recurrent low fever

[an0302]

dear sir/ maam,

i have been sufferring from recurrent and low fever for the past 4 months.before the fever comes my eyes stars itching, and the nose starts watering.it is also accompanied with headache sometimes.i visited a doctor in september and he diagnosed acute chest infection. i was on anti biotics and an anti allergen called telecast l for around 15 days. i was also adviced to use an inhaler- salbutamol when i feel very out of breath. my anti allergen finished a week ago as i had done the complete course. yesterday, i started wheezing and my eyes and nose started to water and my throat started to pain. i did not have fever but was feeling feverish and very tired. i realized that  yesterday the weather had changed from sunny to cloudy and may be that might have caused the symptom. i am really very worried about my problem as i havee just joined a new job 5 months ago and already taken 10 days leave for being ill. i do not want to portray myself as a person with continued ill health! please help me and suggest whether i should go for any lab tests or something.

[Rowena Santos, MD]

Hi,
Can you elaborate on your job? Since the symptoms started immediately after you started your work, one thing to consider is occupational or environmental nature. If it persists, talk to your company physician or be referred to an allergy specialist. The trigger or allergen should be identified to prevent future recurrences. Take care and do keep us posted.

[an0302]

Dear Rowena,

Hello. Thank you so much for your concern and for replying. I am an Human Resource professional and the office environment is just like any other office. The change that my life style has undergone is that i have become more sedentary and also there is an AC in my office which i was not used to. i have never stayed in an air conditioned environment. Also, i was used to travelling via underground tube (rail) and never faced road pollution much but now i have to travel by public bus which has exposed me to more pollution i believe. i will definitely take up your suggestion of going to an allergy specialist.

[Rowena Santos, MD]

Hi,
Aside from complete medical history and physical examination, allergy testing such as : skin tests, elimination-type tests and blood tests may also be done. Skin tests such as ***** test and patch test are the most common. In ***** test, a small amount of suspected allergy-causing substances is placed on the skin, usually the forearm, upper arm, or the back. The skin is then pricked/scratched so the allergen goes under the skin's surface. Results are usually seen within 15-20 minutes wherein swelling and redness are positive. On the other hand, patch testing is a method to diagnose allergic reactions on the skin. Possible allergens are taped to the skin for 48 hours. I hope this helps. Do keep us posted. Take care  and best  regards.