Antibody Vaccination for Chickenpox - Cuddles Please

[GeorginaA]

cry ... I don't believe it.

I have never had chickenpox, so last year I was very careful to get myself the vaccination for it to protect me and any baby. Ds has just gone down with it and I've had my antibodies checked (the doctor nearly didn't bother because I'd had the vaccine - I had to insist for my own peace of mind).

I'm not immune.

What are the odds of that?! There was a 97% chance of me being immune anyway even though I hadn't had chickenpox. I wasn't. There was then a 90% chance the vaccine would take. It didn't. Never ever EVER let me gamble, I would lose too much money...

I have to go to the hospital in an hour to get an antibody injection, but I know that's not guaranteed to stop me getting chickenpox. I'm not feeling too hopeful on my odds... It's a human blood product which I wanted to avoid. I'm not even thinking of all the complications that can happen with getting chickenpox for and asthmatic mother at 34 weeks of pregnancy...

Feeling very vunerable and upset.

jimjams thank you. I went very quiet because I did read some pretty horrific stuff and scared myself silly - it's been a very frightening evening. Plus ds can't sleep at the moment, and is very itchy and unhappy, poor mite

I tried a search for homeopathic varicella and couldn't find it on the site you linked - is it called something else, or is it the rhus tox you mentioned? (sorry, I'm probably being very thick). Also is rhus tox contraindicted for pregnancy? Is it better to take orally or as a cream? I could probably do with some for ds too - is it a different dosage for children, would cream be better?

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Not doing so well today. Ds had a really bad night, he couldn't sleep from the itching. Plus he's getting really really distressed every time we put calamine on him - screaming and crying... it's breaking my heart.

Feeling very low and depressed. This really is the last straw this pregnancy.

Georgina, nothing much to say except that I would bet any money that by tomorrow your ds will be much better- chickenpox can seem absolutely awful and then suddenly get better on about day 4. I do hope so. Just remember the most dangerous time in terms of your baby has gone and not yet arrived, IYSWIM. It's well past the stage where there could be any developmental effects, and not reached the stage of catching CP neonatally. I know it's not possible to stop worrying, but it's almost certainly all going to be fine.
Hugs.

Poor you, Georgina. I had a scare like this a couple of weeks ago. Turned out I was immune. So sorry your vaccination didn't work.

I'm willing the antibodies to work for you.

How old is your ds? You've probably tried it but I found frequent warm baths with bicarb of soda in very good for dd's itching. And some Piraton when she was particularly bad.

Take care. Thinking of you. Dinnyx

Georgina - in Jimjams absence
I'm pretty sure rhus-tox is OK for pregnancy - it's definately OK for your ds. I have some spare - let me know if you want me to post them. My homepath gave me them for dd and me as both a preventative measure and to help with itching if we got it. (We didn't)

For the varicella, on the Ainsworths site go to online orders, remedies, then V and you will find it listed.

Thank you, prufrock. I'm going to have a chat with the midwife about it to double check that it's safe for me then I can always pick some rhus tox up from Boots same day (tbh, by the time the post arrives with it being bank holiday, it'll be past the worst for ds). Thank you, though

rhus tox is fine for pregnancy etc (any homeopathic remedy is).

I read the stuff online as well and scared myself silly - but please don't worry. Online sites can scare you rigid- but most people don't have the worst case scenario.

Let me know if you want the varicella.

What's the incubation period? Is it 14 days?

Bicarb of soda in the bath is good for itching as well.

oh yes and follow prufrocks advice for varicella- their website is a bit of a minefield to navigate but they do deliver very quickly.

There's no information there about how you're supposed to take the varicella and what strength to get - do I start now or when/if rash occurs? How many pills/strength etc? I'm really a homeopathic newbie (although I have taken arnica after ds' birth!) and rather nervous about taking anything during pregnancy, tbh! Did a google search on rhus tox and found that in some people it can increase the chance of viral pneumonia?! I think I'm going to stop googling soon, it's not doing my mental health any good

I've got the administration dosage somewhere- can't find it right now but will dig it out tonight. I would get 30C- I wouldn't get a higher potency without seeing a homeoapth.

Homeopathy is completely safe during pregnancy- I promise. I don't use anything on my kids (not even calpol unless their temperature gets colse to 41) and I would use homeopathy when pregnant without any worries.

You could ring the homeopathic helpline and talk to a homeopath the telephone number is 09065 343404. Open from 9am until midnight. Thta's pobably a better idea actually- they'll be able to give good advice. I think it costs 1.50 per minute- so quite pricey- but they are properly qualified etc. They'll be able to give you good advice on what to take to help prevent chickenpox.

What was the page you searched on rhus tox - was it on the homeschool page? (I just had a search) There was some very weird stuff on there- both in conventional medicine and homepopathic terms. I think you can safely forget you read that page!

Thanks jimjams I will give the homeopathy helpline a ring tonight when ds is in bed. Seems a very sensible idea.

I can't find the page again, although I didn't really want to find it again. There was a description on the same page of a baby born with chickenpox taking 5 days to die, so understandably I'd rather not read it again...

Yes same page I read. Disregard it, forget you ever read it- it was full of rubbish- neither the homeopathic or conventional stuff was reliable on there.

The homeopathic helpline is generally good - and sound on the homeopathic advice. Very occasionally you can come across someone a bit over "zealous" who is quite anti conventional medicine (wish they wouldn't do that actually it gives homeopathy a bad name), so if you are uforintunate enough to get someone like that ring back later when they will have changed shifts. (My homeopath gave me that advice ) That's unlikely though, as most are very good. Just being cautious and giving the warning. I wouldn;t want you to think that was normal behavour iyswim.

