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Undiagnosed STD?
Dear Doc,
I was treated for Gonnerhea in late March2006, that I contracted as a result of unprotected sex with an asian girl of unknown status.
Despite having had this cured with Cipro and Doxy, shortly after my first course of antibiotics finished I developed a body wide rash over a few days and fell very ill for some weeks after.
Trying hard to cut a long story short I have tested negative For HIV/Syphillis twice, out to 7 months.I also tested Neg for Hep/EBV/Mono/Sarcoidosis/Malaria/Diabetes at about 9 weeks post exposure and several other possible infectons.
In 8 months of illness I have suffered varying constitutional symptoms, the most persistant and worrying being Peripheral Neuropathy, that has also affected my cognition, and gives me pain behind ears and up the back of head, and also pain in teeth, the most obvious and persistant symptoms are sore hands and feet. Ive had stroke like effects as well where the nerve in my face seems to droop. In truth the simplest way I can describe symptoms are "extensive", internal organs have ached and groaned too, and Ive had nausea and digestive problems, fevers...just about everything.
Due to a lack of care afforde me by my physicians to date, I decided to get hold of Doxycycline myself to see if it would help. This is becuase id noticed that many of my symptoms seemed to respond to the antibitoic (I had been better whilst on those early courses)
Over the ensuing months I started a course of 200mg a day for 4 weeks, and felt much better, but within 4 or 5 days of stopping started to be unwell again. I started a course again this time 6 weeks at 100mg a day, and I got better, but the very faint tingling and redness in my fingertips remained. Once again I stopped the course since I felt better. Then symptoms returned with vengence, my hands would go red and painful and itch at night, andin the mornings my nausea was profound I also had many other aches and pains. I had about a week where I was just in a daze and dizzi could not balance well to walk even.
I have improved since then (mid Oct) with no medication but Im having trouble living with persistant symptoms, and my latest concerns are an increased frequency to urinate combined with kidney pains. I want to go to a specialist now but having been given the "all clear" by my GU clinic who seem reluctant to consider my case further since my bloods are negative, dont really know where to turn.
My questions are:-
1. Is it possible to get repeated (twice) false negatives for Syphilis out to 7 months using the methods adopt by the UK NHS for testing?
2. Is it possible that a disseminated drug resistant gonnococcal (or other bacterial)infection could be what
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
No STD causes the symptoms you describe, and the antibiotics would have cured anything you might have had. Your original skin rash probably was due to allergy to cipro or doxy.
1) You can rely 100% on the negative syphilis blood tests. You do not have syphilis.
2) Disseminated gonococcal infection (or other bacterial infection) does not cause the symptoms you describe.
3) I see no reason to believe your symptoms are due to anything you acquired during that sexual encounter.
4) I agree with the advice from your GU clinic. Your symptoms are most suggestive of depression or some other psychogenic origin. You should ask your primary care provider whether you would benefit from consultation with a mental health professional--not because I am convinced your symptoms are psychogenic, but to get an expert's opinion about that possibility. Chronic fatigue syndrome also sounds like a possibility. In any case, it seems certain you can be sure you have nothing that will ever cause significant physical harm to you or a future sex partner.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
1) You can rely 100% on the negative syphilis blood tests. You do not have syphilis.
2) Disseminated gonococcal infection (or other bacterial infection) does not cause the symptoms you describe.
3) I see no reason to believe your symptoms are due to anything you acquired during that sexual encounter.
4) I agree with the advice from your GU clinic. Your symptoms are most suggestive of depression or some other psychogenic origin. You should ask your primary care provider whether you would benefit from consultation with a mental health professional--not because I am convinced your symptoms are psychogenic, but to get an expert's opinion about that possibility. Chronic fatigue syndrome also sounds like a possibility. In any case, it seems certain you can be sure you have nothing that will ever cause significant physical harm to you or a future sex partner.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Dear Doc,
Thank you for your quick reply. I will consider the comments that you've made. Its a shame that theres so much information to be found on the internet contrary to direct advice I have recieved from my GU clinic and yourself. For example even Mercks website states clearly that Syphillis infection can hide itself if another STD has been present and treated. I found a case study document in one of the Medical Librarys of a young man who presented with Neuropathy very similar to how I feel Ive experinced mine in recent months they did finally diagnose dissmeninated gonnerhea, but only when it was too late and the patient had succumb to septic shock.
