HFM and work

jtmomma13

Apparently I am one of the very few adults to contact hand foot and mouth. I went to urgent care yesterday and they had no clue what was going on with me! No fever, sore throat and spots on my hands. I am waiting to see my pcp today.

If anyone remembers- I was laid off right before Labor Day. I haven't been too active because I was job searching and I ended up getting two job offers within 3 weeks of being laid off and took one! It was a complete blessing in disguise.

Anway I started last week and had to call out today due to the HFM... And needing to see my pcp today. Anyone have any experience with HFM? Did you have to stay home for a full week? I am nervous I am making a bad impression on my new work place but there isn't much I can do.

LO doesn't have any symptoms. He was sick for the past two weeks with a cold which turned into an ear infection. He did stop eating for a few days but I figured that was due to the ear infection. But there is always the chance that he had a mild case that didn't result in spots.

How the hell did I get this!??? My hands are in so much pain but that's about it!

jtmomma13

PrivacyWanted said:

I'm fairly certain once you see the spots you are no longer contagious.

This would be fabulous!

RedDDD

When my kids had it they said you were only contagious during the fever and after that they could go to DC.  

kristennd

DH actually caught HFM a couple weeks ago. It was handy, if bad luck, because LO (age 3) came down with it a few days later and DH was much better at articulating the symptoms. So we knew what to expect, especially with the sore throat etc.

Urgent Care told DH he was fine to go to work.

LO was home for a week though. Preschool policy is until the sores dry up and that's how long it took.

ASmallWonder

DH had it a couple months ago.  Like others said, you're no longer contagious.  Just scary looking

MommyAtty

One of my employees had it. He missed 2 days total, but one of those was because his wife and 2 kids both had it, and his wife was knocked on her tush and needed help with the kids. Our doc said the current strain seems to be affecting many more adults but is less painful and harsh than other strains. Fewer sores in the mouth, too.
Eta: Congrats on the new job!!!

aglenn

Yeah, when I got it the doctor said that as long as I was free of fever and the fluid-filled blisters I was not contagious. 

MickeyM04

I may be a dick, but I went to work with HFM knowing I had it.  I stayed in my office and washed my hands/sanitized constantly.  I don't have any PTO left this year because of my maternity leave and I am already constantly missing work because one of the two kids is sick, so I figured what choice did I have.  

jtmomma13

Thanks everyone! I am planning on going to work tomorrow and my regular doctor isn't so sure now that it is actually HFM- says it's likely but I had some blood work done too.

No fever. Just painful bumps on my hands. Very painful. Inbetween my fingers and the tops of my hands!

Thanks for all the advice! I don't feel dl horrible about going to work now!

jtmomma13

I'm at work now! Not to bad. Throats fine but my hands are so painful. Did anyone else have extremely painful hands? It feels like they are burning!