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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I've caught chicken pox off DS and I am NOT HAPPY

57 replies

farewellfigure · 02/03/2015 10:38

Who knew a childhood illness was so appalling? My eyeballs hurt. There must be 100 spots under my hair. Behind and IN my ears are a mass of spots. My chin must have a crop of about 15 which will just look smashing when they scab. My forehead is plastered in them. And now today they have started to creep further and further down my torso.

AIBU to want to go and hibernate for the next week?

OP posts:
avacat · 02/03/2015 15:09

Poor you op. I had chicken pox as an adult and it was awful. I managed to control it with neem. If you can, buy neem leaves from an Asian shop or online, boil them and add the water to your bath. Use plenty of leaves. Drink neem tea. Neem tablets are also available.

geekymommy · 02/03/2015 15:12

You SHOULD hibernate! You need to rest, and you don't want to spread the virus to anybody else. It's being awful to you, why should you do it the favor of giving it more people to infect? You would be being unreasonable if you DID go out.

geekymommy · 02/03/2015 15:17

Oh, and if you were happy about it, either it would mean you were getting out of something you really didn't want to do, or that there is something seriously wrong with you psychologically. If you were happy about getting to miss work for chicken pox, it would seriously be time to look for a new job when you felt better.

Gatekeeper · 02/03/2015 15:18

I had it in my mid twenties and it was no fun; had hundreds of blisters including inside labia and my eyes felt they were going to explode as well as feeling very unwell. It can be a lot more serious for adults so watch out for any breathing problems or headaches.

zzzzz · 02/03/2015 15:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

3littlefrogs · 02/03/2015 15:23

zzzzz - she should not be going out at all, least of all to a GP surgery! Shock

TinTinsSexySister · 02/03/2015 15:23

Poor you. I had it at the beginning of Jan - I'm 36.

I had to take an ENTIRE week off work, which I've never, ever done I felt utterly wretched.

Oatmeal baths helped and don't worry too much about your face - I was paranoid vain but they've all cleared up now and there's not a mark on my face.

I had them in my labia/vag too, no idea if that has scarred. Blush

ReallyTired · 02/03/2015 15:27

She can phone her GP and ask for advice 3littlefrogs. I agree she should not attend surgery.

Smartleatherbag · 02/03/2015 15:28

It sucks. Sympathies to you.

3littlefrogs · 02/03/2015 15:33

I agree ReallyTired .
PP- zzzzz -advised "go to GP" - I took that to mean as in physically "go".
Perhaps they just meant "phone GP for advice", rather than "go to GP" as they said. Confused

geekymommy · 02/03/2015 15:33

If you do go to the GP, tell them when you book the appointment (before you go in) that you've got chicken pox. They may have protocols for dealing with people with contagious illnesses. My DM thought I might have measles when I was 10 (it turned out to be a rash from the laundry detergent she was using), and I remember not being allowed to wait in the waiting room at my doctor's office that time.

QueenFuri · 02/03/2015 15:40

I caught them from DS1 when I was 20 he was 6 months and it was over Christmas/New Year. I was miserable and felt awful, only thing that soothed me was hot drinks, paracetamol and baths. Hope your feeling better soon.

Mabelface · 02/03/2015 15:47

Do you have any lavender essential oil? Pop 16 drops of it into the bath with a liberal amount of bicarb. It soothes the spots massively and brings down some of the redness and itchiness. Do it twice a day.

crazykat · 02/03/2015 15:53

I feel for you all my dcs have had chickenpox the past few weeks. It's usually a mild illness for children but is worse in adults. I was terrified when my dcs had it as I only had very mild chickenpox as a child.

Definitely phone your gp as you can get anti-viral medication, regular piriton and paracetamol. Ibuprofen isn't recommended for chickenpox as there's more chance of developing a skin reaction.

AlistairSim · 02/03/2015 16:07

You poor, poor scrap!

I had it a couple of years ago (and then gave it to the children) and I've never been so ill in my life. Spots everywhere and so unwell. Be aware of getting them down your throat and if you develop a cough.

BeCool · 02/03/2015 16:11

Lots of sympathy from me - I got CP age 16 and it was a thoroughly miserable experience & I had spots EveryWhere!! In mouth, in vagina, in ears, up nose - oh the misery.

zzzzz · 02/03/2015 16:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

agnesnott · 02/03/2015 16:16

Please speak you GP and ask for acyclovir. I have no immunity to chicken pox and have been seriously ill. I also have nerve damage and eye damage. It is awful but the acyclovir really helped last time. Dried milk, salt and lavender oil in bath for healing really helped too. Eurax for itching. Wish you well.

Original poster
farewellfigure · 02/03/2015 16:32

GP is going to ring soon I hope.

As for my OP I didn't mean to confuse anyone. When I said I want to hibernate, I meant go and lie down in bed in the dark and not get up. Sadly this is pretty impossible with a child of 6. Plus the builders have been making hell of a racket upstairs today so I couldn't have slept even if I'd wanted to. I've pottered and apart from a very bad patch this pm, I've managed to occupy myself. I won't be leaving the house. Walking up to the end of the lane to collect DS from my friend who did the school run, really badly took it out of me! I have zero energy. I certainly won't be going further afield than that!

I do have a cough... I've had it since the day before the first spot and I figured it was the first sign of the pox. I'll mention it to the doc.

Thanks for all the advice and support.

OP posts:
Original poster
farewellfigure · 02/03/2015 16:46

The doc rang. He said they like to save antivirals for if it gets to your brain. Blimey. He also said to ring again if I get a chest infection or trouble breathing. I'm obviously not I'll enough! He's a lovely man.

OP posts:
cherry219 · 02/03/2015 16:48

You poor love. I had it at 15 and was wretched, my mum kept a bucket of cold water in the kitchen so I could go and dunk my head, the relief was incredible. Hope the GO can help.

agnesnott · 02/03/2015 16:49

Ask him to check centre for infectious disease they recommended starting anti vitals within first 4 days for me to avoid it getting to my brain!

cherry219 · 02/03/2015 16:52

GP not GO

Libitina · 02/03/2015 16:55

I feel for you. I had it when I was 19 and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.