Hoof Mouth (HFMD) For ADULTS

However, you want to refer to it, that’s not the issue. They say children are prone to catching this disease. My daughter caught months ago. It took over her hands, bottom, a little on her feet and two on her tongue and with a fever.

They claim it’s rare for adults to catch it. No one at our household did, thankfully.

Then round II happened. A work trip for my husband was scheduled and he wanted us to go with him before the new baby gets here. Yes, that would be nice, but also how much is there to do in San Antonio? And I would be 7 months pregnant traveling with a 2 year old on the way home by myself. The more I thought about it the more I was reluctant. Eventually, I broke the news, that it wasn’t in our family’s best interest. I would miss work and she would miss school/daycare and we would have to pay for dog boarding as well. Disappointed, he agreed, even though we bought out tickets as a group. I didn’t want to cancel to mess up his tickets.

He was supposed to leave on Sunday. That Wednesday I received a call from daycare at work. They told me she had a fever and thinks she has the HFMD. I said not again! I picked her up and took her to the doctor. It was confirmed, she had HFMD. And this time it was on her throat. Poor thing! There’s no treatment, but simply wait it out. Miserable option. It was appearing all over her feet and a little of her hands. I would lather her in caladryl and give her some Tylenol and Motrin for the pain and fever. She seemed to be doing okay. Eating, drinking, running, playing and laughing. If I was a stranger, I would not know there was anything wrong with her.

Then Saturday happened. I remember stepping out of our bed and a spot on the back of my heel hurt. There was nothing visible, but in my head, I said, “Oh no. I think I caught it.”… I tried to brush it off. It was only a mild pain from an invisible mark. I had a fever probably the Friday evening and Saturday. I was in the 100’s.

My appetite even took a toll. I wasn’t hungry and could barely eat.

Sunday came, I woke up with a cough and I drove to Orlando with us all in the car. I kept getting the chills and feeling worse. Our daughter was still sleeping and we wanted her to rest, so we said our goodbye’s in the parking lot. I told him I think I’m getting sick, probably what she had (after we kissed) and he wanted to go sanitize everything, (his mouth) of course, I knew it was in an offensive manner.

By Monday, these dots/”blisters” began to cover my feet. The itchiness began to happen. I went into work and researched it. All articles claimed it was milder for adults and usually the adults who catch it have a lowered immune system. I assume from pregnancy.

This disease shouldn’t affect the pregnancy/baby luckily.

My fever broke Monday. But the itchiness remained and seemed to be getting worse. Appetite still suppressed. The dots started to appear on my hands. These dots just took over my body within hours. Going into work, I may have had a few dots on my feet, by the evening they multiplied again and again.

Tuesday. The itchiness was unbearable. I barely was able to sleep the night before because I would wake up scratching. I covered myself in Caladryll. Which only temporarily helped. Enough for me to go back to sleep for a little. Cortizone didn’t do anything for me.

All I kept doing was feeling awful for my daughter. I felt her pain, but I pray mine was worse. I don’t want her to experience the level I had. I gave her an Aveeno oatmeal bath. My feet were also in it. But that only helped for a little.

This disease is terrible, and spreads quickly. You may question you might have it, but trust me you will know within hours to maybe a day. Seems to be a fever starts first.

My feet were so bad, I could barely walk. They itched and hurt. I felt like I stood in a fire ant pile continuously.

Wednesday, still the same foot pain. I brought slippers to work because I couldn’t walk from the pain. My hands weren’t that bad. I had the dots/blisters, which only occasionally itched. But was satisfied with scratching. But the feet, especially in between the toes was unbearable. I wish I had the flu… I was desperate. I looked up home remedies or suggestions. There wasn’t too much out there. A lot of people claim ice helped, but after the pain/itch came back with a vegenance. People tried Caladryll, Cortizone, Benadryll, Tylenol, oatmeal bath. Nothing worked for them either. I read that yogurt helped, but not sure about the directions. I assume submerging your feet or hands in a tub of yogurt. I had an expired one at work, I put some on my feet, honestly it kind of helped. But maybe that was wishful thinking. Personally what worked for me was moisturizing! And putting caladryll on with the fan going. It makes it feel cool and seemed to help.

Thursday, things seem to be subsiding. The itchiness and dots remained. I kept my slippers and wore them.

Friday, we drove to pick my husband up from the airport. The itchiness and pain was gone. THANKFULLY! and FINALLY!

My cough remained and was getting worse. I’m not sure if it goes hand in hand, but I had the cough two weeks after. I thought I was getting bronchitis or pneumonia. Luckily my cough now has seemed to subside and I think it was just a virus. At least that is what my OB/GYN thought.

No one seems to talk about HFMD for adults, but this was my experience. Hope it might help someone else. I would know that you will experience pain/itchiness for at least 3-4 days.

There’s one remedy that works, but there are things to help make it less miserable. I do not understand, this disease has been around for a long time. We can send people into space, but we cannot find a cure for HFMD??

 

***Not a doctor. Have no medical background. Just here to help if I can.