Hi, I'm 45 and was stunned to be told on Saturday that I had chickenpox. I grew up in a family of 5 children (I was the youngest) - my siblings had already gone on to other illnesses than chickenpox by the time I was born. Both my children had chickenpox together at the ages of 6 and 3. I didn't catch it then, but oh boy, am I making up for it!
I am on day 8 since the first spots showed up. No new spots today or yesterday, but since the 300 or so spots I have are not without company, I'm not too concerned. Apparently you can go back in circulation once all the spots have crusted over (lovely!), but at least three quarters of mine have not done so. I no longer feel particularly ill (though I did early on). However I am bored beyond belief. I KNOW Ihave a lot of jobs at home I could be getting on with, like writing the Christmas cards, but all I want to do is GO OUT and SEE PEOPLE, rather than talk on the phone. Strangely enough, that has made me think about what a self-centred world we live in. If I want it, I'll go and jolly well get it. But on this occasion I can't.
My husband is making lame jokes about all things chicken/poultry/poxy. He laughs like a drain at his own jokes. I have a bottle of something strong under the sink for drains....... He's a paramedic and has no sympathy whatsoever. Bless him! Still wants his tea ready when he comes in though.
Anyway, if someone wants to let others know how long it is before your spots crust over and you can escape - please tell all.
I first noticed a spot last Wednesday morning at home while getting ready for work. I dont normally get spots - the odd one here and there so thought nothing of it. However by the time I got into work my colleague said I had a few spots around the side of my face. Now this I thought was alittle strange.
Anyhow, I arranged an appointment with my GP and was diagnosed with chickenpox.
Boy oh boy what a ride. I think the worse part of it for me was the itching scalp and sores in my mouth.
Trick to use to reduce the itching on your body is to have a bath and pour in some bicarbonate soda and soak for a good hour. This has REALLY helped me and then use the calamine lotion to cover your skin afterwards. Do this at least 2-3 times a day.
My spots started turning into scabs since Sunday. Phew
All the best
Thanks for that - glad to know that I'm not the only one with blisters that refuse to form scabs and am therefore bored to tears as a result!
I was gifted with this delightful illness by my 4 year old who had the immunization just after he was born, but obviously had some sort of \"breakthrough\" infection a few weeks ago - he got about 20 spots. So of course, I, having no immunity, ended up with 500, how fair is that? Oh and not to mention the usual nasty fever of 103F, aches, nausea etc - I also found the most irritating ones to be on my scalp and hairline - made washing my hair a particularly pointless exercise although I did try! I found Eurax cream to be infinitely better than calamine (crotamiton) and Piriton anti-histamines. The soda bath was a good one though followed by a lovely cold shower afterwards!
Now that the fever and the itching have finished I am impatiently awaiting the completion of my last 8-10 scabs but they are big ones so I guess they're taking their time. At least my kids and my husband have also had this thing before so they are immune but even my parents (who are also immune by virtue of having had chicken pox as children) refuse to come and see me - how annoying is that? I am therefore surviving by emails and the telephone but like you - I agree this is no substitute for GETTING OUT THERE AND DOING THINGS!!!!
Ahghghghg - so bored already - but glad to be feeling better, I have to say!
Get someone to buy you a DVD boxed set - the days will pass quicker!
To those adults whose elder parents won't go near them.
They are worried about shingles, I suffered
with chickenpox as a child. And have suffered shingles
twice as an adult - it is awful - and unless you get urgent
treatment with Zovirax tablets you are left with post-hepatic
nerve pain (sometimes for the rest of your life).
So all you adults out there - don't think in the future your
problems might be over.