Chickenpox Today Is Not the Chickenpox You Remember | Funny Medicine

Chickenpox Today Is Not the Chickenpox You Remember | Funny Medicine

Author: Julia Brunet and Yvette Gonzalez, D.O. November 18, 2025 Duration: 54:10

Chickenpox scars on your nose. Shingles burning along a nerve.

Varicella is not a cute childhood phase. In this episode of Funny Medicine Podcast, pediatrician Dr Yvy and medical researcher Julz break down varicella zoster virus, chickenpox, and shingles, from first itchy spots to long term nerve pain. You get real talk on vaccines, side effects, complications, and why public health experts still worry about this virus.

You hear:

• What varicella zoster virus does in the body

• Why kids often bounce back while adults face higher risk

• How herd immunity works for chickenpox and why coverage matters

• Real numbers on hospital stays and lives lost before and after the vaccine

• Why varicella in pregnancy, newborns, and immunocompromised patients hits harder

• How shingles shows up years later with burning nerve pain

• Home care tips to keep kids more comfortable

• When to call a doctor fast

We also talk about vaccine myths, social media fear, US school requirements, and recent outbreaks in under vaccinated communities. Expect science, sarcasm, and honest talk from a pediatrician on the front lines and a medical researcher who reads the papers so you do not have to.

New here? Subscribe for weekly episodes with science based health, dark humor, millennial parent chaos, and no fearmongering.

Watch on YouTube, listen on your favorite podcast app, and share this episode with someone who still calls chickenpox a “harmless childhood bug.”

Funny Medicine Podcast: Two Miami moms, one pediatrician, one medical researcher, both obsessed with better health information and lower nonsense levels.

Listen or watch

• Full video on YouTube, every Tuesday

• Audio on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, etc. Support the show

• Subscribe and turn on notifications • Drop a comment with your questions or stories

• Share this with a friend in healthcare, new parents, or anyone due for screening

🔔 Subscribe: https://bit.ly/FunnyMedicineSubscribe

🎧 Listen: https://funnymedicinepod.link

👍 Like & Share if you learned something new

🎙️ New episodes every Tuesday.

Hit SUBSCRIBE and ring the bell!

📱 Follow us everywhere

Instagram & Threads: @funnymedicinepodcast

Twitter/X: @FunnyMedPod TikTok: @funnymedicinepodcast

THIS PODCAST IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE.

#funnymedicinepodcast varicella, chickenpox, chicken pox, shingles, herpes zoster, varicella zoster virus, VZV, chickenpox scars, shingles pain, vaccine, vaccine safety, vaccine myths, vaccine hesitancy, anti vax misinformation, pediatrician, medical podcast, funny medical podcast, science podcast, women in medicine, millennial moms, public health, herd immunity, immunization, autism myths, CDC, WHO, Paul Offit, COVID pandemic, hand foot and mouth, congenital varicella, ICU, hospital pediatrics


Ever feel like your eyes glaze over when someone starts talking about health science? That's exactly what the Funny Medicine Podcast is here to fix. Hosted by medical researcher Julia Brunet and physician Yvette Gonzalez, D.O., this show is a conversation between two friends who are deeply fascinated by how the body works and equally amused by the strange ways we try to fix it. You'll hear them unpack the latest wellness crazes with a skeptical eye, dig into odd chapters from medical history, and clarify real medical news-all while cracking each other up. Their dynamic blends Julia's research background with Dr. Yvy's clinical experience, making complex topics accessible without sacrificing the facts for the fun. Tune in for a genuinely entertaining blend of expertise and sarcasm that cuts through the jargon. This podcast proves that learning about health doesn't have to feel like a chore; it can be the most amusing part of your week. Whether you're curious about the science behind a trending superfood or the truth about a viral health claim, they provide the insightful, laugh-filled commentary you never knew you needed.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Funny Medicine Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Havana Syndrome: Brain Fog Mystery Scientists Can’t Explain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:55
What is Havana Syndrome, and why are scientists, doctors, and intelligence agencies still arguing about it nearly a decade later? In this episode of the Funny Medicine Podcast, we break down one of the strangest modern m…
Rubella and Pregnancy: Symptoms, CRS, Risks, and MMR Facts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:55
*Trigger warning: miscarriage, pregnancy loss, birth defects, infants with complex medical needs. Rubella sounds like a perfume or a baby name. In this episode, two tired moms in medicine talk about how rubella, also cal…
Mumps The Chipmunk Cheeks Virus Parents Forgot About [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:13
Cheeks puff up, jaw aches, and your group chat starts talking about mumps. Plants and Facts EP 123 breaks down the chipmunk cheeks virus with real science and unfiltered millennial commentary. Pediatrician Dr Yvy and med…
RSV In Babies: Pediatrician Explains The Virus Filling ERs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:44
RSV in babies, kids, and older adults explained by a board certified pediatrician and a medical researcher who deal with RSV season every single day in clinic. In this Funny Medicine Podcast episode, we talk through real…
The Silent Killer Lurking Your Liver: Hepatitis B [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:55
HBV is a liver infection, not a “stomach bug.” We break down what HBV is, how it spreads, who is at risk, why newborn vaccination matters, and how modern antivirals keep people safer long term. We also address common cla…