Ahhh. Finally, I've gotten some answers to the medical mystery that was my sickly body (and still is...) for the past (almost) week. A few of you already know what's been going on from my pitiful phone calls to you during the worst times, and others have yet to find out. Well, I finally found out what the culprit of this devilish thing was today at my (hopefully) last doctor's visit.
It began as a routine, yearly check-up on Friday morning. Minus the leftovers of a urinary tract infection, I came in perfectly healthy. My doctor, a very nice lady, did all her normal doctory things, and only suggested that I take some antibiotics for the rest of my UTI. Not a big deal at all. She also recommended that I consider taking the new Gardasil vaccine, which is supposed to prevent about 4 strains of the HPV virus, the culprit of cervical cancer. When it comes to medical things, I am easily swayed. I decided to go for it. It sounded valid enough, and who wants cervical cancer? Not I.
So my nurse comes in to administer the shot. She explains nonchalantly that I should feel some stinging during the injection and some pain/swelling afterward, but nothing more. All the while, I figure "Yeah, yeah, I got this." It was a typical shot, and it's not like I want one every day, but you know, you get used to it. She throws on my bandaid and I think I'm golden now...won't see them for another year or until my next shot.
Well, I was scheduled for work pretty soon after that appointment, so I run home and eat something, then I'm off to jolly ole Concord. I'm running a bit late after stopping by Walgreens for my antibiotic (we all know how speedy they are), and when I get to work, I take my first dose of antibiotic before clocking in. Things were pretty normal, and I felt equally so. Until around 2pm. I felt like fever had pounded me with a ton of bricks from a hovering cloud above my throbbing head. I was a wreck, just ask Stephen Campbell or anyone else on my shift...or the customers who saw me burst into tears (they probably thought I was being beaten). Yeah, it was totally embarrassing, and I felt like hell.
Fast forward to that night, which would be the norm for the next few nights, my fever had hiked up to 101 or so, my eyes became bloodshot, and I couldn't sleep at all. My first thought was that Gardasil had done this to me. I was quickly informed that the vaccine was not on the market for very long and some of its effects were still unknown. So then, I was convinced that it was an adverse reaction, cursing the very name, "Gardasil," and Merck for distributing the poison! Well, these episodes of fever went on into the day on Saturday, so I stopped by urgent care, where they told me I was perfectly healthy. In fact, my quirky little doctor was pretty stumped by my symptoms. She said it might be a reaction to the vaccine, but likely not, but to just let whatever it was run its course, and to take tons of Motrin.
Fast forward to Monday night. My fever got to a painful 102, and I had had enough, period. So I call my poor mom at 2:30am and cry to her that I have to see the doctor again. So I did, and this guy explains that I must have some kind of viral infection, because there's also a slight rash on my legs. He also tells me to stop taking my antibiotic, just in case it was causing my fevers, though he doubted it. So I'm left with a generic diagnosis of "viral infection," from God knows where. And a third copay. $30 so far for my adventures.
And now this morning. I'm still feeling a little off, although after stopping the antibiotics, my fever went away. I take a shower, ready to go back to school, and what do my little eyes discover? A rash all over my stomach, back, chest, more on my legs...what is wrong with me, I wonder frantically. And I have yet another appointment with my doctor today. (The rash that I found today was an allergic reaction to my antibiotic that's still swimmming around in me.) We do more blood work, she checks for strep throat and other things. And she comes to the conclusion that I almost definitely have fifth disease. What the hell is that, you ask? (I asked, too.) Well, it sounds far worse than what it actually is. It's a viral infection that kids typically get, and apparently, sometimes adults. Kind of like the chicken pox, but backwards. You get a fever and flu-ish symptoms first, then rash on (sometimes) face and/or limbs. Some people get it with no symptoms at all, but I didn't get away that easy.
Good news? I know what was making me so sick, and Merck was not trying to kill me. Bad news? I spent about $40-50 on all this nonsense, and fifth disease doesn't go away over night. It lingers for up to 3 weeks, so my symptoms may not completely go away til then.
Boo, viruses. (Edited 18.06.08: And Merck...turns out the shot did the damage after all.)
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