Can you get Chicken Pox more than once?

AJB135

Hi Everyone Can you get chicken pox more than once? AJB135

CIS

you can but its unusual - normally if you do catch it again then it manifests as shingles

snails's_pace

no..but you can get shingles from someone who has chickenpox...i believe

rudeyjudey

No you become immune but think you can get shingles instead?

skyrocket

i had it twice

Tao81

AJB135 wrote: »

Hi Everyone Can you get chicken pox more than once? AJB135

If you get chicken pox as a child usually you develop lifelong immunity - but not always, my daughter had it twice as a youngster, the first bout was mild and the second one was full on, she hasn't had it a third time.

As an adult chickenpox is very serious - My GP had a friend who died of it at the age of 35yrs!!:eek: and unlike in childhood you do not develop long-term immunity.

I got chicken pox at 29yrs and was extremely ill and often question whether my immune system has ever fully recovered from such a serious hit?!!
Not had it again but freak out if I find out chicken pox is rampant within my environment because I know I am not immune to getting it again (God forbid)
Shingles is normally how the disease manifests within adults but individual responses to infection can vary enormously.

pboae

You don't 'catch' shingles. The chicken pox virus remains in you but stays dormant, and in some people it flares up again, but manifests itself as shingles.

It is possible for someone with shingles to give somebody else chicken pox (if the second person has never had chicken pox), but once you have had chicken pox, repeat exposure makes no difference, as you are already infected.

*Except* that very occasionally people don't continue to harbour the virus, and they don't develop any immunity, in which case they can catch chicken pox again. Either from someone with chicken pox or someone with shingles.

Savvy_Sue

DS1 had it twice, but the first time was very very mild ...

sarahlouise210

I had it twice..as others have said - the first time was very mild (second time was NOT !)

Hapless_2

I have had chicken pox 3 times, 3 out of 4 of my children have had it once, eldest not at all, Dr believes she is a viral carrier of the Chicken pox and is more likely to develop shingles.

DrFluffy

Why? If you think you have it and have had it before, you still need to go and see your GP... A horse with stripes painted on it is not a zebra and all that jazz...