To ask you about your experiences with chicken pox as an adult?

[SheWhoShouldNotBeNamed]

DD came out in chicken pox 15 days ago. Absolutely fine with it, no problem, and is now recovered bar a couple of scabs.

Me, on the other hand...

I never had chicken pox as a child according to DMum, and I am inclined to believe her as my sister got chicken pox from her DC in October.

Since Thursday, I have been feeling dreadful. It started with body aches and now I have a temperature and sore throat. Also, the left side of my face is hot and swollen. But no spots yet. I have to say, I feel completely and utterly rotten. And I feel worse because I can't pinpoint exactly what it is

yet, so make myself paranoid.

If you have had chicken pox as an adult, what was your experience like? Was it hell on Earth, like this?

Had chicken pox as a kid - maybe 3yo. Only thing I remember of it was we gave it to our grandfather and he ended up in hospital with it. Can be nasty to get as an adult.

I wish I had a more positive response for you, unfortunately I don't. I got it when I was 17. I felt very tired and drained, the first few days I didn't get out of bed. Had no appetite either.
I was covered head to toe, even inside my mouth. It was January and I was having cold baths (which was nearly as bad as the chickenpox itself), and it took me over an hour to apply calamine lotion all over my body.
I didn't take anything else though. Just stayed at home, applied lotion and waited it out. (I was always glad I never got it as a child, until I got it as an adult, then I wished I had it as a child instead).

I felt awful but didn't know why. Doctor prescribed antivirals which I suspect were my saviour. Had a week off work because contagious but I felt fine. Took medicine before bedtime that makes you drowsy to ensure a good sleep.

Ask for a telephone appointment with your GP (don’t go there) and see what they advise. Chicken pox in adults can get bad very fast.

I had when I was 26 weeks pregnant. Didn’t have it badly but was v tired and achy for around a week. Spots mostly on face and upper torso but not too many. It took a few weeks to feel completely well again but wasn’t sure how much do that due to pregnancy and how much to chicken pox

I had chicken pox in my 20's and felt really ill..painful aching joints, muscle pain, headache and I felt like my eyes were going to burst. I was covered in spots and it took me weeks to recover as I was unbelievably tired

I was pregnant & it was aweful

Where is the swelling OP?
Did you have the MMR, there has been cases of the mumps recently here?

Following with interest. My DT1 has it at present, but he’s his normal self. DT2 seems very unwell but high blood sugars which for him is a sign of impending illness.

I spent yesterday asleep feeling like I’d been hit by a truck. Fatigue so bad I couldn’t move. I’ve got sore patches inside my mouth and high temp on and off. I’m hoping it’s something else (it’s been one bug after another for months so I’m really run down).

Definitely call out of hours (here it’s arranged through 111) - they’ll probably get a doctor to send an electronic script to a pharmacy for you, if you have someone to pick it up.

I thought I had a hangover from a work Christmas party the evening before but I hadn't drunk much. Later on in the day I came over all funny by the freezer section in Sainsburys came home and had a bath as I felt so rough. There was a spot on my upper arm which I picked and the next day I had spots on my chest. I still have a small scar from the initial spot.

I dragged myself across the road to the pharmacy who confirmed chicken pox. I didn't feel that unwell and it was the only time I was off work over the Christmas period. I delivered my neighbour's Christmas cards in the dead of night because I didn't look pretty .

I was 32 and to this day it's a mystery how I got it. My sister had a bad case of it when I was 9 I never caught it off her.

@ChestyNut

The swelling has gone down now, but it was the left side of my face.

I've now got about 4 blisters, so I'm presuming it is chicken pox. Still waiting on a call back from OOH dr. But have not had anymore ibruprofen.

The one I've got on my leg is really dark. But all of the others are raised lumps filled with fluid. Still feel rotten!

I had it when I was 26 and wanted to die. If there’s anything you can do to mitigate it, do it. Hope you feel better very soon.

I had it at 15, so not quite adult, but older than most. I had a really bad headache for about 2 days before the first spot. I was covered, inside mouth, eyes, in my hair soles of feet. I felt really ill. Had 2 weeks off school despite being o level year, and was really tired for the next couple of weeks. This was in the 80s so no anti virals, or any of the lotions available now just calamine which made every thing more itchy.

First DD had it aged 3 so I thought I'd finally catch it. She ended up with about 6 spots. 2 weeks later I had a really really sore throat. I rang the GP and she prescribed antibiotics without seeing me and said I'd probably end up with CP, which I did. I kept slathering myself in calamine and trying not to scratch. Then 2nd DD caught it and she was only 1. She was very miserable. However, it meant that my spots had almost completely gone by the time I went back to work from looking after her.

Baths where you run the water through oats first definitely helped too.

OP you can take paracetamol and should do so every 4 hours. If at all possible, you need to get the vaccine because even though you’ve already got chicken pox, it can limit the severity. It can be really dreadful in adults so if there is anyone at all who can have your DD to stay for a few days
Then do so. If you haven’t any other childcare then your DH will need to take leave at least for 4-5 days.

@FenellaMaxwell

Thank you!

Am keeping myself with paracetamol, just not in conjunction with ibruprofen anymore.

DH is still in bed but going to wake him in the next 15 minutes or so and go to bed until he has work.

DD has nursery for the full week so I can rest. Not thrilled with having to take time off work though!

Just give in to it. Going to work is out of the question.

I caught it from a little girl I babysat when I was 18 and was very ill for a couple of weeks. My brother caught it from me ( he was 20) and was even more ill , I remember him being delirious and very poorly !

You also can’t do the nursery drop off or pick up - it’s not fair to spread it around amongst so many children.

@FenellaMaxwell

DH does nursery run, so that's covered.

I'd never dream of it anyway.

Fluid filled blisters sounds like CP.

No more than 4 doses of paracetamol (2 500mg tabs) in 24 hours.

Hope OOH can give you something to ease it

I got the dreaded pax in my 30's and was really ill such a bad headache I had to do the stairs on my hands and knees! Dr gave me Zovarax tablets and it soon cleared up. My DP came to visit with gifts and didn't flinch at th sight of me, that's when I knew he was a keeper

I thought I had flu. I was travelling to a new job overseas and felt dreadful.

2 days in and I woke up absolutely covered in what I thought must be flea bites. Fortunately the woman I was lodging with was a pharmacist and instantly diagnosed chicken pox.

Had them everywhere. Not fun.

I had chicken pox for the first time when I was 28, my eldest daughter was 5 months old, it developed into pneumonia and I nearly died, I was kept in isolation on IV antibiotics for 7 days it was touch and go.
If you start declining rapidly please seek help. My GP refused to come out 'just for chicken pox' in the early hours when I was deteriorating and my ExH had to insist someone see me.
When I was discharged from hospital that same GP phoned me to apologise.
I hadn't realised how deadly it is.

I had it recently at the age of 33. Felt