Post Viral Syndrome

[Stef1971]

I was diagnosed with post viral syndrome this February 2009.  I had pneumonia in November which turned into asthmatic bronchitis.  While I was on all the medications, I developed very odd symptoms:
tingling/numbess in hands and feet (sometimes lips and face)
burning and cold sensations throughout my muscles
my body shakes/tremors
weakness and some pain, more weakness in arms and legs - the weakness is better but in the arm that I use (my right arm it is more persistent and intense)
upset stomach
stiff fingers that don't seem to work like they used to
sleeplessness
muscle twitches
muscle soreness
I have been to my doctor so many times and she kept telling me that I was just recovering from the pnuemonia and that I was anxious and the put me on ativan.  I am anxious but it's because of all these unexplained symptoms.  I saw a rheumatologist that said I have fibromyalgia and I'm going for aquatic physical therapy for that.  I saw a neurologist who found nothing neurologically wrong with me and said it's post viral.  All my bloodwork has been normal and every doctor does not think it's anything pathological.  The weakness in my right arm and the shaking/tremors are very unsettling to me as are the stiff fingers that don't work like they used to.  The symptoms do vary from day to day and I have good days and bad days.  When will this all go away?  Are there any treatments for post viral syndrome?
Stefanie


This discussion is related to post viral neuro syndrome.

[jellylegs]

just wondering did you ever get a proper diagnosis or reason for symptoms

[alissaRN2b]

have you all seen the new studies on the virus XMRV that is said to cause PVS (aka chronic fatigue syndrome).  Also most people with CFS also have Fibromyalgia - and Fibromyalgia has a whole slew of symtpoms (many like you are all describing), not just achy muscles.  FM includes the insomnia, the feeling of having swollen hands & feet (or other body parts), the itching, burning, jerking....   Think many of you here need to do more research about Fibromyalgia and CFS because it's most likely what is going on.  I've had it for years and years - it never goes away just comes in cycles whenever my body is under any kind of stress (like a cold or when I had pneumonia in December 09, still haven't recovered from that!).  So stress reduction and staying healthy is the key to reduce flare-ups!  MS tends to give you some scary optical symptoms (severe eye pain, blurry or double vision) which is what gets the docs to start looking for an MS diagnosis (my sister has MS).  

[velvetnsteel]

I am so glad I found this forum.  I have many of the symptoms all of you have spoken about.  In late December, my husband & I had mild cases of H1N1.  He got better fairly soon.  I developed the following symptoms:  Severe pains, redness and tingling of the R hand; swelling & severe pain R foot; severe sciatic like pain of the left butt and hip radiating down the L leg to the knee, feeling like someone is cutting my leg off and leg feels like it is going to buckle; sandy feeling in the eyes; low energy; occasional brain fog; occasional nausea; occasional neck pain.  Went to a Naturopath who put me on a wellness regime to build up my immune system...still going to him; tried acupuncture which did nothing; had extensive blood work done which came back PERFECT.  What is VERY interesting to note is that I have severe allergies and asthma, ALL OF WHICH HAVE DISAPPEARED with the emergence of this.  I am currently diagnosed with Sciatica which my Doc thinks I acquired from not warming up enough at the gym.  He also thinks the swelling and pain in my right foot are due something happening at the gym.  I am currently going to physical therapy which is helping, especially the exercises, the deep nerve stimulation and hot, wet heat.  What the PT is having a hard time with is the fact that my symptoms peak up and down, not a normal recovery period for sciatica.  My Doc also just diagnosed me with Post Viral Syndrome.

What is interesting is that about two years ago, had milder but similar symptoms which lasted 6 months.  Started at work with one person.  I then had clients, many of whom were also complaining of "pain all over."  Reported it to administration who did nothing.  

This forum is immensely comforting.

[StormyRenee]

This sounds very much like Transvers Myelitis. I was diagnosed in 7/09. Back in 1/09 I got a cold. About 2 weeks afterwards I started to have a bunch of weird neurological symptoms. Numbness,tingling,burning,itching,bowel/bladder issues and a host of things I had never felt before. I went to a ton of doctors and had tons of tests. All were normal except for an ANA tests. Unfortunatly they were doing the wrong tests. They were not looking for a needle in a haystack like TM. It is pretty rare. I finally found a neurologists who knew what I had right away. TM is an autoimmune reponse where the body attacks the spinal cord. It happens when there is stress on the body like a cold,surgery or stuff like that.Symptoms are like MS. But unlike MS, TM  does it's damage and is not progressive. It can take up to 2 yrs to recover from TM. 1/3 recover fully,1/3 partially recover and the remaing 1/3 don/t recover at all. But there is a greater chance of developing MS if you have TM.

