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Unanswered Questions, sickness and neurological symptoms
Greetings all,
This is a a bit long so bear with me.
I'm a 25 year old male. I contracted mono in November and got a very bad case of it and didn't take adequate time to rest. I was only out of work for 2 weeks and during that time was somewhat out and about.
Symptoms of a new illness presented in March, starting with a canker sore, and progressing to flu like symptoms. I noticed greenish/brown mucus and tooth pain and went to doctor for an anti-biotic (I think Bactrim). I took the antibiotic which seemed to clear up what I thought was a sinus infection but I still wasn't feeling better and my glands were very swollen (they still are too a degree). The doctor prescribed Augmentin due to the remaining swollen glands and remaining flu like symptoms.
On April 16th, I had tingling in my hands and feelings of pure exhaustion. My blood pressure was lower than normal (for me) and I felt somewhat light headed. I had my girlfriend bring me to the ER where I had labs, urine and chest x-ray, all of which were normal.
A few days later, I was working in art class (still feeling very sick) with an x-acto knife that wasn't especially clean and jabbed myself in the thumb. It'd been 11 years since my last tetanus booster. I didn't get one right away, and the next day, experienced a muscle twitch under the skin while I was at work. I immediately panicked and went first thing the next day for a tetanus shot.
Over the course of the neck few weeks, I noticed muscle weakness, twitching in the jaw and neck stiffness, and an increase in heart rate (especially with light exertion and going from sitting to standing position) and general feelings of exhaustion. I went to my primary care and expressed my concern about Tetanus, but Dr. said due to my proper vaccination history and treatment within 48 hours of wound was a near impossibility. My doctor suspected Lyme disease when I mentioned I had noticed a few red bumps on my neck upon waking a month or so earlier, and prescribed me a 3 week course of Doxycycline but symptoms did not improve.
I found that I had no temperature even though I was certain I must have a fever (hot flash feelings) and it was often subnormal (sometimes as low as 96.9) The highest I ever had was 99F. The weakness has since progressed to twitching all over my body and tenderness in muscles. I have some swelling or slightly increased muscle tone in the jaw and pain in the lower jaw and teeth (having two horizontally impacted bottom wisdom teeth that never got removed probably doesn't help) I was experiencing (and still am) jaw and throat tightness, neck stiffness, and what the doctor referred to as "trigger points" in my back. I've had some spasticity and my muscles feel heavy and I have burning sensations throughout my body that seem to come and go and affect different areas at different times. I was diagnosed with PAC's (benign heart palpitations) in 05' and they have since gotten worse, and I sometimes have feelings of shortness of breath or labored breathing and palm sweating. The symptoms seem to be getting progressively worse slowly. I'd been having some constipation as well as weight loss (a lot of which is due to poor eating habits from the severe anxiety that's been accompanying this). Dr.also put me back on Augmentin again for 2 weeks, and when I expressed further concern about the tetanus, a one week course of Keflex (I am basically a walking anti-biotic: could this be killing good bacteria and causing more harm than good?)
I'd have every test in the book (just about) including: multiple labs, CBC with differential, c reactive protein, sed rate, two lyme disease tiders, a comprehensive western blot lyme test, two HIV tests, multiple blood tests for muscle enzymes and functions, EMG muscle testing, MRI of brain (which revealed slight abnormality which neuro said was consistent with CFS or lyme), test for Lupus, rheumatoid panel, allergy test (blood test), CT scan of everything from base of lungs down (due to constipation and tenderness above groin area), and echocardiogram (heart ultrasound), two EKG's, and all results (except for the MRI) have been NORMAL. My white and red blood cell counts however were on the low end of the normal spectrum, my sed rate was very low (1) which I was told was good. I've been taking Lexapro and Xanax to try and manage the symptoms but I've been on the Xanax for several months and my body is building up a tolerance to the dose I'm on. I'm been taking tylenol like it's candy. The muscle symptoms range from painless twitching, to stabbing pain and tightness which can be quite painful at times.
I've seen two neurologists, both of which feel my symptoms are not a result of a neurological disease (though the second doctor had a much better bed side manner and is ordering a spinal tap to rule out anything potentially serious such as MS or ALS), and I'm having a soft tissue MRI of jaw and neck. I've seen two infectious disease doctors who assured me Tetanus is impossible considering how long it's been since my injury.
