Self diagnosis proves correct

These stupid shingles hurt a great deal.

I called the clinic this morning, and described the situation, and they said that it sounds like shingles. They said to take 1600 mg of Acyclovir (I have been taking 400mg).

An hour later another nurse called and verified this same information and told me I needed to go see my primary care physician on Monday to get a definitive diagnosis, and in the meantime I could start with the 1600mg antiviral meds.

And then BJ called, bless her. She told me that I she had discussed the situation with BB and that it couldn't wait until Monday because very serious complications ("it can be very dangerous" said BJ, and I believe her since my mother's friend got this last year AND WENT BLIND FROM IT) could arise and he wanted to massively increase the dose of antivirals.

I didn't want to go to the ER and wait three hours. We called all our doctor friends that might pop by and have to answer the world's worst question: "does this look infected to you?" At any rate, nobody was home. Finally Jill's brother in law, who is an internal medicine specialist in Texas, helped us out and confirmed visually via the wonders of an iPhone and the Internet that I've got a textbook case.

So BB, it seems, treats shingles the way he treats MM: carpet bombing. I am to take 800mg five times a day for a total of 4000mg daily of Acyclovir. That oughta get rid of these things.

Meanwhile, it's Tylenol for the pain, and keep away from the kids, and keep a shirt on at all times.

Ugh.

Well...like I told my mom and my mother-in-law, this is a small price to pay for getting rid of cancer. I'll deal with it.

Have a good weekend everybody.