Went to the doc today.... After going on a field trip with 80 kindergarteners to the zoo. I'm so stupid sometimes! What had started as a couple of blisters, turned into a nasty purplish blister with pink streaks running up my hand. No worries though. I traipsed through the zoo one-handedly escorting 4 very excited kids. We rushed all over the first half so we could make it through to the end. The second half I ran into my teacher that I work for and we joined our group for a rowdy 7. By lunch, the pink streaks had turned an angry red and ran all the way up to my armpit.
Getting my appointment was nuts! My little bro had driven my mom's car up there and he and I took off as the kids lined up for the potty before they left for home. We flew back, but thankfully made it in time.
The doc had squeezed me in, so I waited a long time. He came in, took one look at my very, very painful arm and said, "That my dear lady, is the shingles." By this point, my condition looked nothing like any shingles I had ever seen. I raised an eyebrow and he asked more questions. I explained that I get this at least once a year and that I had been to an ER and two other docs. None of them had ever given me an answer.
He started me on some anti-viral medicine as well as some really great pain meds. He said that the streaks on my arm would probably blister up by tomorrow. He asked if I ever had pain in that finger after it healed up. I told him I did sometimes. He told me that I have chronic recurring shingles. It isn't common, but it does happen, especially in someone that hasn't ever been given medicine for it. He was very honest and told me that we would hopefully get it for good, but there was a 50% chance it would keep coming back. I'm ok with that now though. I know what to do.
The pain is horrendous today. Hubby accidentally bumped my arm during dinner and I melted into a sobbing mess. That was with pain meds already taken too. Thankfully, tonight things seem a little less painful (could be the meds). Hopefully, it will ease up in a couple of days with these meds and I can finally go back to doing all the normal wifey things my house desperately needs me to do again!
I will post Too Cute Tuesday, but it will be later on tomorrow night. I know it's hard to bear the thought of going without for even a moment. Be strong though! I know you can make it!
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4 comments:
Thank goodness you finally have an answer!
Shingles!?!
I hope the medicine does the trick and this is the last time you suffer from an outbreak.
((HUGS))
Holy crapoly. I've heard these can be super painful.
Glad you got the right diagnosis and are on your way to full health.
Shingles stinks!! I had it on the left side of my face and inside my mouth after having a radiation treatment for a benign brain tumor. Bizarre, I know. I have always gotten cold sores on my lips, sometimes 3 at a time. The cold sores and shingles (as other viruses like chicken pox) are all part of the herpes family. Since having shingles I always keep the antivials in my medicine cabinet and as soon as I feel the tingle of a cold sore starting I take a dose. It makes all the difference. I would recommend the same for you. Make sure you keep a stash of the antiviral meds on hand, travel with them, keep some in your car, etc. because the sooner you start taking the meds the less pain and blisters you will have. Honestly, an hour can make a huge difference for me in how bad the blisters and pain get when it flairs up. I use Valtrex 1 gram. I take just 3 doses each 12 hours apart and it has been such a godsend for me. I was lucky because my case of shingles was caught early, before any nerve damage occured. I know people who were misdiagnosed or went to the doctor after a lot of damage was done and they still have nerve damage after a year or more. I am Sorry for the long ramble. I hope you are getting some releif from the pain. Hang in there.
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