I'm very confused, scared and am convinced I'm dying. Am I alone in this? Has/dose anyone else experienced these type of deabilitating symptoms here? Do these symptoms sound like they could be a form of some type of toxicity? I feel like I'm getting progressively worse. Any advice on where to go next would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much in advance.
This is a a bit long so bear with me.
I'm a 25 year old male. I contracted mono in November and got a very bad case of it and didn't take adequate time to rest. I was only out of work for 2 weeks and during that time was somewhat out and about.
Symptoms of a new illness presented in March, starting with a canker sore, and progressing to flu like symptoms. I noticed greenish/brown mucus and tooth pain and went to doctor for an anti-biotic (I think Bactrim). I took the antibiotic which seemed to clear up what I thought was a sinus infection but I still wasn't feeling better and my glands were very swollen (they still are too a degree). The doctor prescribed Augmentin due to the remaining swollen glands and remaining flu like symptoms.
On April 16th, I had tingling in my hands and feelings of pure exhaustion. My blood pressure was lower than normal (for me) and I felt somewhat light headed. I had my girlfriend bring me to the ER where I had labs, urine and chest x-ray, all of which were normal.
A few days later, I was working in art class (still feeling very sick) with an x-acto knife that wasn't especially clean and jabbed myself in the thumb. It'd been 11 years since my last tetanus booster. I didn't get one right away, and the next day, experienced a muscle twitch under the skin while I was at work. I immediately panicked and went first thing the next day for a tetanus shot.
Over the course of the neck few weeks, I noticed muscle weakness, twitching in the jaw and neck stiffness, and an increase in heart rate (especially with light exertion and going from sitting to standing position) and general feelings of exhaustion. I went to my primary care and expressed my concern about Tetanus, but Dr. said due to my proper vaccination history and treatment within 48 hours of wound was a near impossibility. My doctor suspected Lyme disease when I mentioned I had noticed a few red bumps on my neck upon waking a month or so earlier, and prescribed me a 3 week course of Doxycycline but symptoms did not improve.
I found that I had no temperature even though I was certain I must have a fever (hot flash feelings) and it was often subnormal (sometimes as low as 96.9) The highest I ever had was 99F. The weakness has since progressed to twitching all over my body and tenderness in muscles. I have some swelling or slightly increased muscle tone in the jaw and pain in the lower jaw and teeth (having two horizontally impacted bottom wisdom teeth that never got removed probably doesn't help) I was experiencing (and still am) jaw and throat tightness, neck stiffness, and what the doctor referred to as "trigger points" in my back. I've had some spasticity and my muscles feel heavy and I have burning sensations throughout my body that seem to come and go and affect different areas at different times. I was diagnosed with PAC's (benign heart palpitations) in 05' and they have since gotten worse, and I sometimes have feelings of shortness of breath or labored breathing and palm sweating. The symptoms seem to be getting progressively worse slowly. I'd been having some constipation as well as weight loss (a lot of which is due to poor eating habits from the severe anxiety that's been accompanying this). Dr.also put me back on Augmentin again for 2 weeks, and when I expressed further concern about the tetanus, a one week course of Keflex (I am basically a walking anti-biotic: could this be killing good bacteria and causing more harm than good?)
I'd have every test in the book (just about) including: multiple labs, CBC with differential, c reactive protein, sed rate, two lyme disease tiders, a comprehensive western blot lyme test, two HIV tests, multiple blood tests for muscle enzymes and functions, EMG muscle testing, MRI of brain (which revealed slight abnormality which neuro said was consistent with CFS or lyme), test for Lupus, rheumatoid panel, allergy test (blood test), CT scan of everything from base of lungs down (due to constipation and tenderness above groin area), and echocardiogram (heart ultrasound), two EKG's, and all results (except for the MRI) have been NORMAL. My white and red blood cell counts however were on the low end of the normal spectrum, my sed rate was very low (1) which I was told was good. I've been taking Lexapro and Xanax to try and manage the symptoms but I've been on the Xanax for several months and my body is building up a tolerance to the dose I'm on. I'm been taking tylenol like it's candy. The muscle symptoms range from painless twitching, to stabbing pain and tightness which can be quite painful at times.
