress
excess alcohol intake
long term courses of steroids
chemotherapy or radiotherapy - cancer treatments
medicines used after organ transplants (immunosuppressants)

Chickenpox is contagious from about 2 days before the rash appears and lasts until all the blisters are crusted over. A child with chickenpox should be kept out of school until all blisters have dried, usually about 1 week.

Good luck. You're probably going to feel lousy for a few days but hopefully this will just be an unpleasant memory by the time you get to WDW.

 

[alliecats]

Ditto what Virgo said about your mom and shingles. I don't believe they don't cause it. My Gramma was around my sister's pox-infected friend and shortly thereafter developed shingles. Coincidence, my tush.

 

[MushyMushy]

Poor thing -- I feel your pain! I came down with CP before our WDW trip in 2005. You'll be fine by the time your trip comes, though.

You should go see a doctor just in case. Mine couldn't do anything for me, but he was able to set my mind at ease regarding my trip and the fact that I wouldn't be contagious by then.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Ditto what Virgo said about your mom and shingles. I don't believe they don't cause it. My Gramma was around my sister's pox-infected friend and shortly thereafter developed shingles. Coincidence, my tush.

I believe that the virus activates the shingles. Once you get the pox it stays with you or something like that.

Call your doc and your mom's doc! Shingles will be horrible for your mother if she gets it. There is a shot she can get if she contracts it, but I don't know given what you described.

 

[aprilgail2]

I believe that the virus activates the shingles. Once you get the pox it stays with you or something like that.

Thats they way my moms Dr explained it to us. He said its actually like a dormant pox that was left behind and it would reappear as shinlges if she was exposed to the chicken pox.

 

[Virgo10]

Far be it from me to contradict what the medical people say but my mother was exposed to CP and got the worst case of shingles! This was before the shot and even after seeing her with a bleeding ulcer and an aneurysm, I never saw her sicker than that bout with the Shingles.

Add me to the list of non-believers that CP doesn't cause Shingles in some people.

 

[manning]

That's the easy part. Now you have to look out for shingles in the future. That's worse than chicken pox.

 

[rie'smom]

Seeing the word shingles make s my old shingle areas sting. Did you know that because of the nerve involvement with shingles that it's possible(unfortunately,I know)to feel pain in the areas affected for many years afterward? It's also possible to get another attack.

 

[shortbun]

Bless you! Call your doctor and get some help with your kids immediately. You are going to need to rest.

 

[Cool-Beans]

If you get some calamine lotion, be sparing with it. Try not to get it right on the open sores, because it works its way into your blood, and that's not a great thing.

Stay cool. Keep the temperature down. That's supposed to help you get less of 'em.

Don't scratch. Try pushing on the itchy area instead...easier said than done, I know. If you can stand it, wear mittens or socks on your hands while you sleep, so that you won't scratch in your sleep. A lttle benadryl might help with the itching.

Wash your sheets every day and change your clothes at least daily.

You are contagious from the day before they show up to 6 days after the first bunch shows up...crusts should be forming by then.

People who are immunocomprimised are at higher risk for reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus. Varicella is chicken pox, herpes zoster is shingles.

You should be all better before your trip, but chicken pox can get ugly sometimes with grown ups. Women have had them in their ******s, in their throats, etc. If your throat starts itching, call the doc and tell them right away.

Hope you feel all better soon...and have a great trip!

 

[Cool-Beans]

Women have had them in their ******s, in their throats, etc.

I can't believe that got edited. In their "down there" area. For Pete's sake.

 

[DisnyMama]

If you have or end up with blisters anyplace on your body other than your face and scalp the most comfortable clothing to wear is the softest cotton or like I wore nothing but sweatshirts and sweatpants because they are so soft on the inside. Some sweats are a lighter weight than others which are best. Big believer in calamine as it saved me when I had shingles and broke out all over my shoulder and back. My doctor also gave me a prescription for benedryl which helped me sleep (cause it will make you sleepy) but does help with the itching. But definatley get to the doctor asap and you will be over this in time to go to WDW. It never fails that that all heck will break loose just before vacation time but all will be ok. Hang in there.

 

[#1MMFan]

Ditto what Virgo said about your mom and shingles. I don't believe they don't cause it. My Gramma was around my sister's pox-infected friend and shortly thereafter developed shingles. Coincidence, my tush.

You actually have to have the Zoster virus in you (i.e. previous exposure) to develop shingles. In layman's terms, you have to have had chicken pox at some time (you may not recall if you were very young, I suppose) to develop shingles later in life.