Chickenpox jab as an adult?

[Scruffybear]

Hi
Apparently I have never had chickenpox but since I have 2 children to look after as a SAHM, both under 3, I am considering getting myself vaccinated. If I got it, we don't have family locally to help with the DCs and DH works away a lot, so god knows how I would look after them if, as I have heard, adults tend to get the virus quite badly.

Anyone out there who has done the same thing? Would you get the jab in my position? I'm not normally one for unnecessary jabs and would typically let nature take its course, but I fear I might regret that if sods law bestows the pox on us now that DD1 has started pre school! Also, apparently there's a test for immunity anyone know whether its essential to check this first, since mum helpfully can't be 100% sure?!

My DH has never had chicken pox, and I'm going to suggest he gets the vaccine. I understand it is fairly nasty in adults, and he couldn't spare the two weeks off work.

I'm not vaccinating DD as I would prefer she obtained lifelong immunity from the disease than a potentially shorter period of vaccine induced immunity. So the likelihood is that DH will be exposed to it.

I had it at 25 and it was horrible, I escaped the hospital because I was unemployed and leaving at my parents at the time. If leaving alone I would have needed some kind of support/check up/nursing, as I could not get out of bed for 2 weeks. I was out for 4 weeks in total as the infection didn't stop after several days as it should and I needed antiviral drugs.

A collegue got it in his 30s and was hospitalised, missed about 3 weeks of work.

If I had known a vaccine existed I would have had it. He too.

I would check your immunity, DH's mum didn't remember him having it but he was fine when DD1 got it. So obviously had it before.
DB had it with only 3 or 4 spots and unwell for a few days only with no real fever, so it can passed almost unseen.

My DD is having the jab this week (DS has a compromised immune system) and hopefully her vaccine will run out when she's 20-30 just in time for her to be pregnant. The Dr did say though that if she gets the pox in future, it would only be very mild. It's a risk we have to take though.

I would have it in your situation, but I am very pro-vaccination.

I had chickenpox at 5 (I know for sure because I passed it on to my little sis!). When I was 36wks pg with DC2 I was exposed to it so the doc did an immunity test (one vial of blood)... It came back negative!! I had to have a load of immunoglobin injected into my bum and was treated in isolation at antenatal appts... Thankfully I didn't develop it.
If I were you I'd go for the jab...

I had the jabs this summer. When I was pregnant the tests showed I had no immunity so I thought it was sensible. Am trying to decide whether to get DS immunised.

a very close friend got itn at uni and was off for 3-4 weeks.

my only thong about the vax is it has been associated in the us wirh guillain-baerre syndrome. i have the chronic form of this so if, following the vax, you get pins and needles, tingling, numbness in your hands and feet, please go to the doc/a&e. its fatal if untreated, you can lose the ability to breathe!