Is this possible? I have such a bizarre rash and I had assumed it was heat rash, although after living here for over 2 years I've never had heat rash before, nor have I had it living in other hot places. It's prickly and itchy and spreading to pretty much everywhere no matter how much antibiotic type cream I put on it. I live out in the countryside a bit and have been bitten by more mosquitoes this year than in the past. Or if not dengue, maybe some other mosquito borne virus?
Perhaps it doesn't matter? Would I need a different cream if it is from a virus. I am disciplined enough to pretty much never scratch a mosquito bite, but this is driving me crazy.
Dengue Fever without a fever?
NYSTEACHER
08 August 2019 14:49:33
9
gobot
08 August 2019 17:10:49
1430
I had dengue and there were itchy spots on my arms and back. But those symptoms were minor compared to a week of migraines, no appetite, dry mouth, lethargy, muscle weakness, sore eyes, leg aches. No fever.
Definitive diagnosis from blood test: low platelet count, high white blood cell count. You must avoid aspirin and ibuprofen, tylenol ok. No treatment for it though.
I also had shingles, but that wasn't a random rash, there were spots and some tiny blisters that tracked across my face and down my neck.
Maybe you have an allergy to something. Or measles or chicken pox.
THIGV
08 August 2019 17:12:39
4398
You should probably try to get a blood test as soon as possible. There is a test for antibodies, but if the virus is still active you can be tested for the actual presence of the virus, which is more accurate.
There are anti-viral creams but they each tend to work on specific groups of viruses so you would probably be better off to see a doctor and not the corner pharmacy.
NYSTEACHER
08 August 2019 20:25:39
9
Thanks guys. Is one doctor as good as any other for these type of things? There's a guy near me but I don't know what kind of blood tests he can do, he has a very small office.
A lot of fatigue with whatever this is, doesn't really sound like dengue, but something unpleasant nevertheless. Already had chicken pox, could be shingles but doesn't look like the pictures of it.
THIGV
08 August 2019 20:52:39
4398
Shingles is almost always one side only because of the way the virus escapes from the spinal column where it hides. It is not absolute but If your rash is on both sides it probably not shingles. I had shingles twice despite being vaccinated with Zostavax. Your Vietnamese doctor may casually call shingles bệnh zona which I think is actually a literal translation of the words for shingles on the roof.
I am told there is a new vaccine which is far more effective than the old one. The new vaccine is named Shingrix and is a two shot series. It may not be available in Vietnam yet as it may be a patent based captive of the US pharmaceutical industry.
OceanBeach92107
09 August 2019 08:00:58
6435
Ciambella
09 August 2019 10:50:41
3482
NYSTEACHER wrote:Is one doctor as good as any other for these type of things? There's a guy near me but I don't know what kind of blood tests he can do, he has a very small office.
.
I don't have a doctor so I go to Pasteur Institute for all blood tests. My husband has a cardiologist who is affiliated with a lab, but he accepted our wish to carry the blood test request form from said lab to Pasteur and have it done there. Which my husband did twice a year.
When you enter Pasteur, take a number at the information desk to see one of their doctors. The cost is 20k. Pay the fee at cashiers, sit down in front of the room until your number is flashed on the board above the door. Open the door and walk in. This is the only wait you'll have to endure (not bad though, all my previous wait time were always less than 20 minutes.)
The doctor will fill out a request form for any blood test he thinks you would need. Pay the fee (varied) at cashiers again, then go upstairs (or behind the stairs, I forget which) for blood draw. There's no wait.
At or after 3:30, return to pick up the blood test result. At that time, you can go back to the same doctor or to your own. If you go to the same doctor, get the number from the information desk again (show her the paperwork so she wouldn't charge you another 20k), wait for the number above the door as before, show the doctor the result, he'll prescribe the vaccine. Pay the fee at cashier (fee varied), then walk upstairs (or the room behind the stairs) for the shot. Again, no wait for the shot.
The person who gives you the shot will show you the wrapped needles, and as you're a foreigner, s/he will also show you the bottle so you can see that it matches the name on the doctor's request. You need to acknowledge that before s/he can begin.
All doctors send their works to the labs while Pasteur has been doing everything in house for the last 128 years. In spite of its old and tired look, it's THE institute for epidemic research and control. I wouldn't go anywhere else.
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