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.

[ChrisD07]

I am having major symptoms still, major burning/tingling in both hands, joint popping (sometimes pain), stiffness and tightness in my ribs(this one is 24/7 for the past month).  I am pursing lyme, my Igenex tests arent in as yet but for the past week I have put myself on 400mg of Doxy a day and haven't seen any major differences. I will see a Stanford ID doctor this Tuesday.  How are ya doing on the abx Ginak?  How did your MRI's come out Stef?

[ginak]

Stef,

Sounds like you and Chris are in the clear. Padro, it sounds as if we have not made any more progress. Are you all still having symptoms? This is such a lonely feeling.

[Padro46]

Doc advised he did not think it was Post Viral due to the time that has gone by--he advised he could see 15 weeks NOT 15 Months

[Stef1971]

Well Chris, you will have to let us know how your lyme test results are.  I know someone who has lyme with neurological symptoms and it took a long time for her to get diagnosed.  The doctors initially mistreated her when she was diagnosed and didn't give her antibiotics for a long enough period of time.  She had many of the symptoms that we do and is now better.  It took her a year of antibiotics that she took 4 times a day to get better.  Ginak, hang in there, maybe you just need more time on the antibiotics.  And Padro, I am curios too, why do they think it's not post viral anymore?  You've had intestinal issues, did they test you for Celiac?
I go for my MRI tomorrow (Friday) of my brain and cervical spine with and without contrast.  How is the procedure?  Is it easy?  I am so nervous.  I requested an open MRI because I don't like enlcosed spaces.  I have good days and bad days.  One day my finger stiffness is better, but I may be twitching more.  Then I have less tingling, but my back is tight and stiff.  It is so bizarre to feel this way.  I hate the tremors though.  My hands and arms shake and it makes me feel so fragile sometimes.  My neuro said that I am not weak and that the sensation of weakness that I am feeling is fatigue.  She also mentioned chronic fatigue syndrome as a possibility.  Who knows?  I'm just thankful for this website.  When I feel really down I read our posts and realize that other people have the same symptoms as me and I have hope that we are all going to be ok.  I am trying to take the advice of one of the doctors that I work with and to try not to think about what my body is doing as much.  He suggested that if I can just try to forget about it (much easier said than done since there are always symptoms) one day it just might be gone.  He was giving me alot of examples of patients that he has had who let their mind kind of take over and how it made everything  worse.  I am not minimizing what we are all experiencing, because I know firsthand that my symptoms are not in my mind.  I am just trying to focus a little less on them so I don't get so freaked out.  I hope that after my MRI tomorrow I will feel better.

[Padro46]

Glueclose Tolerence Test---The doc advised he would search for some things, he is also taking blood checking some Hormone levels as well--He is a Internal Med doc and said that Post Viral should not last as long as I have had it 16 Months--so it must be other issues.  Post Viral is a cacth all when they dont know according to him

[ginak]

I am on abx-Doxy and a ton of other supplements. I am still having a lot of neurological symptoms. I really don't know what I have. I have been on Doxy for 3 weeks, still lots of ringing in the ear, tremors at night, muscle twitching at night, new symptom of tingling around mouth area. I just don't know anymore. Sometimes I feel like everyone else is getting better but me.

Padro, what is a GTT? Also, if the dr doesn't think Post Viral, what does he think this could be?