I look like a Blowfish!

Friday, May 05, 2006

Ok, I think i have been hangin' out with my daughter too much. She is the queen of strange medical conditions! Wednesday, I had to have her come and take me to urgent care! It is usually the other way around. I don't know how to act when it is me!

Are you ready for this? I have Erysipelas! Yeah, whatever that means! Pictures below!

I got up Tuesday morning, took my shower and was getting ready to go into the church to work on some projects that had to be done by Thursday. My cheeks were red and warm. Looked kinda like a butterfly on my face.

This may be no big deal for most people, and normally it would be for me too, but a few years ago I tested positive for lupus. I am not symtamatic, and I don't want to be. Unfortunately, a butterfly rash on the face is a symptom for lupus, and one I was told to watch for.

As the day progressed so did my rash, and the swelling! This seeme
d to be more than something to do with lupus. This is a good thing , I think! When I got off around four, I called my friend whose dear hubby is a doc. She had me call him and after talking to him we were convinced that it was probably some kind of allergic reaction and that I needed to go into emergency or urgent care. Not my favorite thing...and it is $50 copay! It was just after four by then and I called my doc's office in the off chance that they could get me in at the last minute, which , of course, was not possible. My doc was not even there that day. So after talking with the nurse and repeating my story for the second time...I called my daughter to come take me to urgent care. The doc's office said I may need someone to drive me in case they wanted to give me a shot that would make me drowsy.

So the doc tells me that he thinks it is a skin infection called Erysipelas, and I need to be on antibiotics. Ok, but just to make sure that it is not an allergic reaction he gives me a scrip for Zyrtek too.

Next stop is the pharmacy and when I go to pay, I find out that my co-pay on the Zyrtek is $71.49! I DON'T THINK SO! Ain't that kinda high? So I get the antibiotics and grab some Benedryl $4.79.



These pictures are from one of the medical websites. Yucky, huh?

I woke up this morning, with my vision half blocked from the swelling under my eyes...my face is red and puffy and oh so itchy! My dear sweet daughter said she was sorry I was puffed up like a blowfish. I didn't know weather to laugh or cry. I still had to run into the church to leave my stuff for someone else to do. Bless them! And I returned home,
and slathered on the calamine lotion, took my meds and called it a day! Can I help it if it was only 9:00 in the morning?

Expectations (prognosis)

If appropriate antibiotic therapy is given early, the outcome is favorable. Skin changes may take up to a few weeks to normalize and peeling is common.

In some patients, streptococci may travel to the blood (bacteremia) and additional sites may be involved such as heart valves, joints, and bones.

Complications


Sounds like loads of fun huh? Hey, have a great day! I would say that I'll see ya when everything is rosey again but I think it is just about as rosey as I can take...lol!

10 Comments:

Blogger Weekends Off said...

I'm sorry you are going through this! I really hope it clears up soon, and that your cheeks are only rosey from good health & not this rash!

5:56 AM  
Blogger Tracy S said...

Oh my I am sorry to hear that .. I would be freaking out . You are taking it well it sounds like.

I have alot of allergies so that would have been my first thought and WOW that copay is high .. mine is only 30 at the most .. your copay should have a max and I would not think it would be an odd number and not that high either.. You may want to call your insurance hotline ... or the pharmacy and double check .. tell them you think that sounds wrong.

Try Walgreens they are awesome :)

I hope you get better soon.

6:19 AM  
Blogger momsmusings said...

Wow, that is an awful thing to have happen. I wish you a speedy recovery!!

6:57 AM  
Blogger 8ballsgone said...

Hope you feel better soon.....

7:33 AM  
Blogger ...jus me said...

Thanks you guys...you make ME feel better, even if I still look like a punkin' face!

Present Storm...I would be freakin' out, but...I am on drugs! Strong antibiotics and Benedryl, doesn't leave too much fight in me! I am just mad cuz I wanted to go to garage sales today! Poop!

9:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I didn't realize that this would stay for a few weeks?????? Geeze lady..stealing all my glory...I am the weird one, not you!

Hope you get better soon as there was tons of signs out this morning. It's that time of year again.

12:55 PM  
Blogger prying1 said...

Hope it heals up soon. - GBYAY -

6:01 PM  
Blogger Mama Mouse said...

Oh my gawsh! That is awful! Wishing you a speedy and total recovery! By the way ... a $50 copay for the ER seems like heaven. We just had ours raised from $100 to $200 .... and I have a heart condition! YIKES!

8:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice colors. Keep up the good work. thnx!
»

5:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice idea with this site its better than most of the rubbish I come across.
»

6:29 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home