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T1D & Chickenpox - Advice welcome

D

domcar

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hello,

I'm 30, in the UK and my son has come down with chickenpox (as am I). I've had T1 diabetes since the age of 7 and also have 6-8 weekly eye injections for Retinopathy. I've also never had chickenpox as a child.

Does anyone have any advice on how best to manage this? I'm presuming it's a case of riding it out but I've noticed that you can get antivirals if you have a compromised immune system. Is there also anything I need to be extra aware off? etc eyes?
 
Hi, I am not a type 1 but 2, I had chicken pox as an adult whilst my children had it and the best advice I would give is plenty of fluids, camomile lotion. I had it everywhere you could possibly think of eyes, mouth and down south! I was told that if I had caught it I think within 24hrs of symptoms, that I could have had the antiviral due to asthma. I was too late and became full blown . Hope you and your son get better soon and sending hugs as its not so nice when you are an adult. Best advice though get in touch with GP.
 
I remember wife No 2 having chicken pox and it wasn’t pleasant, as previously advised camomile lotion eases I , from a diabetic perspective , check blood sugars regularly and keep well hydrated , you may find you may have to adjust insulin for a time as chicken pox could raise blood sugars hope you feel better soon
 
Hi,

I never caught it as a child.
But I did in my late teens from my younger sister bringing it back from her school..
I seem to remember feeling like I was coming down with flu for a couple of days over the weekend then feeling fine but breaking out in spots?
Went to work on Monday & the boss sending me home telling me to have the week off..

camomile lotion was applied with a great restraint not to pick at any spots.
I wore loose non abrasive clothing.

Hope you & your son gest well soon..
 
Brilliant. Thanks all.

Contacted the GP who has prescribed anti-viral tablets. My partner is also in her second trimester pregnant but thankfully she had it as a child. I'm sure the next 7-14 days will be fun going from the sympathetic tone of the GP! (She said she couldn't believe I'd made it to 30 without it and she hopes I feel okay as she feels it's going to be a tough one)
 
I actually think CP was a breeze.

Compared to when I somehow caught foot & mouth last year..
I haven’t even caught covid.
 
If it's any consolation my 3 year old son and non diabetic husband (age 33) caught CP in the third trimester of my second pregnancy. Son was fine, husband was (moderately) miserable but was given zovirax against shingles. (Luckily I must have had it as a child because have no idea how I would have managed antenatal appointments.) My husband says his first day of covid was worse but CP was overall more miserable....

Good luck.
 
When I had it as a young person - (everywhere) alongside the calamine I had baths in diluted Savlon liquid, which helped dry the pox up and stop them getting infected
 
I can say I am so so so happy we recently purchased a new house and decided to keep the shower until this winter before replacing it with a bath... GRRR
 
I had cp really bad as an adult at the same time as my kids. Later on in my late 30s I came down with shingles twice. Once I thought it was just a little rash on my hip until I pointed out to my gp who asked if I had been run down to which the reply was "yes when arent I". Second time was within days of having the swine flu jab. Can always tell when I am getting a hit of shingles, a very weird sensation in my back and crawling sensation on hip where the nerves are. My mum had shingles in her 80s really bad, felt so sorry for her.
 
About 6 months ago my Dr asked me if I ever had Chickenpox. I told him I had no idea. He strongly suggested I get the shingles vaccine. In North America it’s called SHINGRIX (I have no affiliation with the company that produces it) . It’s a vaccine recommended by health agencies here in Canada and the US If you are over 50. I got the shot. I had a bit of a scare as I had a blistery rash on the top of my arm. My friends immediately said it was Shingles, turned out it was a gluten rash due to gluten sensitivity called Herpetiformis not Shingles, but it was scary enough for me to get the Shingles shot when it was offered to me. Ed grammar.
 
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