Coming in contact with shingles
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Aw, Kris, so sorry you had to cancel your trip, but something you can look forward to in the near future. I know my immune system is nil right now and I would not fly. Unfortunately going to have a sit down with my GI as the new high dosage of Remicade is not working. NOW Julie, you can say Oh Crap! Made a pot of sauce today and kids are coming tomorrow for dinner. Thing is, I don’t think I better indulge in the sauce although I do take the acid out. Say, if you don’t get a chance to go see the family, use the ticket to come here this winter!!!!
Kris…I’m going to hazard a guess here that they suggested your dad get the shot because your mom got shingles and it brought up the subject regarding your dad…and of immunization. Since it’s available…and he evidently hadn’t had it yet, they set him up to get the shot so there’s a less chance he might get shingles sometime. The shot isn’t 100%…but does reduce the chances. I got a shot as soon as I turned 60, when it was finally available to me. I’d been hounding my GP to get the shot for several years before then, but it wasn’t approved for anyone under 60. Since then, it has been approved for a younger age, but I don’t know how young.
Shingles isn’t something you catch, if I understand it correctly. You have to get the chicken pox earlier in life….and as such….the CP never really leave your system…it hides in nerve sheaths and later in life, reappear as shingles.
HOWEVER…if you have NOT had a confirmed case of chicken pox earlier in life, you can catch chicken pox from someone with shingles. The virus is the same…and I think until the pustules are scabbed over, the virus in the fluid is contagious and thus can cause chickenpox. That’s the same as if you had chicken pox and non-scabbed pustules infected someone else who hadn’t had chicken pox yet. I think for chicken pox, the pustules are scabbed over in about a week.
Do you know if you had chicken pox already…for sure?
I’d still call and talk to your weekend on call people….because I don’t like taking chances. Cover all of your bases. I wouldn’t want to get chicken pox at any age under any situation if I could avoid it.
Julie T.
Oh Chris…I’m so sorry you had to cancel. I really hated to say that you should ask the oncologist….but it’s better to be safe. I’m surprised that if you’d had the chicken pox that they would be that cautious, but maybe there’s a chance that immunities wear off to some degree as we age and we could end up with another case of it…milder…but still a problem for people in our shoes.
You had shingles while in college? Wow…that’s pretty young….but not unheard of. Usually it’s older people who get shingles. That said, I went to a bridal shower where the bride (age about 30) almost didn’t make her own shower because they had to take her to the ER…..turned out to be shingles You just never know.
Wish we could all get together and converge on you to help you feel better…though I doubt we could take the place of the family you’d planned to see.
Big hugs….Julie T.
I had to cancel my vaca… Boo!
The onc says I should not be in contact with her for 2-3 weeks. CDC says if the shingles are still pussy and haven’t scabbed over, there is a chance of contagion. Especially for people with immune issues (chemo for one), pregnant people too.
I have had chicken pox, and a small shingles eruption on my arm during college. At least that’s what they said it was.
Thankfully I purchased travel insurance, so I can use it another time. But I don’t get to see my family.
Krissy,
As you know, Shingles is caused by a low immune system that allows the virus hiding in the body for years to flair and cause symptoms. Therefore I don’t think it is contagious.
My dad had shingles 2 months ago due the stress and losing over 20 lb within 2 months. I asked the doctor and he said it was not contagious.
Why don’t y
I think it will be a good idea to double check with your doctors and get different opinions.
Please keep us posted.Have fun with your family.
hugs,
EmadI know this is an odd question, but has anyone had to deal with being near someone with shingles? I thought they weren’t contagious, but my mom has them and my dad got a shot. They asked him when he finished his chemo and he couldn’t remember. They contacted his onc.
I will be arriving Tuesday to my parents… 7 days after mom started meds. Should I be worried?
I’m not on “chemo” chemo. I’m on an inhibitor and my blood counts are good. I would worry if my platelets or RBC or WBC were low but they are ok.
I guess I need to call the weekend staff to see if I should worry, but thought I’d ask.
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