Shingles and the transplant patient

[MooseMom]

Before anyone tells me, yes, I have a call into my coordinator with the questions I will be posting here.  But she may not get back to me for a while since this is not an emergency, rather, these are hypothetical questions AND I am impatient, so I thought I'd come to IHD, the source of all knowledge.

My husband and I have both had chicken pox when we were young.

My tx team/neph never mentioned me getting the shingles vaccine, and by the time I went to get it, I was told that the shot would mean that I'd be inactive on the tx list for 3 months.  I had just listed at UW Madison and had been told that a kidney would probably be available sooner rather than later, so I didn't want to miss an opportunity.  So, I didn't get the shot.

My husband doesn't do shots.  No flu shots, nuthin'. 

If my husband were to get the shot (I'm lobbying hard), and since it is a live virus, what kind of precautions do I, in my immunosuppressed state, need to take.  Would I have to camp out in a hotel for a week or something?

If my husband were to get shingles, what happens?  Would he be shedding viruses?  Would I have to move out?  He'd hate that because then he'd have no one to whine to.  LOL!  But seriously...I read on some FB group posting that tx centers would request that a couple such as us should be separated for up to 6 weeks.  Could that possibly be true?

Thanks for any advice, thoughts.  If I hear from my coordinator, I'll let you know what she says.

[jeannea]

When I was still working, a coworker got shingles. I was really upset he was at work but then I did some reading. I couldn't catch shingles from him. I don't think you actually "catch" shingles. It's some reaction in your body to the old chicken pox virus I think. (Not completely sure.) So if your husband got sick, you probably wouldn't get sick. But if he's like a lot of men I know, he's probably a real pain when he's sick. If necessary, tell him you can't be around him and go to a spa. 

The vaccine is different. It is a live vaccine and can give you problems. You may have to at least be very careful for a couple of weeks about sharing things. Drinks, utensils, ummm...more intimate things. They might advise staying with a friend. Hard to say.

Interesting decision to make.

[Rerun]

Correct.  You cannot get shingles from a person with shingles.  You can get Chicken Pox again (very rare) from someone with shingles and a kid who has never had Chicken pox can get them from a person with shingles. 

So, no need for him to get the shot because you cannot get shingles from him if he gets shingles.  If he gets the shot you may have to leave for awhile.  YEAH?  Spa!

[MooseMom]

Ok, thanks a lot guys!  That business about having to be separated for 6 weeks if your spouse gets shingles....I read that in a FB post from someone in a TRANSPLANT SUPPORT GROUP!!  You'd think such a person would have better information, right?     So that's why I came to IHD for some answers.  Thanks.

Spa sounds good, though.

[alc1013]

I have talked to my coordinator about live vaccines my daughter might receive and she told me that what you have to be careful with is their bowel movements because apparently that's where the virus is "shed" (not her exact words) but basically as long as I wasn't dealing with my daughter's bowel movements I would be ok (now obviously we weren't talking about the shingles vaccine since she is only 8 but just live vaccines in general).

[jeannea]

Yes, a lot of viruses from vaccines shed through the excretory system. I was very careful when my nieces were young. They got shots and I had to change diapers sometimes. I always used gloves and then washed up well.

Anyway, MooseMom, when you "have to" spend weeks at the spa, post it here and we'll go with you!