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Mystery diagnosis? (been having weird symptoms for some time now)

Hey all,

I didn't know exactly where to post this, but if you read all of this I highly thank you and would appreciate any advice you have!

I've been having weird symptoms for the past 6-8 months now and I still haven't got anything clear.  After something clears up its always something new that comes.

First off I suffered a big anxiety/panic attacks/some depression episode this past summer after a personal event that occurred.  It took about 5 months for me to get my mind right and the symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks to finally clear up.  These symptoms included numbness and tingling going down my arms, left foot drop (peripheral neuropathy), and your usual heart symptoms of rapid heart beat, trouble breathing, etc.  I had a cervical MRI to check for any neck damage to see if that was causing the numbness and tingling, but that came back ok.  I had a heart echo also to check my heart after some abnormal finding in an EKG in the hospital, but that turned out to be normal as well.  I was perfectly healthy before the big episode.  

These past two months I've been feeling weaker and weaker for some reason and my joints are extremely achy now over my whole body.  For example, my whole right arm is in pain the next day after simply shooting a basketball around for a couple of hours and this never used to happen.  My right arm is actually kind of stiffer than my left arm and it seems like my right hand is wanting to claw.  There is no strength difference in the arms just symptoms mentioned previously.  

My arms and legs fall asleep a lot easier now as well and I can't even relax in some positions anymore because it causes my arms to begin tingling and going numb.

The most recent thing I've had was a very bad sore throat that didn't go away for about a month and a week.  I presented with tender and enlarged lymph nodes on my left side of the neck and was given antibiotic treatments for this.  I was given a strep culture test and a mono test and both came back negative.  The first round didn't work so I went on to a z-pack and that finally cleared up the sore throat.  I, however, have been left with pain going down my whole left side of the neck which is evident following a burp or if I feel around the area.  I don't know if its lymph nodes or the carotid artery.  I've also been having pulsating pain in my left groin that's been coming and going for about 2 weeks now and I haven't done any exercise in the past 2 months so that couldn't have caused it.  

The most recent blood test I had was a WBC count and it was just slightly elevated; the doctor said it was probably because I was fighting off the infection that caused my sore throat.  I just feel a lot more fatigued, I've been having difficulty getting an erection as well, and my joints are extremely achy as mentioned previously (laying on my chest causes a lot of bone pain around the chest area for example again).

No weight loss, loss of appetite, or night sweats.  Fears or concerns that I have based off of symptoms: lymphoma, RA, lupus, MS.  I know anxiety can cause a lot of symptoms but I'm way over this stage and all these recent symptoms showing up are completely new and I'm not really freaking out about them compared to how I used to with anxiety so I highly doubt its the anxiety causing everything.  

The most perplexing thing was that I was 100% healthy before.  That's what's been bothering me the most.  Any advice, help, or tips would be highly appreciated.

Thanks!
5 Responses
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1415174 tn?1453243103
You are very welcome. It doesn't sound like strep throat if the rapid test and culture were negative. Maybe the doctor treated you empirically (based on symptoms). FYI, there are other streps and bacteria that can cause a bad sore throat. Since it sounds like your lymphocytes were increased (mononucleosis can make the lymophocytes increase even tho they call it mono) and you may have/had mono despite the negative mono test. The mono test gives a lot of false negatives and false positives (more negatives). That is why I suggested Eptein barr test because it is more accurate. If you do have mono it takes about a month to two months for swollen neck lymph nodes to go down and they can be painful. Also, you feel very fatigued with mono and have a sore throat. You can ask the doc if they will do a Epstein Barr viral panel to see if it is a recent infection. Most people get Epstein Barr, CMV and Herpes I antibodies by the time they are older even in absence of symptoms. Since you are symptomatic it sounds like it is possible you got this recently. Once over the symptoms you don't normally get symptomatic again but can be infectious at times. Yes a lot of things can happen to us even at a very young age. I'm not sure that is what your diagnosis is until you get the test of course. Also, I would suggest you get a 24 hour halter monitor to see if something is going on that they saw on the EKG but didn't catch later. I had it done because I had palpitations and it turned out to be positive for pre atrial contractions or PAC's(which happen to be benign) I then had the echo to check for structural abnormalities and it was negative. But it worries me that you have the pain in the neck and groin. You may also think about an infectious disease doc. You are going to have to just keep getting tests to rule out stuff until they figure it out. I had a whole lot of stuff done when I was your age. I hope you will send me a note when you find out what is going on or if you have more questions.  I would like to try to help. I'm sorry I am kind of all over the place with what to do. I am thinking when I write and there could be a connection to all this or there may be more than one thing going on.
mkh9
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks for the replies and suggestions all,

I had a rapid strep test and mono test done when I went to the hospital the first time when I had my throat symptoms and both came back negative.  When I went to my GP I had a step culture done and a mono test again, along with a WBC count done.  The culture didn't grow anything and the actual mono test was negative, but my GP said that the WBC count showed findings that are often seen with mono (didn't go into detail about this).  She didn't tell me the actual number count.

I just have that residual throat pain after burping on the left side as mentioned previously (never had a fever or any other symptom).  

I will probably go back in and get those recommend tests that you guys told me to.  I'm just still shocked as to how all this developed being so young and really looking after my health.  I just want to be healthy and normal again without all these symptoms.
Helpful - 0
535822 tn?1443976780
I am going to suggest that you also check out what happening in your area regarding environmental issues, I have had similar symptoms you have described here ...check out    'Chem Trails are they making us sick .'..
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Sounds either autoimmune or infectious ( I would guess viral)

What exactly was the WBC count?  Were any of the differentials abnormal as well?  

I would recommend getting a viral panel, i.e. EBV, CMV, etc. done along with a ANA, Sed Rate, CRP and RF if not done.  
Helpful - 0
1415174 tn?1453243103
Hi and sorry you are having all these problems. I did read it all, twice!  Your symptoms are diffuse and kind of hard to pinpoint. So, I would suggest you get some more testing. I would see a neurologist and get a good general exam. Also, the mono test can have false negatives. Was your CBC normal in the sense was your cell morphology normal? It is possible that you had some complications from the Strep throat. Did they ID it as group A strep or Strep. pyogenes? Group A strep can cause rheumatic fever, and lots of other problems. I would also get tested for Epstein Barr virus to see if you got an acute infection from it by getting the serum tested more specifically than the mono test. They can look at a rise in titer with paired sera or other means just to rule that out
Do you have any rash? Any fever now? You could get your Antinuclear antibodies and RA test done and maybe toxoplasma gondii (though I don't really think this is that), CMV and so forth. Sorry I'm not more specific but there need to be some more testing.  I'm leaning on the Strep infection causing complications or neurological. But since your WBC is still up it is suspicious.
mkh9
Helpful - 0
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