Dengue Fever self-care advice
Hi all, hopefully you won’t need this advice but in case anyone does, I wanted to make a post with what I’ve found out. Others who’ve had it, please feel free to chime in with what worked for you, what you learned or were nervous about, etc.
- Prevention: daytime deet. At least 20%. Friends who used 40% are fine. I used 15% until I found out I needed a higher percentage and I got the virus.
Also, I wish I had changed hostels as soon as I knew other people there had been sick so as the liklihood of mosquitos biting them and then biting me sitting right next to them.
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Hospitalization: The recommended course of treatment here in Thailand is to be admitted when your platelet levels drop below 100,000. Also if you are unable to stay adequately hydrated on your own and need an iv drip. More on both of these below.
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Fever and pain control: Fever makes it all hurt SO much more. a. Taking tylenol (paracetamol/ acetaminophen) every 6 hours and staggering with ibuprofen every 3 hours after that for pain relief works well. b. DO NOT USE ASPRIN. This thins your blood, the last thing you need with a disease that is described using words like “leaking” and blood. c. Fresh papaya leaf juice may help replenish platelet levels. d. STAY HYDRATED. After tylenol, this has by far made the biggest different in terms of how I feel. 4 liters a day seems to be my ideal. So. Much. Water. Add electrolytes as needed. My doc prescribed 3x a day. It’s important to know that fever burns through your platelets faster.
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Going forward: You can’t donate blood (duh). Conflicting info about how serious reinfection can be should be discussed with your doctor. My treating doctor here in Thailand has had it twice and still lives here and did not think that chances of getting Dengue Hemoragic Fever with subsequent infections increase too significantly after having it once. This conflicts with online advice (especially out of the US) and is reassuring for those of us who love the tropics and want to continue to visit warm places with mosquito bastards.
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Hope you feel better quickly!!
Submitted February 06, 2019 at 11:26AM by HappyAstronomer http://bit.ly/2HVrqGA
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