To be freaked out about adult chickenpox

[Firefly1987]

So my mum has just been diagnosed with shingles. I've never had chickenpox (to my knowledge) and I'm looking after her. I know chickenpox tends to be worse in adults but I didn't know to what extent or how often but I'm reading up about it now and it sounds so scary. I'm so worried about getting it and it seems likely under the circumstances. I've not touched any of her scabs or anything but apparently the virus can be passed through the air as well?! Now I'm even more glad I didn't take her to wait in A&E (I didn't know she had a rash until the doctor saw it) I've never been seriously ill before but I have anxiety and I'm super worried. Can anyone calm me down?!

YABU-you won't catch it and/or it's not that serious
YANBU-it's really bad and you are likely to catch it

I had it when I was about 32 from goodness knows where. It was mild but I was off work the fortnight before Christmas, the first time in 14 years. I remember I delivered the neighbours Christmas cards in the dead of night so no-one would see my spotty face.

They shorten the time you're ill. We were sharing a bed, yes, but it is highly infectious. Hard to avoid if you're around her a lot.

When DH had it as an adult, it was a week or so of aching, running hot and cold, headache, sores everywhere.

I might pop to the chemist and see what they say. Thanks everyone you've been really helpful! Will be back later x

It can't transfer through the air. The only way you can catch chickenpox from her is if you touched her scabs and even then they'd have to be weeping for them to infect you.

We caught Chickenpox from DS when he was about two. He was Quite ill for a bit, like he had a very bad cold, five or so days and he was well enough to play etc. it was just spot management. Though he didn't have many spots really.
DH and I were definitely worse, we were covered in spots, it was one long round of cool baths and slapping calamine lotion on each other.
It wasn't nice, we did feel sorry for ourselves, but after the first couple of days or so it was more about the itchy spots which did take ages and ages to go.
For us it was a nuisance more than anything, maybe we were lucky.

Shingles can pass on chicken pox with direct contact with fluid from the blisters. It is not airborne so if the rash can be covered it's unlikely to pass anything on

Shingles isn't highly infectious and you can go to school/work if you have it if you feel well enough and the rash can be covered

@Firefly1987 lots of posters are talking about CP from CP rather than CP from shingles and transmission is not the same for them (CP is airborne and shingles isnt)

As long as you haven't touched the fluid from the blisters and then put your hands in your mouth you should be fine.
It's possible to get CP from shingles, but with good hygiene, it's unlikely.
My mum had shingles when sister and I were 9 and 11 and we didn't get CP.
Despite numerous contacts with CP neither of us caught it until we were 13 and 15. Yes, that was rough.

I got it as a young adult and got it pretty badly, unfortunately no one else in my family had ever had it and 2 older sisters came down with it and it was brutal for them.

She is mainly contiguous to you if you touch her scabs.
If your mother touches them, then you hasnt washed her hands.
Once the scabs heal, she is no longer a risk.

Full disclosure I caught it from my mum as an adult and it is a little bit of both, you feel absolutely awful and the itching is bad and I think how you look is awful as an adult (spots were everywhere) and it was an unpleasant 10 days for both but I never felt in danger of dying or needing hospital treatment shingles was also incredibly painful

I caught chicken pox from my baby when I was 35. I had a week in bed with a fever, was quite delirious at times and apparently talking nonsense. Felt awful but same as PP I didn’t need to go to hospital or anything.

Is your mother on anti virals?
Hopefully she is coping well.
I currently have shingles.
It is no way painful, as others have described to me.
I covered my rash area, with two days, it is dried.
I sleep like 11hrs then need a nap still during the day.
Perhaps because I am not elderly.
I suggest straight facts from a doctor or chemist will be wise.

Completely wrong.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/chickenpox/

See right at bottom of page.

I had never had chicken pox as a child and I caught it as an adult after my toddler had it. I knew there was a risk so as soon as I noticed a spot I contacted the GP who prescribed me anti-virals straight away. Overall I didn’t have a bad experience and I can’t say for certain but hoping that getting the anti-virals quickly did help. I had spots only from my chest upwards (there was a lot in that whole area though). The worst part was a throbbing headache. I queried with the pharmacist whether it was the anti-virals and if I should stop them and they told me not too as it’d probably be worse.

I think you’d be too late for the vaccine now but if you don’t catch it from your mum it may be worth considering.

Try not to over worry and if you notice any spots ring your GP and see if they can advise/possibly give you anti-viral meds.

Thank you! That's what I thought. It does get confusing when you have two different illnesses where the virus is the same and passes one way but not the other and by different transmission. The doctor didn't seem too worried about it passing on to anyone as it's underneath her clothes (hip/back area) I also wash my hands after practically everything so fingers crossed I'll be ok.

Yes she noticed the spots yesterday lunchtime and by late evening she had antivirals (Acyclovir) from the doctor. Sorry to hear you have it too although it sounds mild which is good. It's been really painful for my mum-slightly better today though. Hopefully since she got started on the meds quick it'll be short-lived.