Pink Eye?

[penguin]

JFHC my eye itches like crazy!!

It's also rather red.

And a bit swollen.

But only the one eye.

I'm the picture of beauty right now. Hero, eat your heart out. I've also got a lovely case of unidentified red itchyness on my lips. I'm REAL cute.

Um, anyone know anything about pink eye? I've never had it before, and it looks like I'm well on my way to a lovely case of it.

Help?

[francelajoie]

Red eye sucks!!

Be careful, it's very very contagious.

You sure you don't have allergies?

[penguin]

You sure you don't have allergies?

I do have allergies, lots of them, but they usually don't affect my eyes.

What also worries me is that it's only in one eye.

I think it was probably my germy girl scouts

[francelajoie]

Probably red eye, I've never had it in both eyes at the same time. They do sell over-the-counter eye drops for that. It takes some of the itch out.

A nice cold towel makes it feel better too but use only once..wash it after every use and don't go from eye to eye.

[Guest Viola]

Pink eye is very contagious. In the mornings you will have a very 'crusted' eyelid, which needs to washed out. Use warm milk to wash it. And wash your hands constantly!

Pink eye can be passed from pet to human, and from human to pet and other humans. If that is what it is, a visit to a clinic will get you a perscription for some salve to treat it.

[kabowman]

Go to the doc. It could be bad, depending on what it is - Don't mess around with your eyes!!!!

Pink eye is loads of fun. You need drops from the doc for that too.

[jerseyangel]

Sounds like pink eye--especially since you spent the weekend with a bunch of kids. There are drops that your doctor can prescribe for you, but it will go away by itself, also. It is contageous.

[francelajoie]

JFHC

What does that stand for??? Ahahahahahahah

[penguin]

JFHC

What does that stand for??? Ahahahahahahah

Um, not going to say, because I'd get into trouble. I only say it when really mad or irritated

[Felidae]

I've had pink eye many years ago. I think you need to get a prescription to treat it.

JFHC sounds exactly like something I say.

[tarnalberry]

Oh yeah, nasty contagious. Definitely see your doc. I'm sorry it's so itchy; maybe oral antihistamines would help? I don't know! Maybe they'd at least knock you out (sleep-wise).

[kabowman]

My JFHC is:

JFHC.

[penguin]

I've had pink eye many years ago. I think you need to get a prescription to treat it.

JFHC sounds exactly like something I say.

It's not a common blaspheme, not here anyway. I heard more say it when I lived in NY.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I had always thought that pinkeye needed antibiotics, but last time I got it, my doctor said no, it's viral, not bacterial (just like the ear infections we've been antibiotic-ing our children for all these years!). He told me to put warm wet washcloths on it (increases blood flow to the area to speed healing), rinse crusty crud as necessary, and that I should be over it in 2-4 days.

He was right.

I agree that you don't want to mess around with your eyes. On the other hand, you don't want unnecessary antibiotics, either, especially with celiac. Perhaps you could ask for a culture to determine if it really is bacterial?

[CarlaB]

I got antibiotic eye drops when I got it. I just read on the internet that it can be either bacterial or viral (I don't know how they'd tell the difference!). Mine cleared it up quickly with the drops, but if it is pink eye, you'll need to stay away from the eye makeup so you don't reinfect yourself, and throw away anything you've used since you've had it. As everyone else has said, it's contagious, wash your hands frequently.

[penguin]

Thanks everybody, I have a Dr. appt later this morning.

And dammit on the eye makeup

I'm actually at work WITHOUT MAKEUP today! I feel NAKED!

Between the eye and the eruptions below my lip, I figured it was a bad idea. Yeah, I'm real cute

I feel like a friggin' leper. I wonder if anyone needs a quasimodo understudy, all I need is a pillow under my shirt and I'm all set! No makeup necessary!

Poor DH, his birthday is tomorrow and I'm out of commission on all counts, since I'm riding the crimson wave as well. We can't even kiss because of the minefield on my lips. Grr. I should have stayed home today.

[jerseyangel]

Chelsea--You poor thing . But this, too, shall pass . Don't ya just hate me for saying that?! Feel better!

