day 4

No real change in symptoms today – plenty of spots covering the upper body with some itchiness. Flu-like symptoms are fairly minimal though there is a trend to feel very tired in the afternoon. Chicken pox has so far been an unpleasant illness for me only because of the unsightly spots. I had been prepared for something far worse and I touch wood that I’m not about to enter a new and horrible phase. However as things are I appear to have been quite lucky compared to many other adults who have reported their disease progress on various blogs. Maybe the drugs I am taking – primarily ibuprofen, piriton and acyclivor – have diminished the symptoms.
Unless things change I doubt whether I’ll update this blog again. As it stands I hope it conveys a brighter message to any adult just starting with chicken pox and who is depressed by the numerous horror stories out there.

anti-virals

Aciclovir is the main anti-viral drug prescribed for chicken pox patients. In the UK its prescription is mainly limited to adults who have existing conditions that may make them more vulnerable to complications. However some GPs prescribe it more routinely. In any case the drug needs to be started within 24-48 hrs of the first sign of rash.

My own GP didn’t believe it would make much difference and he might be right. However its effectiveness may vary depending on the medical status of the patient so do discuss with your doctor if you think you’ve been infected with chicken pox.

For more details on treatment and management of adult chicken pox the NHS library for health care practitioners provides sound and accessible advice.

day 3

Spots now cover most of my upper body and scalp. There are a few on the face but not too disfigured at present. Flu-like symptoms of painful joints come and go and itch is becoming more noticeable. Think I have a few spots in the throat area as swallowing is painful. continuing to take piriton, ibuprofen and aciclovir (not that it appears to have helped any).

spotty

Overnight a large number of spots have erupted over my back and lower abdomen. There are also a fair few over my scalp. Other than this disappointing development the flu-like symptoms have diminished and I feel fairly well at present. The spots are currently not itching noticeably, though I took a piriton tablet this morning.

Overnight I slept well – though this may be to do with the bedtime cocktail of cognac, anti-viral, ibuprofen and piriton (consult a doctor before commencing this treatment programme). The anti-viral is aciclovir which I had prescribed prior to the onset of the illness – more about that soon. Given the spot coverage it’s difficult to see what impact this drug is having. That said I seem to be generally well and certainly better than many of the reports of adult chicken pox circulating the Internet. We’ll see how things develop…