Hand, foot and mouth

[Celebelly]

Mild illness my arse. I've caught this from DD, who to be fair did have it mildly and wasn't that unwell. She had quite spectacular blistering on hands and knees but just one small ulcer on tongues But I haven't been so lucky. My entire mouth is a mass of ulcers and massive sores inside. My tongue is coated with them and I can't eat or even talk properly I've got hand blisters and (TMI) some on my labia bizarrely but I don't really care about those as my mouth is so painful.

Anyone got any advice or good news for me?! Surely the mouth ulcers can't last much longer?! This is the third day and they are worse than ever

Anbesol liquid for your poor mouth, and anti-inflammatories. Naproxen if you can get to a pharmacy.

Unfortunately it does usually hit adults worse. Sorry you are going through this. It will pass in time. Get the ambesol and pain killers.

You poor, poor thing. I’ve just gotten over it, caught from my DS. My hands were very blistered and unbelievably painful. I had some mouth ulcers but not so badly as yours. DP had it last summer and had a mouth like you describe.

For hands, best tip came from my chemist who recommended any kind of soothing cream (eg calamine) and then white cotton gloves on top. Chemists sell them. That was a game changer for me in terms of relief.

DP found Iglu the best thing on mouth ulcers - it’s extremely thick and sticky so forms a protective coating.

I’d say I was at my worst for around three or four days and then began to get better.

Good luck. I feel for you.

Also apparently labia not that surprising. DS had spots on his balls and GP said genitals are one of the places they show up. But maybe hand, foot, mouth and fanny is a bit of a mouthful?!

Thank you! We are heading down to the local Asda when it opens at 9 as there's a pharmacy there so will ask about your suggestions. It's just awful and feels a bit medieval as far as illnesses go! DH seems to be OK so far 🤞I wouldn't wish this on anyone, it's truly miserable and everyone I've mentioned it to has just said 'Oh I thought adults couldn't get that!'

It was honestly in my top three most miserable illness experiences. And medieval is a good word for it!

In our house, DS had a three day break and then came out in chicken pox, so we are having all the fun. Thankfully I’ve already had it.

Honestly HFAM was probably the illest I'd felt for many a year when I caught it from my DS.

Difflam spray helped for mouth ulcers. Unfortunately I was so ill with it I ended up in quarantine in a hospital as my spots got infected and my temp went up to 41 days after being infected. I didn't feel right for ages and I still have scars on my hands (where I was hit the worst, but I couldn't walk for days because of the sores on my feet).

When you say 'we' are heading to the chemist...

Ps do you have other DC? I practised fairly obsessive infection control with DD and my DP - I slept on my own, had my own towel, no one hugged or touched me, no one touched my phone. My DM was supposed to be coming for Christmas and is immunocompromised so I was really keen not to spread it so that the household became infection-free ASAP. DP and DD didn’t get it and I don’t know if that was due to my slight mania about it or just luck. But worth a thought if you want to avoid passing it on.

(DM was too ill to come and ended up in hospital so it was all for naught! Though still good no one else got it)

No, just DD thankfully. She caught it from one her l little pals at baby group as it's doing the rounds there. I think I was a bit blasé about it. I was careful about hand hygiene and stuff but I still cuddled and kissed her a lot as I didn't think it would be this bad, so it's my own fault I suppose! DH spends a lot of time with her too but is less tactile so that's probably how he's dodged it!

And yes, 'we' going to Asda might well become just DH at this rate, although I actually feel OK aside from being in a world of pain. I don't feel 'unwell', just in bloody agony! But he will need to do the talking at the very least as I sound like a cross between Rocky Balboa and the Godfather at the moment.

@NigesFakeWalkingStick That sounds rotten! You poor thing

@NigesFakeWalkingStick I’m worried about scars on my hands.

It was the same for us. DS had it very mildly but Ex suffered for 6 weeks. The blisters on his feet were so bad he had trouble walking and he only ate liquids and soft food because of the blisters in his mouth.

It is awful. I swear I caught it in the waiting room at the Dr as I was there a few days before with DC on an unrelated issue. It wasn't in school or anywhere else. No one in the family got it except me.

My mouth wasn't too bad but I could barely walk. I coped by filling up a washing up bowl with cold water and standing in it at the sink while soaking my hands in cold water to relive the pain and heat.

Hopefully if you are on day 3 it will start to calm down a bit now. Would sucking an ice cube help?

DS got it when he was 17 and was off school for a full week and 4 of those days he was in bed. No mouth ulcers but the rash was awful and he felt terrible.

Stay indoors and keep it to yourself!

I felt so unwell with it that I thought I had flu. It was horrible. Was only when DS came out in spots all over his legs/bum/hands and face that we realised what it was.

I only got spots on my hands and feet so was lucky in that respect, but I did lose a couple of fingernails...

I thought I had flu too, and I’ve had proper flu.