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Anyone know where I can get a chickenpox vaccine in the North East?

33 replies

SparklePffftBANG · 08/11/2010 09:27

I have googled, but they all seem to be HPV or travel vaccinations.
What sort of thing should I be looking for?

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chandra · 08/11/2010 09:32

I have heard of chicken pox vaccines being very popular in the US for cosmetic reasons (to avoid the short term scars) but as far as I know, the UK does not consider them necessary so, unless things have changed, I think you are not going to find it on the NHS, and it is unlikely you can get it from private providers.

SparklePffftBANG · 08/11/2010 09:36

oh no :(
Well how do nursery and health staff get vaccinated? Surely someone must do it for them?

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SparklePffftBANG · 08/11/2010 09:36

and teachers

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chandra · 08/11/2010 09:53

I suppose that as everyone else: By having the disease themselves and left with natural immunity Wink

SparklePffftBANG · 08/11/2010 09:55

But that's not the case? I saw a doctor at the weekend who hadn't had it (she was pregnant too). I haven't had it - which is why I want the vaccine

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chandra · 08/11/2010 10:00

I found this for you, I guess you need to treat chicken pox in the way many pregnant women deal with Rubella stay away of contagious people and seek medical help if you have reasons to believe you may have been exposed to the disease.

I found the following, which may help:
What if I develop chickenpox when I am pregnant?

Most pregnant women who have chickenpox recover fully and their baby is fine. However, as discussed above, the illness tends to be unpleasant and there is some risk of complications. See separate leaflet called 'Chickenpox in Adults' which gives details of the infection itself. In short:
See a doctor urgently if you suspect that you have chickenpox when you are pregnant, or within seven days of giving birth.
If you do develop chickenpox, you (and your baby if newborn) should be reviewed daily. You may need a hospital assessment if you have lung disease, are a smoker, or are taking treatment which affects your immune system (such as steroids). See a doctor immediately if you have: a severe rash, a bleeding rash, chest/breathing problems, drowsiness, vomiting, or bleeding. You may need treatment in hospital.
Antiviral medication is an option to treat chickenpox, but it must be started within 24 hours of the rash appearing to be of benefit. It does not cure the illness, but tends to make it less severe. It may help to prevent complications developing in mother and baby (described above).
You are likely to be referred for a detailed ultrasound scan at 16-20 weeks of the pregnancy, or five weeks after the infection has cleared if the infection was later on in the pregnancy. The aim of this is to look for signs of fetal varicella syndrome.
If you develop chickenpox within seven days before or after the birth of your baby, the baby can be given immunoglobulin treatment (described above). This aims to prevent chickenpox developing in the baby.
Avoid other pregnant women and newborn babies until all the spots have crusted over (commonly about 5-6 days after onset of the rash).

SparklePffftBANG · 08/11/2010 10:05

Thanks. I really wanted to be vaccinated as I will really struggle to look after the DCs if I get ill, and chicken pox can be very nasty in adults. The doctor seemed to think I'd need two vaccinations, 3 months apart.
I should maybe ask at the DCs nursery - mauybe they offer it for staff?

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chandra · 08/11/2010 10:07

no, only medical staff would get it.

SparklePffftBANG · 08/11/2010 10:52

oh no :( so what would nursery staff do if they hadn't had it and are pregnant? Surely it'd be pretty inevitable to get it??

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mylifewithstrangers · 08/11/2010 11:01

The Jabs site lists clinics that give single vaccines (scroll down for a full list)

Like This one in Leeds

There are lots of private clinics that will do you a chickenpox vax, it does cost though - around £150 per jab.

acebaby · 08/11/2010 11:01

Sparkle
If you are an adult (particularly a woman of childbearing age) and are not immune to chicken pox, you can get the jabs done on the NHS. A friend of mine had this done soon after a really nasty chicken pox scare while she was pregnant (she had the jab done after her baby was born)

Just make an appointment with your GP
HTH!

SparklePffftBANG · 08/11/2010 11:35

ooh Leeds would be an option, thanks.
acebaby, I really wouldn't mind paying for it I don't think . I am going to great pains never to get pregnant again, but I simply do not want to be seriously ill when having to look after 2 DCs who still need their bums wiping :o
Do you know how long you'd be immune for?

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samcrow · 08/11/2010 11:39

I'm sure having chicken pox isn't very nice but surely you could get ill in lots of different ways that would make it difficult to look after small children - why is chicken pox such a worry?

I've never heard of anyone having the vaccination except people who live in countries where its routinely given.

IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 08/11/2010 11:40

I can't remember whether it was 5 or 10 years i think (but don't quote me) it was 5 years which is one of the arguments against vaccinating children. That often booster vaccines are forgotten about and put off which means a higher likelyhood of adults getting it and as you said it is a far worse illness in adults than children.

SparklePffftBANG · 08/11/2010 11:42

we thought DD had it over the weekend, and wehn I got it checked out, the doctor said I would almost certainly have caught it from her. That;s the thing, my children will have it, and because I haven't had it, I will almost certainly catch it from them.
Yes, I could catch lots of other stuff from lots of other people but I want my DCs to catch chicken pox (don't want either of them in this situation themselves with their own children), but I then need to not catch it from them in order to be able to look after them.

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SparklePffftBANG · 08/11/2010 11:43

thanks Ineed, I thought that too - so can completely see the point of not vacc children. But if it's 5 years that would mean it would almost certainly cover me until they've both hadit and are over it, and even not, if I spend a month in bed, they will not be breastfeeding, will be wiping their own bums and at school :o

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bonfireblue · 08/11/2010 13:18

I'm pretty sure I read that if you haven't had CP by the age of 12 you can get vaccinated on the NHS.

I haven't had it either and keep meaning to speak to my GP about it. DD1 is bound to pick it up sooner or later and I could do without it!

SparklePffftBANG · 08/11/2010 13:19

OK will call my GP then, that seems to be the only way, as acebaby mentions.
Thank you

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acebaby · 08/11/2010 19:53

Not sure how old your children are, but based on my experience you may be being optimistic about the time threshold for bum-wiping (whole other thread there!)

good luck with the GP

woodwardle · 08/11/2010 20:27

What are the side effects of the vaccine in pregnant women?

StealthPoHoHoHo · 08/11/2010 20:29

I'll still be wiping their bums at the age of 6?? aargh, well that can definitely be DH's job :o
Not sure woodwardle, almost everything I've found has talked about vaccinating children ratehr than adults, I am obviously in a minority!

thefirstMrsDeVere · 08/11/2010 20:37

My son needed it when his sister was immunocomprimised and we got it without any trouble and very quickly.

Which makes me think its not a particularly hard vaccine to get hold of and your LHA should have a certain amount in stock.

StealthPoHoHoHo · 08/11/2010 20:46

So did you go through GP?

thefirstMrsDeVere · 08/11/2010 21:18

As I remember it was the paediatric consultant at our local hospital. Once it was mentioned I think we had it within the week. Which is why I assumed it isnt one of those hard to get vaccines.

StealthPoHoHoHo · 08/11/2010 22:03

ah right of course, would have been a different situation. But surely Gp will know who I should ask. Thanks :)

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