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Avatar universal

Does this seem like Herpes, Mono, HIV, or something else?

I made the mistake of meeting up with an older woman whom I "met" on a dating website.
She invited me over to her apartment, and I must say, firstly, that her apartment complex was disgusting and could have easily been host to a number of serious viruses. (There was garbage lining some of the hallways and it seemed like a miniature ghetto in there, despite looking normal from the outside). I am an idiot for not walking out immediately, but it is too late. I met here and we kissed and then we had protected vaginal intercourse. The strange thing--which I must note--though, is that when we kissed, I felt a shock. Yes, I felt a shock to my nervous system, as if she'd instantly infected me with something. Her tongue felt swollen and sandpaper-like, and it made me feel odd, immediately. (Nothing like this has ever happened to me before, and I thought that I was just being paranoid, but I now feel that my intuition was correct).

I woke up the next night (24 hours later) sweating and I immediately noticed a sore throat. It was a bizarre and serious-feeling sore throat, as if it was a prelude to strept or something of that nature. When I got up that morning, the tip of my tongue was completely numb. And when I say completely, I mean completely. I also had giant red dots on the tip of my tongue. The papillae turned bright red and became enlarged. My lymph nodes then became swollen within the next 24 hours. The lymph nodes all over my body became swollen, too; not just my neck glands. While I was sitting at my computer at work that day, I felt a wave of paralysis come over me--literally all at once, in a single instant--and my body felt exhausted, heavy, and generally just paralyzed. Since then, I've experienced difficulty moving my face muscles, numbness all over my body (especially in my legs), and difficult breathing (as if the nerves aren't working properly in my lungs). In the back of my mouth, on both sides of my tonsils, there are red arches. Even my tonsils themselves seem red. I feel that this is a virus of some sort--especially given the fact that two rounds of antibiotics did nothing to help me. My doctor did some blood tests a month after this all started, and it came back negative for mono. He noted that my white blood cell count was low--and I know for a fact that it was normal six months ago, before this all happened--and he told me that I have a virus of some sort, but that he can't diagnose it. He expects me to accept this fate, and live my life with a mystery virus. The problem is that I aspire to compete in powerlifting, and if I can never lift weights again, I will have to end my life. There is simply no way that I am going to live my life with swollen lymph nodes--which increase my anxiety and feel as if I'm stuck in some sort of nightmare scenario wherein I've experienced a severe allergic reaction and cannot get the swelling to go down--and these bizarre neurological symptoms. I feel as if someone has turned off the light switch in my head. My nerves all over my body are definitely numb.

It has been six weeks since that fateful night of destiny. That woman was disgusting and I will never make a decision like that again, obviously; but I fear that I'll never even have an option. My strength and muscles from the gym are gone, my passion is gone, and my quality of life is effectively zero. I am hanging on by a thin thread and coming close to full on anxiety attacks on a daily basis. (I suffer from anxiety and OCD in general, and I can't believe that this is happening to me). Please help me.
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1415174 tn?1453243103
COMMUNITY LEADER
Well, don't give up. I think you will find an answer to this. Bacteria and viruses cause lymph nodes to swell. I hope you can find out what the cause is. I have been ill as well. I lost my job and have been sitting for a number of years due to back pain and now a fall and knee injury. I was also very active. I am finally getting back to the gym. I hope you will realize that you can figure this out. It is very hard to go from being active and it gets you down. Try to believe you will find the answer. Walking is good to start with. It helps your immune system.  I had bad anxiety with my back pain and biofeedback breathing exercises helped a lot. If you have access to a integrative medicine doctor or a biofeedback practitioner they are good at teaching you how to get out of the fight or flight response so you feel less anxiety. You will get through this. It is just a matter of time. Have you thought of seeing an infectious disease doctor?
mkh9
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Avatar universal
I am the type of person who doesn't drink alcohol and who washes his hands constantly. My main passion is strength training and I eat organic health food. That's the type of anxiety/OCD that I deal with while I'm healthy, and now that I am sick--with something mysterious which lowers my quality of life significantly, no less--my anxiety level has skyrocketed.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you. My only tests have been liver, mono, STD screening, and strept throat. I just switched over my insurance and I am going to go back to my former doctor, as he was extremely kind, patient, and understanding. I really don't think that my stress will go down until this goes away, quite frankly. In my mind, I have a rare mystery virus that will keep my lymph nodes swollen for the rest of my life--which might be shortened, if that's the case, since I'd probably find a way to end it. (My life has already been difficult enough). I went from deadlifting 450 lbs and being an extremely healthy person to sitting in a chair every day with an agonizingly-closed up  throat. There are little muscles spasms in my legs which make it more difficult to fall asleep, too. Once I fall asleep, I'm fine, but it's still bizarre.

I do appreciate your response, though. Thanks.
Helpful - 0
1415174 tn?1453243103
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi and sorry you are going through all this. I am not a doctor but I can try to advice you. Firstly, I would get a throat culture done if you haven't yet. Do you have a fever?  Secondly, I would see a neurologist to see why you are having the neurologic symptoms. It may take some tests and figuring out what it is but you will get better. Did the doctor know about the incident of you having paralysis,numbness etc. at the computer? You do need to lower your stress level.
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