[Supastah]

In January 2008 I had a flu shot..Four weeks lated I was flat on my back and thought
I ws going to die...I had no fever, vomiting, etc...I just coldnt move..
I was so healthy that I didnt even have a regular Dr...My boyfriend carried me to
the hospital so many times...The leg pains were so bad that I wanted to cut them
off...Too make a VERY long story short, Symptoms I had were: severe leg pains,
difficulty swallowing, eyes kept trying to close, burning fee..As the months wore on,
I have seen every DR possible, had every test possible, some multiple times..
I have 3 grocery bags of meds that I could not deal with..I hae dealt with more
narcissium by male and female DR's than I ever care to...It wasnt until I found a
very caring Pain MGT Dr that I have started feeling better..Yes, you DO have to
try to be calm through all this because the stress and anxiety makes it worse..
I have doubt I have Post Viral...It was not Guillian Barre because Spinal Tap was
normal...Nerve biopsy was normal..Im finally just on Tramadol which has saved
my life and Combunox for break-through pain..I am on my 3rd  Epidural Steroid
injection and it works like a miracle..It does not sure you, but gave me about 5
weeks of being pain free so I could re-group and start again...It does get better
but it takes ALOT of time...You will never find the cause so stop looking..You
need to treat the symptoms and thats working with meds, treatments and injections
that help you..Do not settle for a Fibro diagnosis..You have Post Viral Syndrome
and you my friends are not crazy...There are thousands of us out here with this.
Every virus is different and the way it effects your body is different so no two of
us may have the same symptoms..Just remember that you ARE sick you
really ARE in pain and you dont have to prove it to anyone..Keep fighting to feel
better and get rid of all those DR's and find one very caring Pain Mgmt Dr..
Im a year and a half into this...As a single Mom who runs a business I had to
fight everyday to get up and get to work..I cried everyday, but promised myself I
woulnd not do it in front of my son anymore..Find your time to cry..Its OK..
So,,Tramadol, Combunox, and steroid injections have made me be able to live and
I also set boundaries..If i cant make it to something or dont want to so something
I dont do it..Love yourself..take care of yourself..We all validate you..

[Padro46]

Wont go into the Technique--will skip to findings
Findings:
L1-L2: Within normal limits

L2-L3: Within normal Limits

L3-L4:Mild changes of degenerative disc disease are seen at this level with mild lateral bulging of the disc margins. Mild facet arthrosis is also seen posteriorly. No HNP is identified.

L4-L5: A broad based,3mm, posterior anular disc bulge is present.  In concert with facet arthrosis, there is mild to moderate narrowing of the neural foramina seen bilaterally along with mild concentric canal stenosis.  There is some increased signal present within the lateral margins of the posterior anulus suggesting anular tears.
L5-S1: Mild degeneration of the posterior facets is seen at this level. No HNP or spinal stenosis is seen.

Signal within the vertebral bodies is normal throughout.  The conus ends normally at the T12-L1 Level,

Impression:Impression:
Mild nueral foraminal and spinal stenosis are seen L4-5 level due to a small broad-based disc bulge and posterior element hypertrophy.  There appear to be small anular tears at this level as well.

Thoracic

Findings:  Changes of degenerative disc disease are seen in the mid and lower thoracic spine.  There is a broad based, 3-4mm, central disc protrusion seen at the T5-T6 level resulting in mild spinal stenosis.  The canal diameter has been narrowed to approximately 8mm.  A 2-3mm disc protrusion is also seen centrally at the T6-T7 level resulting in mild spinal stenosis.  Canal diameter has also been narrowed to approximately 8mm at this level.  A broad based,2-3mm disc bulge is seen at the T7-T8 level.  Canal diameter has been narrowed to 9mm, A minimal,1-2mm disc bulge is also seen at T8-T9.

Signal within the vertebral bodies is normal throughout.  There is no evidence of a significant compression fracture seen.  Signal within the thoracic cord is normal as well.  No abnormal enhancement is identified.

Impression:Impression:
1. Mild to moderate spinal stenosis is seen at the T-5-6 and T6-7 levels due to small herniated nucleus pulposus.

2. Mild spinal stenosis is seen at T7-T8 due to a braod-based disc bulge.