medical advice...for me!!

berylayn

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Ok, I know these are the cat forums, but you all are truly the greatest, and I am in need of some advice.

I do not like going to the doctor for unneccessary reasons, but since I have a day off from work and I am having a minor medical dilema, I am trying to decide if I should get my butt up and go. Tell me what you think.

Last night while I was getting ready for bed I noticed this pink rash on one
cheek. A little pink, a little bumpy, a little warm. But it doesn't hurt or
itch too much. This morning its still here. Its not all that noticable in normal light, but I can tell something is up because it feel warmer and bumpier than my other cheek.

I am alightly concerned because 3 years ago I got the shingles and my first thought was that it might be a reccurance of that (VERY VERY PAINFUL btw). But this hasn't gotten worse yet, and I am not in excruciating pain pain. I also noticed my throat hurting yesterday (swollen glands are also a symtom of shingles), but I have no fever.

My fear is just that I wait until this gets too bad and then they can't treat it. I've just been kinda waiting for it to get worse, but it hasn't. It isn't getting any better either. Any ideas on what else it could be or what I should do?
 

sharonkay

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YOU SHOULD GO TO THE DOCTOR SILLY GIRL!!!!
especially if it is something that reminds you of an awful illness that you have already had once!
 
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berylayn

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i just don't want it to be something that I go and get checked out for nothing. but i agree, common sense should tell me that if i am worried i should go get looked at. I did put a call in to the nurses hotline to ask them if i should come in. They're probably with patients or at lunch right now if they do not call back in a few hours I'll call them again. They'll probably be able to at least help me figure out what might be going on.
 

cirque

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Originally Posted by WellingtonCats

Please go again to the doctors! Better to be safe than sorry.
yeah, it might be nothing, and it might be something.. get it looked at it if makes you at all worried, we all want you healthy
 

sharonkay

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Originally Posted by berylayn

i just don't want it to be something that I go and get checked out for nothing. but i agree, common sense should tell me that if i am worried i should go get looked at. I did put a call in to the nurses hotline to ask them if i should come in. They're probably with patients or at lunch right now if they do not call back in a few hours I'll call them again. They'll probably be able to at least help me figure out what might be going on.
dont worry, you will have tomorrow off too
 
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berylayn

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Originally Posted by Rockcat

Did you make an appointment yet? (nag, nag, nag)
well our Noteaster finally kicked in and its snowing A LOT now, so I don't want to go out if I don't need too...BUT I did call that nurse so its a start
I'll let you know if I find anything out.
 

rockcat

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Originally Posted by berylayn

well our Noteaster finally kicked in and its snowing A LOT now, so I don't want to go out if I don't need too...BUT I did call that nurse so its a start
I'll let you know if I find anything out.
Oooo - My Mom is in CT. I bet they're getting it too. You're right. don't go anywhere for awhile.
 

leli

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Hello...
I wouldn't go to the doctor if I were you. Walk-in clinics are insanely busy for exactly this reason. I'd just keep an eye on it and if it gets any more severe or other symptoms occur, then reevaluate.
You mentioned a few things I wondered about...your throat hurt...do you mean that your throat hurt or that your glands/neck hurt because they were swollen? or can you feel your glands when swallowing? A passing sore throat, if that's what it was, is nothing to worry about in the absence of fever or other symptoms. The rash is iffy, but the causes rashes are notoriously difficult to pinpoint....I get rashes all the time, as I have very sensitive skin. I'm not sure about the US, but I know that in Canada, you can get hydrocortizone cream over the counter (it's just a lower concentration of active ingredient than the prescription version), which might be a possibility if the rash is particularly itchy or sensitive. As far as cause, I've never had shingles so I couldn't say for sure, but I wouldn't waste your time at a doctor until either other symptoms occur or the rash worsens or spreads....
Now, this is just IMO, so feel free to disregard. Also, you know yourself best, so if you're really worried, then go to the doctor. Let us know how it goes. Hope you're feeling better soon, I know how annoying a pesky rash can be.
 
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berylayn

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Leli-

Thanks for your concern. I agree - I did not want to bug a doctors office with something that was going to be of no concern. Hence my phone call first. I still have yet to hear back.

I tend to be on gaurd with any illness I get as I take immune system depressant drugs for chronic arthritis. When I get sick it can take weeks for me to get better.


Which makes this even more confusing because last week I have the flu, which turned into some sinus problem, and now this. The sore throat yesterday was not what I would call a passing sore throat, it is more like swollen glands that are making my throat sore. But that could still be related to my flu/cold/viral symptoms from last week. How confusing!

Sometimes I wish I was a doctor so I could figure out all these problems on my own!
 

kittylover4ever

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Hi Beryl........oh, I know how it feels to hate to go to the doctors. I have an appt to have somethings looked into on Thursday afternoon, and I"m not looking forward to it. But you know what, I didn't go to the doctors much in my first 40 years, and now I wish I had. Do what you think is best and know we're here for you!!
 

fwan

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Have you bought anything new? or used any new face creams?
There might be something new that you have bought recently and put it on your face
 

mferr84

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Originally Posted by berylayn

I am alightly concerned because 3 years ago I got the shingles and my first thought was that it might be a reccurance of that (VERY VERY PAINFUL btw). But this hasn't gotten worse yet, and I am not in excruciating pain pain. I also noticed my throat hurting yesterday (swollen glands are also a symtom of shingles), but I have no fever.
swollen glands are a symptom of almost everything... insect bites, cuts, colds, bacterial illness, and a thousand more other things will enlarge them... i agree you should go to a doctor... it could be a simple rash, maybe you got something on your hands and then touched your face and it is irritating it, or it could be something more severe... any area on your skin that is significantly warmer than the rest of your body usually means infection... you could have ate or taken something that you are allergic to and this is how your body is reacting... i am allergic to amoxicillen(sp?) and i break out in rashes if i take it...
have it checked out, if anything the doctor can give you a cream to make it not hurt so much or be red so much
 

snowleop

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I'm voting with the camp who says "Go to a doctor." In the meantime, you might check and see if your insurance company has a phone number you can call to talk to a nurse. I used that once and found it very helpful.
 

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You mentioned that you have a sore throat and a rash......those can often be symptoms of strep. If left untreated, strep can cause all sorts of problems.

If it's not better by the morning, you need to go get it checked out....whether or not you have a fever. You are the best judge of what is going on....so listen to your body and get your booty to the doctor if you need to.


(I'm a nurse too.....so listen to me!)
 
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berylayn

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Originally Posted by KittyKook

You mentioned that you have a sore throat and a rash......those can often be symptoms of strep. If left untreated, strep can cause all sorts of problems.

If it's not better by the morning, you need to go get it checked out....whether or not you have a fever. You are the best judge of what is going on....so listen to your body and get your booty to the doctor if you need to.


(I'm a nurse too.....so listen to me!)
Thanks Robin -- I always though strep tended to present itself with a fever -- but strep might make sense. I work in a school with 5 year olds all day long so I seem to come home with the wierdest of illnesses sometimes.

I am hoping for another snow day from school tomorrow so that I can go to the doctor and get the final word.

Thanks everyone for your concern.
 
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