Have you ever had chicken pox?

[NovemberJoseph]

I've never had chicken pox in my life. Neither has my sister or cousin.

Anyone else who hasn't had chicken pox yet?

I have had chicken pox

I haven't

[MsAnthropist]

Do you get cold sores?

Chicken pox, mono, shingles, herpes simplex 1 & 2 are all caused by the Epstein Barr virus. Sometimes the virus will manifest differently when exposed. For instance, my Dad never had chicken pox when exposed, but DOES get cold sores (Herpes simplex 1, NOT the STD) and shingles. I had CP as a kid.

My son is 5, hasn't had it, and hasn't had the vaccination yet (Varicella). If he doesn't contract it naturally by age ten, it's the vax for him, because getting it as an adult is not only really painful, but could lead to sterility or even death!

You can have your physician check you for your "titers" and if you don't show immunity, you should be vaccinated stat.

[NovemberJoseph]

I don't get cold sores either :o

[MsAnthropist]

You really need to check with your physician about getting the vaccination, then.

[NovemberJoseph]

But in order to get it, I would have to be around a child or person with chicken pox right? Can't I just stay away from them?

[MsAnthropist]

It's really hard to stay away. It might be a child that was recently vaccinated. It's a live virus, so they might shed.

But, you could also make out with a person that transmits herpes simplex 1 to you (don't need to see the cold sore to spread it) and it could manifest as chicken pox or shingles.

[NovemberJoseph]

Hmmmm.
www.todayifoundout.com/.../

This website says chicken pox is a type of herpes virus, but a different one from Herpes simplex 1.

[NovemberJoseph]

Scroll down till you see a list of like 8 different types of herpes.

[MsAnthropist]

I'm saying that they all fall under the Epstein Barr family of viruses.

[MsAnthropist]

Chicken pox is NOT herpes. Neither is shingles or mono. They're all in the EBV though, and can mutate. That's what viruses do.

[MsAnthropist]

My brain is working backwards. Technically CP is in the herpes family but it doesn't cause cold sores like you would imagine for the herpes 1 or 2. It's different than herpes zoster, too.

My point is, when they check your titers, they'll measure for the EBV activity, and that will determine if you need the vaccine or not.

It's really not something you just want to cross your fingers and "avoid".

[NovemberJoseph]

I will definitely look into getting checked for needing a vaccine. Thanks.

I'm just curious though because the website says that EBV and herpes simplex 1 and chicken pox are all different types of herpes virus. It says EBV, the one you're talking about, is herpes type 4, while Chicken pox is type 3...

That would mean if I were to get herpes type 1 from a girl, it couldn't possibly manifest as chicken pox, because they're different types of herpes virus, correct?

[Red7336]

i haven't lol
but i got measles :3 ... bad type of it
and it was during my finals or something in 5th-6th grade, it was just lovely lol
OH and the doctor i went to at first was giving me wrong medication and it was making me worse lol

[NovemberJoseph]

Ohhh doctors. I've literally had a nurse Google my symptoms before and print out treatments for me. Smh lol

[Red7336]

:O whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa !

hahahahha xD good times xD

[amybeelicious]

I got it when I was about 4. All I remember is being bathed it oatmeal? Lol anyways I heard its dangerous to get it as an adult so beware of all kids

[NovemberJoseph]

Oatmeal? Lol never heard of that as a form of treatment

[NovemberJoseph]

Oh and yeah I've heard that too. Thanks for the heads up

[amybeelicious]

My grandma has never gotten it before she's like 65 so we keep her away from kids 4-10 so she won't catch it. And oatmeal they claim was supposed to stop me from itching.

[JimRSmith]

If you get it at your age, you have my definite sympathy.

I was 17, and it was not a whole load of fun - it's worse the older you are.

[NovemberJoseph]

Do you know how you got it?

[JimRSmith]

Yeah, my little sister brought it home from school - it was doing the rounds amongst the younger kids. I'm not really sure how I missed getting it when I was younger, though.

