Strawberry tongue/Scarlet fever

Madam Butterfly · (#1 (**permalink**))

OK here's the (long) story: On Monday i woke up with a sore throat. just thought it was a cold so went to work. But i was shivery all day, and my pinky fingers kept going numb. I was so cold, i felt like i was in the dead of winter (and Monday was not cold)

When i got home i put myself to bed. But the shivers got much worse (my teeth were chattering) and i had the quilt right over my head. Then both my hands and both my feet went numb. All the time, my throat still hurt.

When i eventually fell asleep and woke up, i was burning up with a fever. I pretty much stayed feverish until Thursday.

On the wednesday my mum called the doctor for a home visit because i was too ill to go out. I was not eating or drinking because it was too painful. couldn't talk at all either. I couldn't even swallow my own saliva without flinching!!

Doctor wouldn't come out, so my mum described my symptoms and he prescribed antibiotics over the phone.

So on friday i went to the doctor to get a certificate for work and to confirm that what i indeed had was a throat infection. He went to look in my mouth and recoiled and asked what was wrong with my tongue. I naively said if it was purple, it might be because of blackcurrant juice(!) He told me to look in the mirror and when i did i was shocked.

He told me i had "Strawberry tongue" which meant that i had a "serious infection".

When i got home i looked up strawberry tongue on nhs direct, wikipedia and google and they all brought back the same thing: scarlet fever. Strawerry tongue was not linked with any other illness.

Now i checked out the symptoms of scarlet fever and the only ones i really had were the sore throat and loss of apetite.

So now i am wondering, just what the hell did i have?!?!

Has anyone else had an illness that came with "strawberry tongue". My mum and sister are so mad at the doctor for not coming to see me in the first place (the doctor that said i had the tongue thing is different to the one who wouldn't come out)

Also, why is it when you go to the doctor, you desribe your symtoms, they prescribe medication but never actually tell you what you have?!!!? every doctor i have had was like that!!

The only reason i wanted to double check whether or not i had a throat infection was because of my hands and feet going numb as i had never had that with any illness before. I had images of septocemia (sp) and seeing them turn black and fall off!!

So to reiterate the point of this long winded post(!) has anyone else experienced strawberry tonge with an infection before, bcause it only seems related to scarlet fever. Right now the doctor is just saying a serious throat infection.

PS doctor said he couldn't test for what it was because i had already started taking the antibiotics.

Madam Butterfly · (#2 (**permalink**))

PPS don't "strawberry" tongue and "scarlet" fever make them sound cutesy and glamourous??!?!!? trust me,they ain't!!

sweetpie · (#3 (**permalink**))

I have never heard of strawberry tongue but it may be another word for strep throat but I know Scarlet fever is a result of a strep bacteria which means it is the next step after strep thoat and a fever has been established. Within a day scarlet fever spreads over the entire body as a rash and itches. An antibiotic and Benedryl is used to treat it.

Madam Butterfly · (#4 (**permalink**))

thanks for that sweeti pie. I never developed a rash (and i was checking for one, because i was thinking i might have meningitis).

I did get the antibiotics, but just the one the give me no matter what i seem to have (amoxcicilin).

My mum just told me that i did have a red face with whiteness around my mouth and swollen neck glandswhich are other symptoms of scarlet fever.

I'm a bit concerned about the doctors vagueness in diagnosis though as, according to the nhs website, doctors are supposed to note all cases of scarlet fever so they can cotrol its spread. I don't think i actually had it as a rash is a major symptom and i never had one. But what i did have must have been closely related to it. Plus, i work with children.

On the plus side, six days of no food mean i have lost some weight lol

sweetpie · (#5 (**permalink**))

I would bet that is how you got it... the kiddies.

Madam Butterfly · (#6 (**permalink**))

i was thinking that Sweetie, because there was one last week who latched onto me because she was unwell. apparently she had a fever and felt ill in general, but after one day off her mum forced her to come to school because she had mock sats. She never said she had a sore throat though. To think i jokingly said "ew, you got the lurgy!!" not knowing the damn lurgy was jumping onto me!!

sweetpie · (#7 (**permalink**))

Remember when you work with kids they should be sent home immediately when you notice a child has a fever. They are most contagious during this time. Her mother should have kept her home and kept the fever under control with Tylenol or Motrin or something. I'm sureshe eventually had to take her to the doctor.

Madam Butterfly · (#8 (**permalink**))

the child in qustion never comlained of a fever - just said she'd had one the previous day. And i don;t hink her mum did take her to the doctor, though i am not sure. I know he continued in school for the rest of the week and seemed fine, except that one day she told me she didn't feel well.

Will be interested to know if anyone else was off sick last week. will find out on tuesday.

And in my school, if it can;t be fixed with a cold compress, plaster, cup of warm water or simply res'in' up themselves for five minues then they always get sent home lol

Black Lion · (#9 (**permalink**))

Probably best to takeprotective measures during play time.

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Madam Butterfly · (#10 (**permalink**))

i really wouldn't mind wearing one of those in winter!!

Black Lion · (#11 (**permalink**))

Would look good with a Wu-Tang logo on the front.

Madam Butterfly · (#12 (**permalink**))

I'd prefer a Bone Thugs logo myself...

Black Lion · (#13 (**permalink**))

Nah man...

Just isn't...

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