So after being misdiagnosed as having sinus inflammation and/or sinusitis and even having the rash that developed later dismissed by one doctor on koh tao as merely a secondary bacterial infection, I had one day feeling particularly ill and decided that no, I want another opinion.
I went back to the first doctor I saw a week or so ago and when he saw the rash he immediately thought it was Herpes Zoster, or 'Shingles' as it's more commonly known. He was concerned because it included my eye. Worrying. After reading on the internet that in some rare cases it can lead to blindness I considered going straight to Bangkok or even the UK. However, I decided to give the Bangkok Samui Hospital on Koh Samui a go - the doctor had sent me there to see an Opthamologist. He'd also prescribed me anti-virals and painkillers (much needed).
After my visit there I was feeling more optimistic. Lesions on my cornea, but no sign of infection inside my eye or on my optic nerve, which is the main thing.
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So now I'm waiting for my ferry to go back to Ko Tao, from Samui, after visiting the Bangkok Samui Hospital yesterday.
The Opthamologist concurred with his diagnosis, as did a doctor of Internal Medicine who took a quick look at the rash. He found two or three lesions on my cornea, but nothing inside my eye or on the optic nerve, which was a relief.
He seems quite confident that I should be better in about 10 days. Prescribed me:
Anti-Virals:
Acyclovir 400 mg tablet (branded 'Vilerm'). 2 tablets 5 times a day, 6am, 10am, 2pm, 6pm, 10pm
Take until finished;
Painkillers:
Paramed Co (300/15 mg) Tablet (branded 'PARA-CO') (Paracetamol 300mg, Codeine Phosphate 15mg)
1 Tablet every 4-6 hours if needed
Eye-Drops:
Pred Forte Eye-Drop, prednisolone acetate 1%, Opthalmic Suspension
1 drop every 2 hours until midnight (8-10 times a day)
Eye-Drops:
Tears Natural Free Eye-Drop (32 tub)
1 - 2 drops into the affected eye, 3 times/day or when you have eye irritation
He made an appointment for me to see him again in 1 week (1st September)
