Returned from Peru, please please help...

[MattP]

Im a 31 year old male who recently returned from Peru (Iquitos) April 1st after spending about 2 months there. While I was there I tried coke 4 times and had unprotected sex with two local girls. I came back home and 3 days later, my life has literaly gone to hell since then. For the past 2 weeks I have had near constant fatigue, brain fog, general feeling of malaise, restlessness, insomnia. Other symptoms that come and go include lower abdominal pain, diarrea, depression, general out of body experience, anxiety attacks. I have always been a very healthy person in the past, the longest I would ever get sick for was 2 or 3 days that's why these two weeks have been so scary (partially explains the anxiety attacks I guess?). I did not get any shots before going to Peru (very stupid I know). I have been to the ER three times when the symptoms really got out of hand, they simply did a quick blood test and sent me on my way. I have been to my doctor several times and a tropical disease specialist aswell. Neither of them have been able to find anything wrong with me. My blood work has come back perfect every time (no strange white blood cell readings, no hepetitis or HIV either), my stool samples also came back negative for any parasites as did my urine tests. When I first started experiencing these symptoms it was very sudden, like a total immune system crash... Last week on Tuesday, I started feeling abit better when suddenly at night the same exact thing happened again. When I first saw the specialist he gave me anti maleria medication just to be sure it was not a possibility (even though I tested negative for it). I'm completely clueless as to what this could be, I don't think it's a bacterial infection since my white blood cell count is normal, I know it's not malaria, Im not sure if it's parasites (just to be sure I have purchased a colon cleansing kit and started the program). The specialists best guess is that it's viral that I should wait it out, which I want to if the symptoms weren't so intense. I realize I did a whole bunch of dumb things, I just never though anything could ever touch me. Has anyone experienced any similar symptoms or have an idea where I should start looking, please please help.

[allmymarbles]

Contact is on the right track. Seek out alternative medicine doctors. It was such a doctor that diagnosed heavy metal toxicity in me. (You may have some other ailment.) The company that conducted the test was Doctors Data. I was found to have very high levels of mercury and lead. The mercury caused me to hallucinate and shed enormous amounts of skin. I was treated with oral chelation and recovered.

[coriecl]

It took my friend almost 6 months to recover from heavy metals. It was discovered by a urine test. She took a bucket home after being given a detox solution and had to pee in this bucket for 24 hrs. You would have to have a very very high metal load for it to show in a blood test. The urine test is more sensitive and she had this done at a naturopathic doc office. She did many months of sauna (great for detoxing), B12 shots, vitamin infusions, and avoiding anything that could contain metals, like tuna (mercury). She may have done more things but that's all I can think of at the moment.

I work in a hospital where we see strange things that can't be immediately diagnosed or diagnosed at all. That's where I believe holistic or naturopathic doctors and natural medicine would be helpful. Anyway, I think you are off to a good start with the parasite cleanse. Try and also take some good vitamins (two hours before or after the cleanse) and eat lots of fruits and veg to bolster your system. I do hope you get into see an alternative doctor as well. Take Care.

[MattP]

Hello coriecl,

Thank you for your reply, I really really have learnt the errors of my ways. I must be the dumbest person on the face of the earth :(
I did not really consider the cocaine a culprit, since there was at least a week interval between the last time I did it and when the crash happened. I have changed my diet in the last few days substantially, mostly because I thought I might have parasites... I've been eating salads and getting my protein from ham and other meats. I've limited my carbohydrate intake and been eating darker breads. I've also started using "Paraway, Herbal Cleansing" pills, they are suppose to get rid of many parasites. When the second crash happened I had potato pancakes earlier that day (not sure there's a relationship). Did your nurse friend eventually recover? How long did it take? Is she functioning back at 100%?
You've given me allot to think about, thank you... I will checkout holistic or naturopathic doctors in my area...

Thank you so much for the reply... One more question, how did your friend get tested for the heavy metals? Would anything show up in a standard blood test???  

[coriecl]

Well, it sounds like you have figured out the error of your ways. If allopathic (medical) doctors can't help you then it sounds like you need to see a holistic or naturopathic doctor to likely detox and strengthen your system.  If you are unable to find or afford one, try to find a natural medicine book at the library, or amazon.com or an alternative book/healthfood store to help you with this.
You mention that it felt like "total immune system crash". A friend of mine, a nurse, had the same thing happen to her and it was from toxic metals overload.You may not have any idea what cocaine might have done to you or what was in the cocaine.
Try to remember in the future that diseases aren't the only thing that comes from unprotected sex: babies do too.