Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

Original poster

Hand, Foot and Mouth in Adults

14 replies

snowtunesgirl · 06/12/2012 11:37

I think I have HFM. I've had a fever, really sore throat, mouth full of ulcers and odd spots / marks on my hands and feet. All the websites say that it's more a childhood thing but I just wondered if any other MNetters have had it as adults and how common it is for adults to get it.

OP posts:

vladthedisorganised · 06/12/2012 12:06

Yep. I got it when DD had it; she didn't appear to suffer much but I had a mouthful of ulcers for a few days, high temperature, worn out and a few spots as you describe.
Apparently it is like chickenpox, so once you have it you're unlikely to have it again, but like chickenpox it can be caught by adults too. It's an airborne virus, and the spots are also infectious so use a seperate towel and wash hands frequently.
I had a day or two where things were pretty bad, then back to normal within another two days.

spaceal · 06/12/2012 12:11

Yup, me and DP had it the week before last - DD didn't, at least visibly, but I wonder if she had a very mild, symptom-free case that we caught. We had a few spots on hands and feet and an ulcer each, so pretty mild too, but felt a bit crap for a couple of days (tired, sore throat etc.). A friend (also adult) caught it from us and had it worse - I hope you feel better soon.

Original poster

snowtunesgirl · 06/12/2012 12:16

Well the ones on my hands are starting to fade now. They look very odd. It's like I've dug my nails into the tips of my fingers!

The ones on my feet are worse and I'm worried that they won't fade by January as I'd quite like to go to a spa and I don't really want to frighten the therapists!

Thank you for the well wishes. Sorry that others have had it.

I did see a doc on Monday but he thought I had scabies, despite the fact that I had no spots on scabies identifiable sites!

OP posts:

FireOverBethlehem · 06/12/2012 12:17

Yep, i had it when DS had it and I was much more ill than he was. Fluey etc.

Seems to be quite common that adults get it worse than children.

Original poster

snowtunesgirl · 06/12/2012 12:25

I don't know why on earth, on some websites, it says that adults usually get a milder form of it than children.

DD was fine in about a day and DH and I have been wiped out!

OP posts:

misspollysdolly · 06/12/2012 14:45

Not HFM but I had slapped cheek virus back in May (as did the DSs) and felt ghastly for three days and pretty rubbish for about a week after that. They had seemingly no symptoms other than pink cheeks. I had it first - with no pink cheeks but a whole body patina rash - and it was only after the boys started glowing that it made sense as to why I had been so ill...! IME 'childhood' illnesses are always worse for adults, even slight colds. Grim.

fledtoscotland · 06/12/2012 15:30

DH had HFM a couple of years ago when DC brought it home from nursery. I've just asked and he said it only lasted a couple if weeks but was "the most unpleasant thing he's had in a long time". iirc the blisters on his fingers went within about 10 days but he moaned about his fingers burning for another week or so after

SneezySnatcher · 06/12/2012 21:12

I had it when DD did. It was awful! She was absolutely fine. I ached everywhere, had sore, watery blisters on my toes and fingers ( they left scars) and my mouth was full of ulcers. I couldn't believe a 'mild' illness made me so unwell. I was in bed for three day.

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 06/12/2012 21:26

I've had it as an adult and it was bloody miserable.

Original poster

snowtunesgirl · 06/12/2012 22:19

Oh dear. DSis now has it.

My feet are still itching though my hands are starting to look better.

OP posts:

TreeDecoratingAndPresents · 06/12/2012 22:35

I caught HFM from dd a few months ago. She was over it quickly and, like you, I'd read that it's mild in adults. Well, I was totally knocked for 6 by it. I just spent about 4 days on the sofa (bad timing - dd got better before me and was learning to walk so I had to keep leaping up and catching her when she fell...). Every now and then, I got up and hobbled about going "Ow ow ow ow".

TMI alert, stop reading here if you're squeamish.

It is a most unattractive illness. I felt much better after a few days but all the skin peeled off my hands and feet where the blisters had been. And where there had been blisters under my nails, the nails started to fall off.

Just thought I'd mention it cos I wasn't expecting it and had a mini freak out.

Hope you feel better soon!

Shattereddreams · 06/12/2012 22:40

Mild disease is the most misleading tripe ever awarded to an illness
Everyone I know who has had it has been really ill and states its the worst thing ever.
DS was almost admitted with dehydration.

Ruddy awful

Tellingly, when Dd had it years ago, DH worked in a hospital and they refused him entry to work for 2 weeks.

Original poster

snowtunesgirl · 06/12/2012 22:43

Ooh I don't have any spots under my nails. Phew.

I am still finding it hard to swallow though.

So why, oh why do they say it's a mild disease in adults when everyone on here and everyone I know who has had it has said it was so damned awful???

OP posts:

smearedinfood · 06/12/2012 23:03

DS was utterly miserable with it, I wasn't so bad but maybe I was in keep calm and carry on mode. I found the tummy bugs he brought back from nursery much worse on me.

Flip