Please tell me about adult chicken pox/shingles

[Shakey1500]

DS (5) has developed the spots of chicken pox today. He's fine, was sick (as in vomiting) last Wednesday and there's been a bout of it at his school so it was no surprise.

However, yesterday/today, I felt just rotten. Felt sick all day, zero appetite, like a "band" of pain around my middle (back area in particular) and exhausted. Having spoken to my mum today she is "not sure if I had chicken pox or not as a child"

So, whilst I know I'll be headed to the GP if I don't feel any better has anyone else had adult chicken pox/shingles/any experiences? I work in an office and wouldn't want to spread any lurgy etc

Thanks in advance.

Poor you. It sounds more like shingles than chicken pox.
I know you're not meant to be able to get shingles from someone with chicken pox but tbh I have heard of it happening quite often...I think maybe exposure reactivates the virus in adults sometimes.

The crucial thing is you need to get anti viral meds before long, if that's what it is - go to the GP tomorrow and ask about it as if you don't start taking them within the first 72 hours they're not very effective and if you do take them early, it can really prevent it being so bad.

Hope it is nothing at all but do go tomorrow or asap, just in case.

oh and you won't be contagious if your rash/any painful area I think, is covered, and you use separate towels etc to other people. So if you feel well enough you can continue to work.

I really dont think you can catch shingles from chickenpox - the other way round yes (as my currently v spotty 2 yr old can attest...)

Agree tho about need for antivirAls regardless of whether its chickenpox or shingles. adult pox is usually worse, sorry to be bearer of bad news :( with higher complication rate. AntivirAls may help lessen severity.

You could well have immunity without having had visible pox as a child. This is apparently what happened in my case as I have antibodies but my mum swears blind I never had it. Alrhough she also swears blind I never had mumps but I deffo did as I can remember it well

Hope you feel better soon and that its just a cold....

Thanks all

Yes it is more the fact that I may have adult chicken pox (I keep checking for spots now ) and I knew that the two were related.

Well I shall see how I feel tomorrow. DS seems perky enough and that's the main thing

Yes, it's amazing how largely unbothered they can be with it.

Hope you don't get it. The incubation period is between 10-21 days so unless you were both exposed to the same source - ie one of the school kids - it's unlikely you'd be showing symptoms so soon.