The Chickenpox & Shingles Poll

[BadBadBear]

Have you had Shingles or Chickenpox? If you feel like it, please leave a comment at what age you had shingles.

I have had both, I had Shingles at 38.

 

[Gingergrrl]

I had chickenpox at age 11 but never had shingles. However when recently tested for many viruses, I had positive IgM for VZV which I believe is the virus behind shingles? So it made me wonder if I have shingles/herpes virus hiding out in the nervous system even though I never outwardly had shingles?

 

[dancer]

I had chickenpox three times as a child (which isn't supposed to happen-usually once you've had it, you have immunity). Perhaps a clue to immune issues early on? Not sure.

 

[OverTheHills]

I had chickenpox three times as a child (which isn't supposed to happen-usually once you've had it, you have immunity). Perhaps a clue to immune issues early on? Not sure.

me too! good to meet someone else 'special'

 

[SOC]

I don't remember having chicken pox, but tested positive for the virus in my early 20's, so I must have had it. I've had shingles at least 3 times since I got ME, so in my late 40's, early 50's.

 

[Wildcat]

.
I had Chicken Pox twice as a child .... a few years apart.
.

 

[minkeygirl]

I never had either yet I tested positive for varicella zoster a few years ago.

 

[ahmo]

Chicken pox pre-puberty. Shingles 58 yo., 5 years into ME. It emerged when I was engaged in an esoteric practice re inner male/female, then it was gone.

 

[rosie26]

I can not remember being sick with chicken pox or the measles - even mumps I can not remember. If I did have them, they were pretty light, I think.

 

[AndyPandy]

Chicken pox as a 1 year old, shingles at 22, many years before ME.

 

[heapsreal]

Had chickenpox twice. Once as a child and once as an adult which helped kick off cfs. Recently had blood test to check for pox antibodies, will get results in a few weeks. Doing this as also had ebv with igg antibodies and tested negative a few years later? ?

 

[NK17]

I had chickenpox for the first time as a teenager, after Infectious Mono.
So far no shingles.

 

[heapsreal]

I had chickenpox for the first time as a teenager, after Infectious Mono.
So far no shingles.

I was post viral cmv mono when I got the pox the second time.

 

[zzz]

I had chickenpox at age 11 but never had shingles. However when recently tested for many viruses, I had positive IgM for VZV which I believe is the virus behind shingles?

Yes, it is.

So it made me wonder if I have shingles/herpes virus hiding out in the nervous system even though I never outwardly had shingles?

Once you have any herpes virus, it's with you for life. So yes, you definitely have VZV in your nervous system.

As for me, I first came down with shingles at age 38, during a relapse from one of my earlier ME episodes. The next time was at age 46, at the same time I had my final relapse, which has lasted until now (16 years). This happened exactly one day after I had an old herpes zoster lesion removed because it had turned carcinogenic. A couple of years later, I had my final case of shingles.

Both of the last two cases were much milder than the first one.

My chickenpox at age 5 was one of the worst cases my doctor had seen. I was literally covered head to toe with the chickenpox lesions, even my eyelids. The lesions were side by side - there was virtually no uninfected skin. I really did look like a plucked chicken! It was very painful, and I ran a high fever. I still remember it clearly today. All those bottles of Calamine lotion...

 

[Gingergrrl]

@zzz Do you mean that VZV IgM antibodies are for both chicken pox and shingles even if someone has never had shingles? For some reason I thought VZV was just for shingles which is why I was confused to have IgM for VZV when I'd never had shingles.

 

[SOC]

@zzz Do you mean that VZV IgM antibodies are for both chicken pox and shingles even if someone has never had shingles? For some reason I thought VZV was just for shingles which is why I was confused to have IgM for VZV when I'd never had shingles.

VZV is varicella (HHV-3), the virus that causes chicken pox in the primary infection and shingles when it reactivates. Once you've had chicken pox, you can get shingles if your immune system doesn't keep the VZV latent -- just like EBV, CMV, or HHV6 can reactivate. They're all viruses in the same family. They establish permanent latent infections in everyone who ever got them

Herpesviridae

HHV-3 Varicella zoster virus (VZV) αMucoepithelial Chickenpox and shingles Neuron

 

[heapsreal]

Yes, it is.


Once you have any herpes virus, it's with you for life. So yes, you definitely have VZV in your nervous system.

As for me, I first came down with shingles at age 37, during a relapse from one of my earlier ME episodes. The next time was at age 46, at the same time I had my final relapse, which has lasted until now (16 years). This happened exactly one day after I had an old herpes zoster lesion removed because it had turned carcinogenic. A couple of years later, I had my final case of shingles.

Both of the last two cases were much milder than the first one.

My chickenpox at age 5 was one of the worst cases my doctor had seen. I was literally covered head to toe with the chickenpox lesions, even my eyelids. The lesions were side by side - there was virtually no uninfected skin. I really did look like a plucked chicken! It was very painful, and I ran a high fever. I still remember it clearly today. All those bottles of Calamine lotion...

I hear ya. At 31 second episode of pox my mouth would bleed brushing my teeth. Lucky also I didn't eat much because even me Behind would bleed wipping it. I remember the temp was in the minuses where we were living and I had a raging temp for several days and the only way I fell asleep was with an ice pack either side of my head. It was one of the worst times I can remember.

 

[Gingergrrl]

Once you have any herpes virus, it's with you for life. So yes, you definitely have VZV in your nervous system.

@zzz I guess my question is, if I had chicken pox at age 11 and have never had shingles, why was my VZV IgM positive last month? I understand the IgG being positive. Does this mean I have active VZV somewhere in my body or not necessarily?

 

[heapsreal]

@zzz I guess my question is, if I had chicken pox at age 11 and have never had shingles, why was my VZV IgM positive last month? I understand the IgG being positive. Does this mean I have active VZV somewhere in my body or not necessarily?

Its possible to get internal shingles so no outwards signs that normally present like the typical shingles rash. This i found on a quick google but u can find more http://www.buzzle.com/articles/internal-shingles-symptoms.html .

 

[zzz]

@zzz I guess my question is, if I had chicken pox at age 11 and have never had shingles, why was my VZV IgM positive last month? I understand the IgG being positive. Does this mean I have active VZV somewhere in my body or not necessarily?

When the VZV is just dormant in the nervous system, you generally shouldn't get a positive IgM for it. A positive IgM generally means you do have an active infection, although if you've had chickenpox, you may even have an active VZV infection (such as shingles) without an elevated IgM. What @heapsreal said is also true, but your result also has to be interpreted in the context of your EBV infection. Cross reactions on the various herpes tests are known to occur, so your high VZV IgM may simply be reflecting your EBV infection. The standard ELISA test is susceptible to these cross reactions, while the newer, glycoprotein-based tests are more specific, and much less susceptible to cross reactions. Do you know which type of test you had?

In any case, VZV is treatable by Famvir, just like EBV. And like other herpes viruses, it should also respond to Zantac.