I got fifth disease. I was 43 at the time. I wasn't able to work for a month. I had the rash on my face. It looked like I was wearing too much makeup, but it wouldn't wash off. Two days after the rash phase, the joint pain began. First it was in my shoulders and then it moved to my neck and spine, and eventually into my hips, knees and ankles. I lost track of the fever at 105 degrees. Twice, after a trip to the bathroom, my heart was racing so severely I thought about calling an ambulance, but couldn't because I couldn't move. I remember opening my eyes and expecting to look at the ceiling, but I was looking down at my own face. At that moment, I realized that I might be dying. I didn't want to go. My only thought was "I'm not ready yet". Then I was back in my body and felt the pain again. The strongest prescription pain meds did not alleviate the pain. I could not walk without a cane, was severely anemic for over a year, and now have moderate to severe joint pain all the time. I did not have any preexisting auto-immune condition and was healthy and strong. I am at a loss for what to do to help myself. I continue to suffer from fatigue and severe joint pain that at best causes me to limp, and at the worst, I cannot function. If anyone reading my story ends up with this disease, please clear your schedule and be kind to your joints!

My daughter has the red cheek part of it but that's about it. She had a runny nose and watery eyes for a day and then the redness in her cheeks appeared. Her cheeks are warm to the touch, but this happened to me after an allergic reaction to something I ate. No fever and she is totally normal. I have been getting a cold medication to relieve a runny nose and the watery eyes are gone.

My baby was diagnosed eight days ago. She's got a fever and inflamed throat. She also has a mild rash on her face and legs. My symptoms followed hers by a 2 day delay. I had sore throat, but did not get a rash.

My child began with the throat hurting. He slept quite a bit in one day and a very poor appetite. We went to the doctor and they didn't know what it was. A rash from the neck down to the feet and on the tops of the hands were noticeable. A week later the "slap to the cheek" rash came up. This is the first day of it. I don't know what to expect now. I do know that there was no fever that we knew of. But you cannot tell when you get the virus so it is very easily spread to other children when the fever is present like any virus. The kicker is I have never heard of this before my child got it. Oh it also seems to make my child more irritable/cranky than normal.

My 5 year old son started this week with what appeared to be sun rash on his forearms. We had just returned from the beach and assumed that his fair skin reacted to the sun, as mine does. The next day he had small pink/red dots on his cheekbones and one small section of his lower back, arms remained the same. The third day he woke up with bright red cheeks and light pink areas on the back of his legs and his entire back, arms still the same. Today, the rash is much smaller on his face and much fainter on his arms, legs and back. He never complained of itchiness, soreness and he never showed any of the early symptoms with the exception of one day last week with clear nasal drainage. Hope this helps!

I have a weird story. My daughter works at a pre-school and they had an outbreak of fifth's disease. I had never heard of it so I looked it up and found out it is a parvovirus, they said that it was not the same as the dog version and could not be transmitted to humans. Here's the weird part: two weeks before the outbreak one little girl brought her new puppy to school to show everyone, shortly afterward the puppy came down with parvo and had to be put down. It might all be a coincidence, but it is all a little strange.

This has been so helpful to me! My two granddaughters have Fifth's Disease and for the past week I have been feeling fatigued and my hands and feet have been swollen and my knees have been just unbearably painful. I had no idea these were symptoms of Fifth's in adults. Thank you to those who shared this. Now at least I know that it's not just old age creeping up on me!

My daughter was diagnosed with staph infection a little over a week ago. Yesterday she woke up with a slight rash on her legs so I thought she was reacting to the antibiotic. The rash spread all over her body throughout the course of the day and her cheeks stayed red, as if she was sunburned. She was running a fever so I took her to the ER and they said that it was a reaction and to stop the meds. This morning the rash is worse and the fever has spiked 102.6. I took her to the ER again and they said Fifth Disease. She has had a stopped up nose and has been complaining of her foot hurting. The thing that keeps me concerned with this diagnosis is that she is only three and experiencing joint pain, the symptoms all came on at once, not in stages, and her face is swollen. I can't seem to pinpoint what it could be if not Fifth Disease and the doctors don't seem to be doing their research very well, but I will keep looking.