Night Sweats and Other Symptoms

[MedHelpSeeker]

4/29- began a cold: nasal congestion, slight scratchy throat/cough, some fatigue(only 2 days) . No known swollen lymph nodes, fever. some soreness in lower legs. Most worrisome,also started experiencing NIGHT SWEATS during this time. Runny nose for 10 more days and also more sore throat/cough 3-4 days.Night sweats (ongoging)localized to the head and neck area. Temperature for past week which shows no fever.
PPD test shortly after begining night sweats negative for TB; no further blood work to date.
5/12-felt very ill in afternoon: Severe headache, Fever (slightly about 100)), body aches. Took nap and woke up to stomach cramps. The next morning, the fever, headache and body aches had subsided. However, the cramps remained and I had diarehha the next afternoon and felt an upset stomach the entire weekend. Following that weekend, I had no more of these specific symptoms.
As of Today, I feel fine with the exception of bad joint/muscle pain to the knee and the CONTINUED NIGHT SWEATS. No more other symptoms. The night sweats ceased for about 2 or 3 days but returned. Stess?
Are symptoms (incl. sweats) attributable to some transient viral infection, more serious illness, or stress. What sore knees?
What do you make of the night sweats despite NO FEVER?
Any particular significance that night sweats are localized to head and neck??
Re: HIV, is fact that nasal congestion as first symptom and no fever with sweats encouraging that this is not ARS?

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Infection continues to be a leading possibility.  A workup to evaluate for sinusitis, pharyngitis, or other upper respiratory infections can be done, and appropriate antibiotics given.  

If the night sweats continued, you can look at obtaining blood cultures (looking for possible endocarditis), planting a PPD looking for TB or blood tests for HIV.

A thyroid condition can be done, as well as CT imaging looking for lymphoma - all which may cause night sweats.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_

[MedHelpSeeker]

Dear Doc.  With all do respect, simply advising me to go have what appears to be every exam under the sun (obviously not literal, but you get the point) is not all that responsive to my quite specific questions. In fact, I really wonder if you even completely read my posting given that I inform you that I already received a PPD (negative), yet you advise having a PPD test in your response.  

I appreciate that you are a busy individual (as am I), but I would not have sought your counsel had I believed you were not going to give my thought-out questions some serious consideration and/or appropriate response.

Please address my specific questions as I am sure that I am not the only one with these questions/concerns/symptoms and I believe it would be to the benefit of everyone on this forum to have these issues addressed with a more thorough degree of specificity.

I apologize if the tone of this comment comes off a bit harsh, and I truly believe that you are a  conscientious and apt physician,. However, I would be remissed if I did not encourage you to provide me and other concerned individuals with the best possible service.  I am sure you would agree.  

Thank you in advance for your further response.

[copyman]

Hi, iam curious about what the doc has to say as i have been getting the night sweats as well and like you only in the neck and head area.  i do have hepatitis c so i wonder if that has anything to do with it? i hope the doc responds because i know a lot of times they only answer one time.  perhaps if you post a new thread and refer to this thread you can get a more definitive answer. best of luck to you.

[pookie53]

I feel like the doc directed you in a most helpful way. If he could pinpoint with bsolute certainty the root of all your symptoms he would not be spending any time on this forum. He would be a very rich man.