Not HSV Afterall

Had a 6 mo. checkup with my primary care physician yesterday and after many questions, he determined that I did not have HSV nor Shingles, but rather a bacterial infection of the skin.  How did I get this?  We had stayed at a very nice winery with a huge bubble tub.  It was very, very clean, quite new.  But in the jets of the tub lay germs that my compromised immune system can't handle.  My doctor said although my case was bad enough, it could have been a whole lot worse!!  I was really rather lucky. 

I am checking with my rhuematologist now to see if I can go off the medicine he felt I should stay on for maintence for the next several months.

The Itchies Are Over

The business of waking in the middle of the night about to jump out of my skin was getting old.  The areas where there were blisters were on fire.  Thank the dear Lord that is over and done with now.  It looked like I was going to have some terrible scars, but the first of those are starting to fade and lighten up.  I know now that they will all go away, it is just taking some time.

Still Itchy

Last week Wednesday the doctor upped my medication for the HSV because I continued to breakout and was getting no relief from the itching.  Finally I am seeing the first spots to erupt are now beginning to dry and heal.  Those first ones are no longer weeping.  But the newest ones continue to itch like fire and weep horribly.  Oh, for this to be over soon!!!

New Problems

For two weeks I was on a high dose of prednisone and I am to reduce it by one mg. per week now until I get down to 7 mgs.  Then we will see how I am doing there. 

Friday morning I woke to find a spot on my thigh that was itchy.  I thought it might be a chigger bite.  As the weekend went on I got more of them and they were leaky and big and blistered.  I thought of shingles yesterday.  My rhuematologist said I better get right in to see him today.  I have HSV or Herpes Symplex Virus and it is related to and similar to Shingles.  It is caused by stress!!  Oh great!!  Just get rid of stress.....................

Doctor ordered up some high powered drug for me to take to ease the pain and itching.  I sure hope it works!!  I am miserable right now.

It's not working

Have been having swelling of my hands and feet and lots of aching.  My hips have been hurting.  Spoke with rhuematologist Thursday and he was as disappointed as I to realize the Rituxan is not working.  I did tell him all about last weekend, but he felt that with the Rituxan I should have breezed through all of that.  He upped my prednisone for now and I check back with him early in the week.

Need some energy

Good things are happening, but I am so tired!  Our new granddaughter, Vaeda, was born Friday, May 6.  She is a beautiful little girl.  We are so proud!  Her big sister, Ozaine, stayed with us while mommy was in the hospital.  Her hospital stay which would have been just a couple of days turned out to be much longer due to an emergency C-section. 

I just can't seem to get a blast of energy and have it stay with me.  The past couple of days my hips have been achey, my feet hurt, my hands have been swollen for a couple of weeks now.  Not real pleased with this.  I know that stress plays a huge part in all of this, but I thought the Rituxan would have countered the aches and pains I'm feeling.  For as much as the Rituxan costs, I don't know if it's worth it.  I guess I will have to give it a few more days to get past the stress of this weekend.  Maybe then I will really feel better.

Maybe It's Working.............

I really can't be sure just yet, but maybe the Rituxan is working.  I haven't had really BAD pain.  Over the weekend (and the weekends are always SO VERY busy) I had a little of the aching in my left hip joint, but not bad.  Just a reminder every so often.  I am still experiencing being tired and hoping that I will soon have more energy.  I am so hopeful!!