[jenvan]

Thanks everybody, I have a Dr. appt later this morning.

And dammit on the eye makeup

I'm actually at work WITHOUT MAKEUP today! I feel NAKED!

Between the eye and the eruptions below my lip, I figured it was a bad idea. Yeah, I'm real cute

I feel like a friggin' leper. I wonder if anyone needs a quasimodo understudy, all I need is a pillow under my shirt and I'm all set! No makeup necessary!

Poor DH, his birthday is tomorrow and I'm out of commission on all counts, since I'm riding the crimson wave as well. We can't even kiss because of the minefield on my lips. Grr. I should have stayed home today.

You poor thing! Hang in there--it will pass!!

PS-- Naked at work w/o makeup--I would be freaking out myself!

PPS--(Crimson wave--ha ha! That is so Cher in "Clueless"!)

[TinkerbellSwt]

We just got over a huge outbreak of it in the family. My one niece had it, gave it to her sister, gave it to my son and he passed it on to me! We all went to our respective doctors and we all got anti biotic eye drops. We caught it early enough so our cases were not as severe as they can be.

I hope you start to feel better soon. I know it hurts bad!

feel better!

[2Boys4Me]

If it's pinkeye, and you work with kids a lot, it wouldn't hurt to keep some Polysporin eye/ear drops handy. Then if your eyes start getting itchy and red you might be able to cut it off at the pass in the future. FYI, whenever my son has had pinkeye, it's just red, watery horrible looking eyes, no gunk involved. Not crusty, you know?

Still trying to figure JFHC, I think I have the words figured out, I've just never heard them in that order. I learned this one from my mom ( ) and it used to come in handy with a particular piece of equipment at work, combined with some "percussive maintenance".

GDMFCSSOB! (Then kick whatever isn't working - works everytime)

Oh yeah! I looked this up - Non illigitamus carborundum - Ha ha!

[jerseyangel]

I just looked it up, too (I've been kind of curious)--perfect!!

[penguin]

Totally stole the quote from the Handmaid's Tale.

I figured out GDMFCSSOB! except for the CS in the middle. Oh wait...just clicked. Nevermind!

In JFHC, the H remains an initial. So its J____ F______ H. C______. If that helps.

Turns out I have pink eye AND impetigo! That's what the lip thing was about, and it explains why it spread. Yay for topical antibiotics! Must have been the lake. I know of at least 2 girls that were home sick with high fevers this week.

Thanks for all the comforting I'm definitely keeping those drops around!!!

[francelajoie]

Hope you get (look) better soon!

[Fiddle-Faddle]

If it's pinkeye, and you work with kids a lot, it wouldn't hurt to keep some Polysporin eye/ear drops handy. Then if your eyes start getting itchy and red you might be able to cut it off at the pass in the future.

OOOHH, be careful with that! It COULD hurt. You will likely cause 2 different, serious problems.

Problem #1: Just because an infection is bacterial does NOT mean you need an antibiotic! That's just what the pharmaceutical industry wants you to think. What actually ends up happening when you always use antibiotics to clear up small infections is that your body never learns how to fight one.

Problem #2: The bacteria causing these small infections mutates with every antibiotic use, resulting in strains that are far more agressive and antibiotic-resistant.

I would urge you not to self-prescribe antibiotics to "cut it off early" like that. The problems down the road could be horrendous. By all means, see your doctor and ask if you have to have an antibiotic. Many doctors only prescribe them (for eye infections, ear infections, and persistent coughs because their patients come in demanding them. My doctor was thrilled when I told him I didn't want antibiotics for a persistent cough. He said, "You don't know how many patients give me hell for NOT prescribing antibiotics; they act like they think I'm trying to keep them sick or something!"

[Fiddle-Faddle]

And dammit on the eye makeup

I'm actually at work WITHOUT MAKEUP today! I feel NAKED!

wave as well. We can't even kiss because of the minefield on my lips. Grr. I should have stayed home today.

You may well have gotten pinkeye from your makeup--it's definitely a haven for bacteria!

You might want to replace all makeup and makeup tools that go anywhere near your eyes at this point....