reactivation of EBV??

Hey all,

I am just wondering what to make of this test result:

My GP told me my report shows the reactivationg of EBV which apparently means i have had it before in the past at some point... although as far as i am aware I havent had it.

However, i THINK i have hypothyroidism. I mean i have symptoms such as muscle weakness, fatigue, joint pain, cold hands and feet, as well as other non specific symptoms.. I have had TSH levels ranging between 5.7-7.9 (lab range upper limit 5) although until i see the endo, I am being told by my GP its not 'high' enough to treat.

Anyway about 5 months ago i had swollen glands and a VERY VERY sore throat for 4 days and since then my symptoms have seemed worse. I am very confused as to whats going on, and what this reactivation means.

Any ideas??

Thanks,

Clare

[PlateletGal]

You might want to consider copying and pasting your question and posting it in the autoimmune diseases (expert) forum. Prof. Garth Nicolson will be here through tomorrow answering our questions. Here is the link:

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Autoimmune-Disorders/show/358

[fashiono]

Your TSH levels are high...the new range is close to 1. Please see an endo..that is what I had to do since my level was 3.2 and my GP said you are normal. My endo said no I was a little high. So at 5.7-7.9 you must be feeling really bad. Also get your Vit.D checked that will also make you weak and muscles hurt. Mine was low also. GP didn't check the endo did. Hope you feel better soon. I am trying to get better with Vit.D and thyroid meds.

[clareyh]

Hey,

I have seen an endo, and he said that they were borderline (thats the NHS for you...) but that he would trial me on 25mg on levothyroxine. I've been told by a friend to take 2 25mg tablets a day to equal 50mg which is a more appropriate dose but i'm not sure what to do?? The doctor says I have had glandular fever at some point and that could have majorly contributed to the way I feel.

[fashiono]

My endo put me on 50 mg of levothyroxine a day but I wouldn't increase my doseage without my doc's approval. Because you don't want to over medicate, but you could ask your endo if you could increase to 50 mg. They changed the standard range 6 years ago...  .3 to 3.0 but they say most people feel better close to one. My last lab was down to 2.34 so it will start to go down. Did they check your Vit. D level? I also tested positive for EBV. Which went away but I can tell it keeps coming back and my GP will not test me anymore because he said there is nothing they can do for it. I am so tired of fevers and swollen lymph nodes. Talk to your doc about your meds. and don't take the advise of friends. These meds are not to be played with. Hope you feel better.  

[lvfrogs]

To Clareyh,
Your TSH sounds very high. Mine was borderline at 3 and I insisted to my primary that the number is considered high if you have CFS, which I do. She put me on low dose thyroid medicine. I haven't been on it long enough to know if it is working all that well.
Also, with the reactivation of the EBV, you might have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome now. It may be that the combination of both these issues is leaving you totally wiped out. I hope you get some answers soon!
Colleen

[clareyh]

I have been taking levothyroxine for 2 and a half weeks now and I don't feel much difference... Its only 25mg but I dont want to tell the specialist that i dont feel much better as they said if i didnt feel better they would stop the medication and i feel that at TSH 7 it is way too high and needs lowering. I don't know when i initially had glandular fever, it isnt on my medical record, all i know it i had a sore throat so bad I couldnt swallow for a week and now I have this reactivation thing? I have been told i may have CFS because of this glandular fever?? Its all so complicated, i hate the NHS!

Thanks for everybodys help!

Clare

[lvfrogs]

Clare,
25 mg is probably not enough to make you feel better yet and bring down your numbers. But I am not a doctor so I wouldn't know!! That is exactly what I had initially too, 4 years ago, my throat was so sore that I was beside myself - the worst I have ever felt.  You probably do have CFS.  Who is prescribing your medication, your primary? Can you see a specialist? Would love to see you are getting answers soon!

[clareyh]

Well I am in the UK so I see my GP and she referred me to an endo, who said i should get counselling because I was upset in the appointment! I was upset cos I have felt awful for a year and they keep being vague and unhelpful! The endo is retesting my TFT's when i go back to see what level they are at. Its not very helpful as I was never told I had glandular fever. I've tried celedrin and glucosamine tablets for joint pain with no luck. they are at the point of trying to get my to take anti-anxiety tablets and keep going ON AND ON about it, I don't need them, I'm fine just want to feel normal again.

Basically the chain of events have been:

August 2008: tonsilittus 3 times in a row (kept coming back everytime i finished antibiotics)
December: Initial high TSH levels to be monitered.
TSH has been high (although flucuating) tested negative for TPO/TGab antiantibodies so not autoimmune.
Gradually since then I started getting joint pain, tiredness, muscle weakness but it wasn't too bad.
July 2009: Sore throat so sore i couldnt swallow, no tonsilitus type white spots that i usually get just swollen glands.
August 2009: Gastroenteritis (ended up in hospital)

After that was when the joint pain, tiredness and muscle weakness got worse.
I started seeing a massage therapist who said all the muscles in my arms neck and upper back were very rigid and tight, and my leg muscles are flacid and undertoned.

I then got referred to the endo after harping on about how i wanted a specialist, and then was trialed on these 25mg levothyroxine.

Bit complicated but no one thinks it makes any sense!

[thanksgiving]

I went for the longest with my tsh a high 3 and my primary would not treat me for hypo thyroid. I was so fatigue, especially in the a.m. I kept insisting that I had it and there are new guidelines for those levels, plus
I have been reading up on all this, and they are saying you can't rely on
the blood tests altogether. But, anyway my gyn was the one that consented on treating me, 50 mg synthroid, now it took about 3 months for me to tell the diffierence, but it did help tremendously! Once it got going. But like the other lady said get your vitamin D checked, that made as much difference as anything. The doctors are real stubborn about treating hypo thyroid, and it can make such a huge difference, I was about to lose my job, and my levels were not that high but I felt awful, depressed, panic attacks, just bad in general. I think the levels fluctuate and when they only check them once a year, you are not likely to even catch it that way. So keep pushing to you get someone to listen and do some research, there is a lot on the web. Also, my EBV test came back high, but have not gotten that futher checked out yet. I have been suffering for a long time with this fatigue and am angry with the doctors because they are not more informed, and even the endo wouldn't consider what is called'subclinical' levels. I have just recently changed to Armour which has more of the thyroid hormones we need. Don't know how this will go the jury is still out, but my hair had really been coming out bad, so thought this may help. Good luck.