Hi, Georgina, sorry it's so crap for you.

Not sure if this makes any diff to you, but I know of 3 children whose mothers contracted cp during pregnancy, 2 of them were born and developed spots a few days later, but no temp etc, and the 3rd never got any spots at all.

Hugs anyway!!

littlerach - yes that does help, thank you It's always nice to balance out the scare stories with some positive ones.

jimjams - managed to phone the homeopathy helpline. They've told me varicella 30c 2 times a day for up to three days, and if I should get it rhus tox 30c 3 times a day until all gone. He was a bit brusque, but then at £1.50 a minute, that was quite good Going to have a quick look to see a) Boots opening times for the rhus tox and b) if there's a homeopathy stockist in Worcester for the varicella. If not will use that online place you linked. Thank you so much for all your advice!

Just wanted to send those cuddles and hope all goes well for you Georgina, so sorry to hear of all the angst and soreness you have been put through.

Glad you got the advice Gerogina. I can send you varicella if you want- just let me know - although ainsworths would probably be as quick. (it will be hard to track down from a normal pharmacy etc- its not a particularly common remedy).

littlerach's story sounds the same as my gran/uncles. So so far we have 4 direct "good" examples and no bad ones. So I reckon a lot of the stuff you read on webistes is very very rare. So remember our stories and not those.

Just thought of another silly homeopathic question - I hope you're not fed up of me yet, jimjams! Is there a "best" form to take it in? I notice the site allows you to choose tablets, granules, liquid etc... is there a type which is more likely to be effective, or is it just down to personal preference. I remember the arnica I bought last time around to be in pillule format which was easy to take, but don't see anything similar on the ainsworth's site (unsurprisingly though, as the arnica was from a different manufacturer - nelsons).

tablets is easiest imo (granules are good for tiny babies- my varicella is in granules). Tablets are the same sort of size as the pillules.

Not fed up at all. I'm training (slowly) to be a homeopath so its good practice

Glad you're not fed up, was a bit concerned I was starting to push my luck

Ds is so inconsiderate getting ill over a bank holiday while everything is closed Why don't homeopathic pharmacies have rota openings like mainstream pharmacies?! Managed to get some rhus tox from Boots this morning, so we get to try ds on the little pillules this afternoon - could be entertaining

Ordered the varicella off of ainsworth's seeing as how every specialist shop is closed... just hope the postman does his job quickly...

I would imagine (on past experience) that you'll get the varicella by Wednesday- PO permitting of course!

No not pushing your luck at all- don't be daft. I had a horrible couple of weeks after a chickenpox exposure when pregnant with ds1 (because I googled). So I remember what it was like . Also when ds2 was 3 months old I gave him a huge exposure to whooping cough. (kept visiting a friend whose children were coughing like mad- then being sick thinking to myself "hmmm that sounds like whooping cough"-- and it was) I did the same as you went on google- found out that there was no way ds2 could avoid it (even bfeeding doesn't protect appaently) and he would die or at the very least be brain damaged. Spent 3 weeks watching him like mad (gave him pertussin- the homeopathic remedy) and of course he didn't even get it. Not one little sniffle and not the slightest cough. So now I get quite cross about the worst case scenrio stuff.

I now know from my SN experience (and from talking to friend's) that drs etc always do this. They always give the worst case scenrio- worry the hell ou of you and then of course it doesn't happen at all and you've spent weeks as a gibbering wreck.

I hope it does arrive Wednesday. I've spent the last day or two feeling really really itchy - whether that's the obstetric choelostasis getting worse, stress, sympathy itching on ds' behalf or me going down with the pox, I don't know, but it's driving me nuts!!!

Of course, if this homeopathy stuff works, I'll be contacting you to discuss dh's psoriasis watches jimjams run for the hills and change profession...

Either way, I do really want to thank you. Even if this doesn't actually do anything, it's given me a focus and some control back - I feel much less gibbering wreckish. Thank you.

Georgina if ds won't take the pillules try crushing them between two clean spoons and giving him the powder - it tastes like sugar. But make sure you check his mouth before you go anywhere afterwards, I have been known to miss dd's mouth and leave her looking like a coke addict

it's not the pox- that starts with a cold. I felt itchy when ds1 had nits!

I'd recommend seeing a homeopath anyway (but not me- I don't know enough - ) Homeopathy did work wonders on my mum's psoriasis O have to say (she was losing her hair becauase of it- had been referred to consultants etc- nothing worked- within about 6 weeks of starting homeopathy he hair had regrown- she was surprised (not me- I sent her to my homeopath).

They are great people becuase you can ring them at weekends in the evening etc. Always reassuring with children!

I chickened out of giving ds the pillules (pun not intended!) mainly because he's still being a demon with the calamine, the spots seem to be scabbed over now and he doesn't seem itchy. So I bowed out of the additional stress Yes, I'm a coward - but I will remember that tip for next time I use homeopathy with him, thanks prufrock

Had two appointments today - one with Day Assessment and one with my community midwife. I think they are physically incapable of being reassuring - were really non-commital either way about any implications chickenpox might have on me - not 100% helpful. I asked them about homeopathy and basically they didn't have a clue - the only comment my community midwife made was that "some" medications can react badly with "some" homeopathic preparations, but if "your homeopath says they're okay, then they're probably okay".

Not a particularly productive morning in terms of appointments all in all!!