Dammit !

[Moifoi]

Yesterday a friend I haven't seen for a while dropped by unexpectedly as he was in the area, giving the usual hug and kiss at the door, he had a cup of tea and a while later showed me the huge ulcers in his mouth and a rash on his hands..he must have forgotten that my immune system is compromised.

He has a nursery age child and this morning it has been confirmed that they have hand foot and mouth virus which is extremely contagious according to his entry on Facebook today.

I looked it up on the NHS website this morning and the comments from the adults who have it make it clear that for healthy adults it's quite a serious matter... And presumably they have fully functioning immune systems! It has a 3-4 day incubation period and I've already warned off a friend calling round today, just in case!

Has anyone had this? Should I get stuff in just in case? Or am I being neurotic or just silly? How do we live a 'normal' life without exposing ourselves to germs, they are everywhere?

[lorann]

I think contacting your Rheumy today would be a good idea, let him know and ask if he suggests anything, ie, anti-virus meds, just in case..

[helixhelix]

Give your rheumy team or GP a call...with things like shingles there is an anti viral you can be given within 24 hours of exposure that can help, so maybe a similar thing for this one. But having said that do try not to panic as our immune systems are a bit rubbish, but we do still have one so it's not automatic that we get everything that's going. If you're otherwise healthy then you should be able to ward off lots of things. I haven't had anything for years and years despite lots of time in places with people coughing and sneezing over me. Polly

[Moifoi]

Thanks you both, going to phone my rheumy nurse now.

[allanah]

Moo hold it there! Ye give the doc a call, normally it's not too bad a virus in humans but if u r very immuno compromised ie cancer treatments it can be worse. But check up with them and I hope u used ur hand gel or washed ur hands straight away ! Let us know what they say ? ! Xxxxxx

[allanah]

Anyway why is ur friend visiting anyone then Lol

[allanah]

Is hand, foot and mouth disease serious?

Usually not. The fever and spots usually clear within a few days. The mouth ulcers can be painful, and may last up to a week. The sore mouth may make a child miserable for a few days. In a very small number of cases, the virus affects the heart, lung or brain to cause a serious inflammation of the heart, lung or brain, which is fatal in some cases. But it has to be stressed - these serious complications are rare. From patient. Net. Com Axx

[Moifoi]

Thank you Allanah, I must've read the wrong one, the comments from patients tell a different story from the NHS ...... Comments at the bottom of the page. nhs.uk/Conditions/Hand-foot...

The rheumy nurse on the helpline was very nice and helpful, she said I was the second caller in an hour with the same query . (Not the only neurotic old biddy then : ) ) She checked my blood results from last week and said they weren't too bad, that some people have had it before and have immunity, and that more or less if I get it I get it ! Would have been worse if I'd been on MTX.

Have to say I'm slightly annoyed at my friend, I don't think he gets it even though I once asked him not to come round when he had man flu once and told him why. DOH !

[Hidden]

It infuriates me when people [who you have told previously] do this! I once sat in a 2 hour meeting next to a colleague who in reply to my "how are you?" query in the coffee break, pulled up her sleeve to show me a rash and said "oh, apparently this is Shingles, I went to the dr's this morning" ***!!%? I was so stunned that I couldn't reply - and she was a nurse in a former career! Early on when asked what my colleagues could do to help I had said "If your child has chicken pox or you've been in close contact with chicken pox or shingles please keep your distance". Grrrr.

Cece x

[Moifoi]

I know what you mean Cece, I hate sounding precious about myself with people but what is it they don't understand once I've explained it !!!

[lorann]

YIKES!

[Trulyfedup]

I was in the docs a couple of weeks ago when the lady sitting next to me told me she got shingles..."bloody hell". was my first reaction. My son has just got over it and he and his family stayed away from me...someone mentioned having a shingles vac...I didn't know they did them...is it advisable with this awful complaint to have one? I have a couple of friends who- however many itmes I explain about R/A and the meds they still don't get it....with things like.."oh you look ok mary stop moaning". It really hurts I've known these people for years...most friends I have are very understanding....I really hate this complaint...(sorry I'm feeling sorry for myself today). X

[Moifoi in reply to Trulyfedup]

No bloody wonder! What kind of friends are they? Not very kind ones by the sound of it... Apart from the one who visited a couple of days ago with a rash and ulcers (eejit!) my friends are usually quite thoughtful, but maybe you are like me and play your illness down?

[Trulyfedup in reply to Moifoi]

Yes I do. I hate being a nuisance and I hate for my children and grandchildren to remember me as a moaner. I even play it down with the hospital professor! Our family have a huge sense of humour so I like to play it that way...I'm terrified I'm not liked, sounds so stupid when you put it down on paper but I think I'm a pleaser, this is where this site has helped me. I can cry moan and shout and still people reply to me. Thank you for your reply it was very kind of you. Keep smiling.x

[Jill60]

I try and hold my breath if I'm in a Doc surgery, lol half dead by time I get to see him because I havnt taken in a breath for ages.....ok maybe slight exaggeration but u know what I mean...sometimes I tell the. Receptionist I. Outside, and she comes and gets me, better than sitting next to snotty sick people....