These accounts of adult chickenpox are really helpful so you don't feel so alone in this. I'm a 30 YO female and here's my story.
FRIDAY. I went about my business as usual. I noticed two small zits, one on my jaw and one on my foot, the one in the jaw kept getting bigger but I had acne there before so I put it down to a big pimple. I also developed a bit of a sore back at night, but I put it down to sitting in an uncomfortable position.
SATURDAY. Went to work from 9 to 5 pm. Zit on jaw was quite big so I covered it with make up. My face looked clear enough in the morning but by lunch I had another spot on the tip on my nose that I could feel was getting bigger. Felt a bit rough and bothered but managed to complete my shift and go to the chemist to ask about infected mosquito bites (as the thing on my jaw kept getting bigger) I also had a few bumps on my scalp and the pharmacist said there's nothing I could do with mosquito bites in the face, she said if it kept getting worse, I should see a GP. Went home and had flu like aches all over.
SUNDAY. Couldn't sleep so rose at 6AM and convinced I had an infected mosquito bite because of the flu like symptoms I went to the walk in centre first thing. I was told it was the f---------g pox, but wasn't asked if I was pregnant, or if I had HIV or wasn't even told not to take aspirin, doctor/nurse whatever she was basically said theres nothing I could do but let it sort out itself. At this point I had a few faint red marks appearing in my forehead and a few bigger blisters on my clavicle.Went back home to do some research and found out about the antivirals the NHS doesn't want to give out because they're too expensive.
MONDAY. Booked an app with local GP feeling like utter crap. By then I had fever, face was slowly getting covered in spots, shivers, weakness, muscle ache, the works. I got him to give me the antivirals although it was probably too late for they to work properly. From here on I just continued to deteriorate.
TUESDAY. Worse day of all, absolute hell. Pain everywhere, spots kept quadruplicating, getting bigger and nastier by the minute. Stiff neck, swollen glands, sore throat, doctor came to check me at home worried about neumonia. I got him to prescribe stronger painkillers (so far I was just taking over the counter paracetamol with 8mg codeine). He prescribed 30mgs codeine with paracetamol plus antibiotics to prevent any infections. Getting up make me very tired and queasy.
WEDNESDAY. Some spots start shrinking while some others are still raw and full of clear fluid. Absolutely VILE. So many are as big and raised as a pencil eraser, I can't bear to touch them or look at my face in the mirror which is absolutely destroyed, It looks and feels like bowl of muesli with extra sultanas OH MY F------ GOD
THURSDAY (Today). I "feel" a lot stronger although my face hurts and still looks like utter s--- more and more blisters are drying into a crust (yummy) but none have fallen off yet. My skin needs tons of exfoliation which I havent been able to do, so basically all the sebum and crap keeps caking on top of itself and the spotless bits on my nose feel like sandpaper because of all the blocked pores and impurities I havent been able to scrub off for days. It's SO REVOLTING. I can't wait until all this s--- drops off so I can have a hot shower and scrub scrub scrub!!!!
All this time I've survived on chicken broth, ice lollies and bottled water. As a tip, DAB calamine cream on the blisters that are real big and full of fluid as it helps dry them up and crust faster. I wouldn't recommend spreading the calamine because it doesn't do anything for the itch and its a total biatch to wash off. To hydrathe and soothe big areas of spots, try Virasoothe instead (clear gel). Ice bags also help cool down and desensitise painful hot areas.
Hope this helps others not feel so alone in this chickenpox utter hell.
