To think I’m bound to get chicken pox?

[Chacharaawr]

DS (5) has come down with chicken pox he seems fine in himself and there aren’t too many spots.

I’ve never had it and looking at the stats online it looks like there is a high chance I will catch it from him. It also looks like adult chicken pox can be dreadful. Is there any medicine I can ask GP for now or would I have to wait for the spots to get the antiviral stuff? I have a awful headache and sore throat- which I’m worried is the start of it.

I’m 46 I’ve never had chicken pox neither do I have any immunity from it, that’s after son nephew niece and children I looked after having it, I haven’t had mumps or measles either

The vaccine is not very effective, so I'm not sure I'd bother getting it. DS1 had it (it was routine in the other country we lived in when he was a baby), but he still got chicken pox. It wasn't a mild case either - he had about 200 spots and was miserable. However, you don't know whether you'll get it or how serious it would be. Some adults do get a nasty case, others have clearly had a very mild case in childhood that no one notices and appear to never get it.

@juneau the vaccine is 94% effective, and most of the 6% who aren't fully immune will get a milder version. That's not comforting for people like your son who are in the unlucky 1%, but I think it's important not to misinform OP.

www.vaccines.gov/diseases/chickenpox/index.html

10 to 30 percent of DC apparently get chickenpox after having the vaccine Stuck, so my DS is not a rare case (we know of other DC who had the vaccine and had CP too - in fact there was one in DS's nursery at the same time he had it). However, you're right that the vaccine seems to be more effective in adults.

Juneau but what's that based on? All the evidence suggests well over 90% effectiveness.

If you've not had it before OP,there is a pretty good chance you will get it,as it is VERY contagious. As the previous posters have said,you need to see a doctor ASAP for an antibody injection if you are worried about getting it. I remember my late DM catching it when myself and my two older brothers had it,when I was 11. She hadn't had it as a child,thankfully my dad had! My DM was 47 and I remember her being very poorly with it.

I had it as as an adult, caught at a children's party, not fun at all and had to have 2 weeks off work - I had 100 spots just on my face. I gave it to my 5 yr old, at least he had had the chicken pox vaccination and had a mild case that just lasted a couple of days.

Another call to get the chicken pox vaccine ASAP. It should at least help you to have a milder case, even if it’s too late to give full protection

@juneau also interested in the stats that show a shot plus booster of the CP vaccine would only be 30% effective! I was led to believe it was 95% or so effective, although it hasn't been around long enough to see if that's lifetime immunity - generally thought to be 20 or so years though?

I think it’s 95% effective at stopping a severe infection it lasts at least 10/20 years

One of my dd had a very mild cp. The spots were like a tiny pinprick rash. If it wasn't for the timing after her sister and having been exposed since I would have missed it. You might be ok but worth checking with GP.

My kids both had chicken pox, and then my (now Ex) husband go it too. I've never had it, and didn't catch it from any of them. So you may be fine.

@Evilspiritgin the evidence suggests it is 94% effective at totally preventing chickenpox (like you say, there is a possibility of needing a booster after 29 years). It seems like there's a lot of misinformation about it in the UK (and certainly on MN), possibly because it's not part of the regular schedule.