Chicken Pox

[FarmersWife5]

When I was younger, I never got chicken pox (knock on wood)! I did however get the vaccine when I was 6 years old.

I had all my OB blood work done last week. Today my nurse called me, saying it came back I had no immunity towards chicken pox! Well.. I should since I got the vaccine.

And.. you cannot get the vaccine when you are pregnant. She said they'd give me it after baby was born.. Now I am soo worried, I'll get the pox while pregnant!

I help out at a daycare, and also do patient registration in a hospital..

Anyone else not immune to chicken pox?

 

[klsltsp]

Me!

I got tested when I was pregnant with my first son, to find out that I didn't have the chicken pox immunity... then after I was done breastfeeding I got the vaccine and the booster... then when I was pregnant with my second son, I asked them to check me again, and sure enough... the vaccine didn't take.. I still am not immune!

During my second pregnancy, my older son was exposed to chicken pox at daycare... my ob told me that if my son got it I needed to get to the hospital within 72 hrs of exposure to get a shot or something...

So here I am again pregnant trying to avoid chicken pox!!

I feel your pain and anxiety!!

Kim

 

[FarmersWife5]

Me!

I got tested when I was pregnant with my first son, to find out that I didn't have the chicken pox immunity... then after I was done breastfeeding I got the vaccine and the booster... then when I was pregnant with my second son, I asked them to check me again, and sure enough... the vaccine didn't take.. I still am not immune!

During my second pregnancy, my older son was exposed to chicken pox at daycare... my ob told me that if my son got it I needed to get to the hospital within 72 hrs of exposure to get a shot or something...

So here I am again pregnant trying to avoid chicken pox!!

I feel your pain and anxiety!!

Kim

Oh my goodness! That is just insane, it wasn't taking.. hm! I am wondering if mine maybe didn't last as long as they thought? Because I was around kids with chicken pox after getting the vaccine. So im not sure!

I was wondering about the breast feeding too, I plan on giving that a try. So I didn't know if they could give me the vaccine, while breast feeding.

 

[klsltsp]

You can't get the vaccine while you're breastfeeding, it's a live vaccine, apparently the vaccine is effective 80% of the time..

THe doctors figure that my body deals with the virus some how.. since I've been exposed tonnes as a kid...

 

[FarmersWife5]

You can't get the vaccine while you're breastfeeding, it's a live vaccine, apparently the vaccine is effective 80% of the time..

THe doctors figure that my body deals with the virus some how.. since I've been exposed tonnes as a kid...

Well. that should make you feel a little better? Knowing your body has fought it off on its own.

 

[klsltsp]

kind of lol

my doc said it would be interesting to know if my kids also don't have the antibodies... my brother, sister and I all never got the chicken pox, so they wonder if we have some sort of natural immunity.

 

[Michellelove]

me!!! but im not worried my friends wife got it and doctor didnt even know she was pregnant until she was cured and she was 5 months along.... :O lol

 

[bamm]

Me too! I have been around so many kids my whole life with chicken pox, and I've never caught it. I've never had the shot for it either - probably should, but I'm not keen on needles! Everyone in my family has had it except me, so no idea why I don't seem to get it - I just hope I don't get stuck with it as an adult, as apparently it's worse!

I might get it before DD starts big school just in case!

 

[Loubie_2012]

I never had chicken pox either and we don't have the vaccine over here. When we were WTT I asked the nurse about it because I knew when we were going to start trying and it's always concerned me. She was really off with me! She said 'we don't vaccinate over here, American's vaccinate for everything' and gave me a dirty look. She made me feel really stupid for asking but I knew from this forum that there was such a thing as a vaccination so was curious if it was available to me. When I went to the midwife appointment she almost put in the computer that I'd had it because she took it that everyone had it as a child. She said it's a rarity not to have it but said I'm going to have to just be very cautious when mixing with friends who have children asking before hand if they have any signs/spots, particularly in Spring as she said that's the general season for it.

 

[klsltsp]

They worry about you getting them between weeks 8 and 20 and then a week or two before delivery. The possible complications are rare but significant enough to worry. We thought I was exposed this time when I was just 4 weeks, we didn't do anything...

 

[FarmersWife5]

I never had chicken pox either and we don't have the vaccine over here. When we were WTT I asked the nurse about it because I knew when we were going to start trying and it's always concerned me. She was really off with me! She said 'we don't vaccinate over here, American's vaccinate for everything' and gave me a dirty look. She made me feel really stupid for asking but I knew from this forum that there was such a thing as a vaccination so was curious if it was available to me. When I went to the midwife appointment she almost put in the computer that I'd had it because she took it that everyone had it as a child. She said it's a rarity not to have it but said I'm going to have to just be very cautious when mixing with friends who have children asking before hand if they have any signs/spots, particularly in Spring as she said that's the general season for it.

Oh my goodness! Yes us Americans have LOTS of vaccines, but for good reasons! I am sorry she made you feel like that! It was back in 1997 I had mine in the USA. That's crazy the nurse was just going to add it in, that you had it! Wow... that's not good. I guess I didn't realize Spring was the general season for chicken pox. Good to know!

 

[klsltsp]

Yeah they say that over 99% of the population has the antibodies. Most people have them even if they didn't realize they had the chicken pox. They only needed to have a small outbreak and their body would have the antibodies..

So we should feel special!!! LOL

 

[sun]

I thought the chicken pox vaccine required a booster later in life to keep up immunity?

 

[klsltsp]

yup it does... I had both the vaccine and booster... still don't have the antibodies LOL funny since it is a live vaccine.. so my body faught it off some how, without creating antibodies...

even for kids now they get a booster.

 

[Natnee]

kind of lol

my doc said it would be interesting to know if my kids also don't have the antibodies... my brother, sister and I all never got the chicken pox, so they wonder if we have some sort of natural immunity.

Neither me or my sister had it. Then I got it last year age 36! Then I gave it to my daughter! She wasn't half as poorly as I was, it's not nice having it as an adult!