[Error_204]

I hope to get it when I am old and die to it. Then I will feel truly accomplished.

[NovemberJoseph]

Please elaborate good sir.

[Error_204]

I evaded C. Pox for 70 years, like a badass, and then nature got me. It's like Final Destination using children's diseases.

[NovemberJoseph]

10/10 elaboration. Noiiiice

[DumpliingPrincess]

By chance.

[DumpliingPrincess]

Oops... ignore that.

[springocelot]

Did you get the chicken pox vaccine? Chicken pox is usually more severe if you get it when you're older.

[NovemberJoseph]

I haven't...

[springocelot]

You should consider getting the vaccine then. I got mine when I was 13 at it was pretty bad. It started off as one red papule on my foot then I woke up the next day with papules, blisters, and scabs all over my body. Itched like hell too.

[electromagnetic]

I got them twice. The first time when I was maybe 4. The second was two years ago while on vacation. I thought they were mosquito bite for a three weeks. Went to the doctors and they gave me meds.

[Red7336]

twice? o. O i thought you can only get them once in your life

[electromagnetic]

I thought so too. But unless I was diagnosed incorrectly, I got it twice.

[bubble_tea]

Yes, I had when I was in kindergarten or primary school. I remember my youngest uncle had to play with us to catch it (because he hasn't had it yet).

[NovemberJoseph]

Was it bad when he caught it?

[bubble_tea]

I don't know, but he had less red dots and he didn't want to scratch them as badly as I did.

[BelleGirl21]

Twice! Wth is up with that? They were worse when I was in 3rd grade though. I just got a mild case as an adult.

[NovemberJoseph]

I heard its called shingles the second time you get it.

[BelleGirl21]

You're probably right. They should call it shittles...

[NovemberJoseph]

Shittles sounds like what should be the real word for tiny pieces of left over toilet paper in your butt after wiping

[BelleGirl21]

Ha ha ha. Right again!

[amybeelicious]

I had no clue you could get it twice?

[redroses1996]

I have when I was... like 7 and ever since then I can't bare to see oatmeal!!!

[NovemberJoseph]

Another person who got oatmeal treatment? Lol

[redroses1996]

yea!!!

[Kris85]

Yes. I was 12 when I got it. I was on vacay in the summer, but thankfully it was a mild case

[NovemberJoseph]

Got it over with quick :p

[glamgamergal]

Nope never neither has my sis my mom or both of my brothers my grandma didn't either

[musicbrain5]

I had it when I was 12. And I had a really bad case of it!

[harakiri]

holy moly. better fuckin hope you don't get shingles :x

[itsallover]

I've had it twice. How? I don't know, not even my doctor could explain it.

[Souma95]

Yes I did when I was about 6. Torture, torture I say!!

[maiez]

Nope, wow i can't believe majority of voters have had it

[meatballs21]

I had it in my final year of high school. What a hellish two weeks.

[Prof_Don]

Yup I did when I was 7 ... ironically the vaccine came out the year afterwards! :-P

[DontDropIt]

I've never had them thank you based god

[NovemberJoseph]

Lololololol

[incognito121]

You will most likely get shingles then

[NovemberJoseph]

But I thought you could only get shingles once you've had chicken pox once?

[BertMacklinFBI]

never have I ever.

[NovemberJoseph]

We're immune bro #naturalselection

[thewanderingme]

yep. got it on my 10th birthday. :/

[NovemberJoseph]

On a birthday? That must've sucked :/

[thewanderingme]

yea, I was having a party too. we had to call and tell everyone not to come. lol

[DumpliingPrincess]

I have. When I was four.

[DumpliingPrincess]

Guess I'm going to get shingles when I'm older :/

[NovemberJoseph]

Not necessarily

[DumpliingPrincess]

By chance.

[sovetskii13]

No one in my family has had chicken pox.