Mum who hasn't had chickenpox - vaccination?

[Sarah239]

I am mum to a 5 month old baby and as far as I know I have never had chickenpox. We aren't 100% sure though.

I did ask to be tested for antibodies when I was pregnant but I don't think it was ever done in my blood work. I was lucky not to catch it while pregnant.

Now that I have a young child, some friends have suggested I pursue getting vaccinated as if my child catches it could be really nasty for me. Not to mention if I one day got pregnant again.

Has anyone got experience of being vaccinated on NHS or how to pursue privately? Is it something you would recommend?

You won't get it on the nhs. You can pay privately - think its 2 vaccines. Boots, superdrug may offer it

Should add that as it is a live vaccine i am nervous it could still be pretty unpleasant to receive as an adult... any experiences?

Although superdrug website says there is a shortage of the vaccine

You could be immune, my dad is. Both his siblings had chicken pox, all his 4dc and his 12 dgc. He never isolated from any of them.

Like any illness, people can be affected in various ways and some don't develop the classic chicken pox blisters all over there body. They might get only a few, not notice them or just have a fever etc.

I'd try getting your serology levels check first. If its high, then you have been exposed previously and immune. If the level is low- then you can decide whether to be vaccinated or not.

You could ask your GP for serology testing, but it might be something you'll have to pay for.

I paid privately to have it earlier this year. Two doses six weeks apart at Boots. I wanted to make sure that I had some immunity before I start a family. I considered trying to get my immunity tested but I doubt the NHS will want do that if I'm not pregnant and if I'm going to pay to be tested privately I might as well just get the vaccine.

It's one of the easiest vaccines I've had. The vaccine itself was more painful, but I had no side effects for either vaccine. I was advised to avoid vulnerable groups for a while due to a risk of shedding (though my understanding is that shedding without a rash is very rare). I would recommend based on my experience and wouldn't hesitate to get any children I might have vaccinated too. If you have any other questions, I'm happy to answer.

I had it after my first was born because, like you, I hadn't had it as a child and was really worried about picking it up from nursery. I did have to wait until I had stopped breastfeeding though.

I don't remember having any side effects from it.

Now is a good time to book it because pharmacies have just got it back in stock (after a period where it was in short supply).

It's not inevitable that adults get really bad chickenpox. I caught it from DS1 when he was 4. I was 45 at the time. The pair of us had about six spots each. I began to wonder if it was chickenpox at all when DS2 broke out in spots from head to toe. He was only 6 months old. Definitely chickenpox!

Boots also saying they have paused online bookings for the vaccines

I was the same as you and had it done at the same time as my first child privately, it’s not available on the NHS. As far as I remember there were no side effects after either shot (2 total)

My little boy (3) brought chicken pox back from nursery at the start of the year. He had what i assume is a moderate case, late hundreds of spots estimated. I had a 2 week old at the time. I have never had it or been vaccinated. 2 weeks later my baby girl had a very mild case (confirmed by gp), but I didn't catch it. Very odd. I still wish I had been vaccinated privately between kids though.

Exactly the same situation as you - I did have a blood test whilst pregnant that showed I'd never had it/no immunity. Once I'd had my baby I paid to be vaccinated before I got pregnant again. It's two jabs, about £80 each. I also had my second child done (my little girl caught it before he was born).

I never had CP as a child, even though my sister had it quite badly when we were children. I thought maybe I had an immunity so never considered getting the vaccine.

On Easter Sunday this year DS (5) started showing spots. He wasn't ill with it, just itchy and spotty. He was absolutely fine the days running up to it, just got him dressed that day and found spots.

10 days later I started feeling unwell, headaches, lethargic, aches, temperature. By day 12 I had spots all over from my head down to my thighs. My body was on fire. I suffered a lot worst than him.

Get the vaccine. I wish we both had been vaccinated. My friend who is a nurse got her kids vaccinated as soon as they were old enough.

Yes have it. A friend if mine albeit more than 30 years ago hadn't had it. Her toddler got chicken pox. Her new born baby, three wèeks, caught it because her mother had no antibodies to pass on. Chickenpox in new born babies is very very serious. The baby was air lifted to Great Ormond Street. She died.

Get vaccinated against it. Please.

I would get the blood test to see if you're immune if you can. Otherwise get the vaccine. And get your child vaccinated too, it really should be included in the usual childhood vaccinations

They won’t give you the vaccine if you’re breastfeeding.

My DS is over 1 now but because he’s still breastfed I can’t have it. I have instead had him vaccinated!

That said I think I must have some natural immunity, my siblings and friends had it when I was a kid and I just didn’t catch it.

@PinkPlantCase ugh that's really annoying. I am exclusively breastfeeding. I have just checked online though and apparently it's safe to have varicella vaccine when breastfeeding?

www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/vaccinations/

Get the vaccine. CP as an adult can be pretty nasty

Should add that as it is a live vaccine i am nervous it could still be pretty unpleasant to receive as an adult... any experiences

I'd be far more nervous of having the actual virus as an adult, especially now you have someone else to look after as well.

If I were you I'd get vaccinated. I've just had my 2 kids vaccinated.

If you get vaccinated, you're child might catch it from you, as the vaccine is live. So you might want to wait till their a little older. They could be vaccinated once they are 1.

This is true. My girls had first dose in June, second dose was meant to be 4-8 weeks later.. only just managed to get the second dose this last week. Still a massive shortage & Superdrug is only offering doses to people who've had the first dose previously.

I had it aged 30, it was horrible. I would get the vaccine as soon as you can.

I didn't think I had it as a child although my brother did, maybe I had a mild case. My DD got it although quite mild and I and my DH didn't catch it from here, being of a certain age now I just got the shingles vaccine, that can be really nasty.

I have had the chickenpox vaccine before trying to conceive my second. Although I've had it as a child, bloodworks surprisingly came back stating no antibodies. Got it privately at Boots. I was still breastfeeding my eldest at that point, although first born was also already vaccinated at that point. (Did it just after their first birthday so didn't worry about potential shedding).

If you get vaccinated, you're child might catch it from you, as the vaccine is live. So you might want to wait till their a little older.

This!