And Me, With No Immune System
I may have strep throat. This sneaking suspicion has been brought on by the fact that I feel as though I have swallowed a lifetime supply of broken glass, sand, and possibly jagged concrete. Oh, and I can't hear.
I say that I may have strep simply because I have never had it before. Ever. In spite of sharing a bedroom with my sister, who was a walking petri dish of the stuff until having her tonsils removed. Nope, never caught it - even from less than 10 feet away. I was the Queen of Bronchitis, the Empress of Sinusitis, the Dictator of Migraines.
But never strep.
Until maybe now. See, my office is currently a hotbed of rhino virus, strep and some random 72 hour flu. I happen to work with people too proud to take a sick day, yet kind enough to share this crap with others. Oh, and then get mad because other people have sense and stay home when they're sick.
Thankfully (or not), I got sick Friday night. While grocery shopping. How convenient. I immediately headed home, dosed myself with Airborne, and laid down. Then it got worse. Worse to the point where I couldn't swallow, and was in tears.
I am unable to take Humira when sick, as it depletes my immune system. Taking Humira while ill can cause the common cold (standard time: 10 days) last for 30 to 45 days all told. Thankfully, I took my shot on Thursday night. Also, I happen to be married to The Man Too Proud to Finish His Medicine ("But I FEEL BETTER!"). Said Proud Spouse is also employed in the Medical Field, and assessed my ailments as Antibiotic Necessary. Antibiotics, I might add, that we happen to have on hand.
I know that "sharing prescriptions" is not recommended. However, I happen to know that this very prescription is what my doctor would prescribe. There is also enough of it to get me through the standard recommended dosage, and I plan to do so. (Being the Weekend, a visit to the neighborhood Doc in the Box would run a $20 co-pay, a $90 strep test - and a $4 prescription. A prescription, may I add, that is currently sitting in my house.) A call to my Regular Doctor would prove fruitless, as it is, again, the weekend. So, in a combined attempt at wellness and frugality, I am staying home - and taking the medicine on hand.
I am also making chicken soup and drinking tea. Oh, and sleeping, lots of sleeping.
I say that I may have strep simply because I have never had it before. Ever. In spite of sharing a bedroom with my sister, who was a walking petri dish of the stuff until having her tonsils removed. Nope, never caught it - even from less than 10 feet away. I was the Queen of Bronchitis, the Empress of Sinusitis, the Dictator of Migraines.
But never strep.
Until maybe now. See, my office is currently a hotbed of rhino virus, strep and some random 72 hour flu. I happen to work with people too proud to take a sick day, yet kind enough to share this crap with others. Oh, and then get mad because other people have sense and stay home when they're sick.
Thankfully (or not), I got sick Friday night. While grocery shopping. How convenient. I immediately headed home, dosed myself with Airborne, and laid down. Then it got worse. Worse to the point where I couldn't swallow, and was in tears.
I am unable to take Humira when sick, as it depletes my immune system. Taking Humira while ill can cause the common cold (standard time: 10 days) last for 30 to 45 days all told. Thankfully, I took my shot on Thursday night. Also, I happen to be married to The Man Too Proud to Finish His Medicine ("But I FEEL BETTER!"). Said Proud Spouse is also employed in the Medical Field, and assessed my ailments as Antibiotic Necessary. Antibiotics, I might add, that we happen to have on hand.
I know that "sharing prescriptions" is not recommended. However, I happen to know that this very prescription is what my doctor would prescribe. There is also enough of it to get me through the standard recommended dosage, and I plan to do so. (Being the Weekend, a visit to the neighborhood Doc in the Box would run a $20 co-pay, a $90 strep test - and a $4 prescription. A prescription, may I add, that is currently sitting in my house.) A call to my Regular Doctor would prove fruitless, as it is, again, the weekend. So, in a combined attempt at wellness and frugality, I am staying home - and taking the medicine on hand.
I am also making chicken soup and drinking tea. Oh, and sleeping, lots of sleeping.
Labels: health
posted by rennratt at 1:09 PM
16 Comments:
yeah...sounds like strep. That's how I felt for years till I had my tonsils removed...
If Chachi knows what he's doing and talking about, you're fine with the meds. Hubs and I have shared our meds (when we KNOW what we have)...it's a part of marriage!!!
get well soon, renn!
Hey, on paper, it's a bad idea. But when you weigh the options -- and you know that the good doctor will give you exactly the same thing -- it's crazy not to.
Feel better, hon.
Hope you feel better and it does sound like strep, lot of fun there. Not a fan of sharing scripts, but sounds like you know what you're doing. Sleep and chicken soup are great cure's no matter what the ailment.
I'm sorry you feel so bad, Renn. I hope it isn't strep!
It seems like everyone I know has been getting sick. I've had it too.
Dude, that is exactly how I felt last week when I got sick! And it probably isn't strep, although it hurts like it. I got better after taking the antibiotics (z-pack), and it helped to drink the hot beverage ( thus the chai).
Just wait, because there is a very phlegmy cough coming your way. It made me feel SO ATTRACTIVE.
Love you!
Oh Renn, I'm so sorry you're sick! I don't blame you for sharing the prescription - I would too. It might not help, but it certainly won't hurt. Especially if it's an antibiotic you've taken before and know you have no reactions from it. I'm glad you're getting lots of rest. Keep that up and call in sick on Monday if you're still feeling puny. No use in pushing yourself too hard and making it worse.
I got strep all the time as a kid, Renn, but only once as an adult. Knock on wood.
You poor dear! Strep totally sucks! Especially if it means you can't take your other meds.
I think the only reason we're told not to share prescriptions (aside from the original sickie needs to finish his or her meds) is so the pharmaceutical industry and docs can make an extra buck or two. I have no issues at all with you taking Chachi's leftover antibiotics and think y'all are geniuses for thinking of it.
Get some rest. And feel better soon.
Oh! I also read (I think on awomanofindependentmeans.blogspot.com) that you should drink cold things and eat popsicles when your throat hurts like this. More soothing than hot beverages. Have Chachi run get you some popsicles and give it a try.
So sorry to hear you're sick. Strep is so miserable to have. Do whatever makes you feel good - including keeping that money you would have spent on the doc visit/test/'scrip and think of a way you could use it to treat yourself when you feel better.
Making use of the antibiotics at home is what I call good old fashioned Yankee Ingenuity...
I'm sick too but it's not as bad as strep...Hope you feel better soon!
PLEASE don't mess around with strep...I was underdiagnosed and underprescribed years ago and ended up in emergency surgery with quinsy (a perisotonsillar abcess - that which killed George Washington) and a wild fear of the most minor sore throat.
That is teh suck!
Re: the comment about not sharing meds being a way for the pharmaceutical folks to make more money? I have to respectfully reply that this is not the case. A patient is given a course of medication that has been proven in numerous clinical studies to work to eradicate a certain "bug" and that will remain in the system for long enough to get rid of the critical mass of them (so that your body can heal and get rid of what remains). NOT taking all the medication could result in the creation of an antibiotic-resistant organism, which is very very dangerous and orders of magnitude harder to get rid of than your run-of-the-mill bacterium.
Feeling better doesn't mean you ARE better. Tell Chachi I'm giving him a hard stare right now.
(steps down off the soapbox)
Be well soon!
um.
i have totally taken my dogs medication when necessary., no way i'ma get on you for sharing rxs with Chach. Not a chance.
JC
Feel better soon!
I hope you feel better.
It's good to be back, my laptop got eaten by some sort of pernicious act of malevolent coding and it took a month to get it straightened out.
Yuck!! strep! and it's always harder on adults than kids...
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