Well, it finally happened--I caught something that's making me feel like crud! It started suddenly at 9 p.m. Sunday with a really bad scratchy throat--I actually thought I was having an allergic attack, but to what, I didn't know! I could barely swallow cuz my throat was so tight.
Fast forward to today and I feel exactly like I did the two times I had strep throat in my adulthood. Low-grade fever (100.3) and body aches and fatigue. Ugh! My skin even hurts!!!
Anyway, I'm planning on going in for a throat culture to see if it's strep. If not strep, it's most likely a virus that can't be treated with antibiotics.
It concerns me because my white blood cells are low and, geez, I don't even know where I would have picked up anything.
Thankfully, I held off my Enbrel yesterday and won't take it until I feel better.
Ugh, at first all the body aches felt sort of like PsA--yuck, that brought back horrible memories!!!
I'd start with Tylenol (paracetamol) for the fever, fresh honey and lemon drink for the throat and pack as much fruit and veg down me that I could for all good vitamins and some lean meat, seafood, pulses, sunflower/pumpkin seeds to get some extra zinc to support my immune system.
All that plus like Sybil said rest. I know it may seem hard to muster the strength to put yourself in front for even one day but maybe it’s time even with everything going on. My daughter used to get strep once to twice a year before her tonsils were taken ice or popciles were so helpful for her. Take care and remember you can’t be a “rock” to the world if you’re always moving!
Thank you both. I'll get lots of fruits and veggies and some tuna fish. I might go in for a throat culture and I could pick up some sunflower seeds then. We don't keep them on hand. I finally took 1,000mg Tylenol at 2 a.m. after I couldn't sleep with the sore throat and fever. I was hoping to not need the Tylenol because I know fever is the body's way of fighting off infection, but I gave in!
Dave told me this morning he feels like he's getting sick now, too. And we're watching 3 grandkids today. I just fed our 3 month old grandson and am hoping and praying he doesn't catch it! I warned my son that I'm sick, but he and his wife both had to work today. Thank god this baby is the sweetest little thing on earth--he's so content, right now he's in his infant seat cooing like crazy. It's the two four-year olds who are going to be a handful!
What happened to the 'rest' bit then? Incorrigible!
Grandma J said:
Thank you both. I'll get lots of fruits and veggies and some tuna fish. I might go in for a throat culture and I could pick up some sunflower seeds then. We don't keep them on hand. I finally took 1,000mg Tylenol at 2 a.m. after I couldn't sleep with the sore throat and fever. I was hoping to not need the Tylenol because I know fever is the body's way of fighting off infection, but I gave in! Dave told me this morning he feels like he's getting sick now, too. And we're watching 3 grandkids today. I just fed our 3 month old grandson and am hoping and praying he doesn't catch it! I warned my son that I'm sick, but he and his wife both had to work today. Thank god this baby is the sweetest little thing on earth--he's so content, right now he's in his infant seat cooing like crazy. It's the two four-year olds who are going to be a handful!
Ooops, Sybil, the "rest". Hmmm, well, right now I'm resting. I got so exhausted and painful from just going to the doctor and sitting around waiting there and then sitting around waiting for my prescription, I'm good for nothing right now. I do have strep and the doctor put me on 2,000mg of penicillin a day for 10 days. My joints are aching--even my chest hurts! Oh, and lucky me--he told me not to take Enbrel for 10 more days! That means I won't have it for 18 days straight! Ugh...I'm worried all the aching I'm having from strep will be followed by more pain from PsA not treated.
Ugh, I hope the next couple weeks go better than I'm anticipating.
Feel better soon. You might be surprised and find that because your body is so busy fighting an actual invader that you don't have a flare from having to skip the biologic.
Grandma J said:
Ooops, Sybil, the "rest". Hmmm, well, right now I'm resting. I got so exhausted and painful from just going to the doctor and sitting around waiting there and then sitting around waiting for my prescription, I'm good for nothing right now. I do have strep and the doctor put me on 2,000mg of penicillin a day for 10 days. My joints are aching--even my chest hurts! Oh, and lucky me--he told me not to take Enbrel for 10 more days! That means I won't have it for 18 days straight! Ugh...I'm worried all the aching I'm having from strep will be followed by more pain from PsA not treated.
Ugh, I hope the next couple weeks go better than I'm anticipating.