I've seen two neurologists, both of which feel my symptoms are not a result of a neurological disease (though the second doctor had a much better bed side manner and is ordering a spinal tap to rule out anything potentially serious such as MS or ALS), and I'm having a soft tissue MRI of jaw and neck. I've seen two infectious disease doctors who assured me Tetanus is impossible considering how long it's been since my injury.
I'm very confused, scared and am convinced I'm dying. Am I alone in this? Has/dose anyone else experienced these type of deabilitating symptoms here? Do these symptoms sound like they could be a form of some type of toxicity? I feel like I'm getting progressively worse. Any advice on where to go next would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much in advance.
Patsy, Did you have any complications after the tooth extraction, such as nausea or vomiting?
Could those white spots actually BE something in my brain? When this started, in June, I actually had the sensation like something literally shooting up my spine into my brain and everything started spinning and the room got really loud. This happened again in England and it was a bilateral sensation of the room tilting left, then right, then followed by sweating and vertigo. The spots are very faint the neuro said. Could it actually BE something in there, and not actually white matter? Sounds far-fetched I guess. Also, I was under the impression that systemic neuro symptoms caused by anerobic bacteria are a result of toxins produced BY the bacteria, not the bacteria itself, and that in ongoing chronic illness white counts can be low (which mine were). While neither of us are doctors, you're a nurse so you'd know better than me. :)
You know how I feel about this one. I personally feel it is not the cause. If your whole body was infected this bad with a bacteria it would show up on your lab work with an elevated white count. I can't remember if you saw an ID doc or not. A blood culture (which I don't think you have had) would grow whatever bacteria you had systemically if it was there. There is no way this could cause lesions in your brain like you had on your first MRI unless you have bacterial meningitis from your tooth problem. I still don't think it shows up as white spots though. If you have it the spinal tap will show it. It sounds like you need them out and you will feel better as far as your mouth and jaw is concerned. I do think it could cause low-grade fevers and a general ill feeling but do not think it would cause neuro problems. Regarding flagyl, it has lots of side-effects. Feeling ill after taking it is common. Also, a die-off reaction (herxheimer) would cause this. You gets this if you have lyme or other infections. My neuro also told me a CNS virus would kill me rapidly just like your doctor said. From what I understand, it's not a cns infection that causes the symptoms but the "immune response" to the infection. I still think you could have lyme considering where you live, the story about your neighbor. Have you researched lyme? I'm no doctor. This is just my opinion. Also, I had my wisdom teeth out at 40 and had no problems but they were not impacted.
Patsy and Ggreg,
Just got back from the oral surgeon. He looked at the X-rays of my wisdom teeth and literally said "oh my God". He said at my age they don't like to take teeth out but he said there is an active ongoing pathologic process (chronic infection) and the only thing keeping it at bay is my antibiotics. There is complete bone loss between the back molar and the wisdom tooth. He said in my case the benefit to the patient far outweighs the risk and that they MUST come out. He asked me if I've been feeling ill at all and I said the past few years I've been noticing different symptoms, feeling like I have a fever when I don't, or low grade fever etc. He said it was presumptuous to assume that the teeth are the cause of my all my problems but not impossible. I wonder if there IS an anerobic infection in my jaw, I suppose that could explain the feeling sicker when taking the Metronidazole. Maybe it's a long shot that this is responsible for all my symptoms, but like my neuro said, if this was a virus in my CNS I'd most likely be dead or recovered by now. Any thoughts on this guys?
Just got back from the oral surgeon. He looked at the X-rays of my wisdom teeth and literally said "oh my God". He said at my age they don't like to take teeth out but he said there is an active ongoing pathologic process (chronic infection) and the only thing keeping it at bay is my antibiotics. There is complete bone loss between the back molar and the wisdom tooth. He said in my case the benefit to the patient far outweighs the risk and that they MUST come out. He asked me if I've been feeling ill at all and I said the past few years I've been noticing different symptoms, feeling like I have a fever when I don't, or low grade fever etc. He said it was presumptuous to assume that the teeth are the cause of my all my problems but not impossible. I wonder if there IS an anerobic infection in my jaw, I suppose that could explain the feeling sicker when taking the Metronidazole. Maybe it's a long shot that this is responsible for all my symptoms, but like my neuro said, if this was a virus in my CNS I'd most likely be dead or recovered by now. Any thoughts on this guys?
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