A VISIT TO THE DOCTOR

On Sunday morning, after another night of fever, sweats and chills, my skin looked red and irritated. No itchiness but a burning sensation instead, especially on my face,- the kind of feeling you get after getting sunburned.

I went to the doctor, still believing this was an allergic reaction of some sort.

The doctor examined my spots and blisters, and told me this was the chicken pox. She told me to go home and rest until it went away, and to take some paracetamol only if I felt I needed some. She suggested that I should take some antihistamine if it got worse. I told her that my spots were not itchy, and she said that it was strange, but that there was no doubt it was the chickenpox because my spots were in different stages of the disease and because of the fact that some spots were on my scalp.

So I went back home and decided to fight this thing back.

Note: Never take an aspirin and avoid ibuprofen too. Use of aspirin has been associated with a serious condition called Reye syndrome. Ibuprofen has been associated with more severe secondary infections.


There are some antiviral medicines for chicken pox, and they are usually prescribed to people who are likely to suffer from complications, such as people who have a long-term illness, people with impaired immune system, pregnant women and babies born early or with a low birth weight and whose mother had chicken pox.

Antiviral medicines can be taken by mouth (orally), by an injection (intravenous), or applied on the skin (topically). Acyclovir is the antiviral medicine used most often to treat chicken pox. Antiviral eye ointments are also available and prescribed if you develop chicken pox blisters in your eyes.