I know the mind can be a powerful thing, but just how powerful? Making me respond to antibiotics? Manifesting visible symptoms that others can see? I just dont know anymore. All I know for sure is that I wont put myself in this situation again, it will probably put me off intimacy for life, and besides the nerve damage is cuasing a bit of dysfunction down there too.
Interesting you mention Chronic Fatigues Syndrome, isnt this cuased by HHV-6?? I know theres many physicians prescribe long term Doxy for CFS in the belief its a Mycoplasma.
Oh well....no further forward! But Thanks anyway.
Thank you for your quick reply. I will consider the comments that you've made. Its a shame that theres so much information to be found on the internet contrary to direct advice I have recieved from my GU clinic and yourself. For example even Mercks website states clearly that Syphillis infection can hide itself if another STD has been present and treated. I found a case study document in one of the Medical Librarys of a young man who presented with Neuropathy very similar to how I feel Ive experinced mine in recent months they did finally diagnose dissmeninated gonnerhea, but only when it was too late and the patient had succumb to septic shock.
I know the mind can be a powerful thing, but just how powerful? Making me respond to antibiotics? Manifesting visible symptoms that others can see? I just dont know anymore. All I know for sure is that I wont put myself in this situation again, it will probably put me off intimacy for life, and besides the nerve damage is cuasing a bit of dysfunction down there too.
Interesting you mention Chronic Fatigues Syndrome, isnt this cuased by HHV-6?? I know theres many physicians prescribe long term Doxy for CFS in the belief its a Mycoplasma.
Oh well....no further forward! But Thanks anyway.
The mind is ENORMOUSLY powerful. Think about it. People can consciously raise or lower their blood pressure, heart rate, temperature. Jeez, people can even be "blind" or paralyzed (it's called conversion disorder--they're really physically capable of seeing, walking, speaking, etc.).
And yes, people can definitely misinterpret/amplify normal bodily sensations. You may find the following link helpful.
http://psyweb.com/Mdisord/jsp/somatization.jsp
And yes, people can definitely misinterpret/amplify normal bodily sensations. You may find the following link helpful.
http://psyweb.com/Mdisord/jsp/somatization.jsp
I think your situation is very unfortunate; however, I'm just wondering why you felt it was necessary to mention the ethinicity of the girl you were with? Your statement may cause people to unnecessarily stereotype and discriminate.
You said it Stressin Out (Seems like you need to think about your own mindset!)...I adore Asians,women mostly, thats whats got me here unfortunately, but thats another story.
The reason I mentioned it was becuase as the doc probably is aware there are strains of for example Gonnerhea in SE Asia that are highly resistant to Cipro & Doxy.
I have to say I do feel that when doctors are unable to make a diagnoses they seem to fall back very hard on this mind over body stuff. I could accept it apart from the fact I dont feelthe NHS physicians Ive seen have gone far enough to exclude the possibility that the symptoms are as a result of infection.They have failed for example to run tests for a disseminated bacterial infection. In fact they dont even seem to have the laboratary requirements to do so. It gets very difficult in the UK if the NHS wont help you, then your forced to pay for your medical care twice, which is what Im confronted with now.
From my own perspective the sequence of symptoms that I have experienced could not be more clearly associated with some type of infection. A rash 3/4 weeks after exposure, followed by a fairly long flu type illness with all the signs and symptoms of a viral infection. The confusion starts when I take into account that I have had 5 courses of antibiotics (2 admininstered by my doctors, and 3 by myself) all of which barring the last one seemed to reduce drastcially but not eliminate symptoms. It wasnt until I finished the 4th course that many symptoms for want of a better phrase "matured" I was as sick as a dog for 9 days or so (in October 6 months after the incident in question) , the neuropathy went from being something that was more of an annoyance than anything to diabilitating bodywide pain...my nerves where being destroyed, and now Im living with that everyday, one hand hot, the other cold, deep shooting pains in back of legs and forearms..even my teeth and lips are affected.
The 5 th time I started the antibiotics they didnt work...suggesting a bacterial infection that had built solid resistance to that particular antibiotic, as a result of my rpeated stopping and starting (stopping becuase I felt better, starting becuase I had gone back downhill)
I have since recovered from this by about 75% but what Im left with is perhaps what I think the doc described quite well when Chronic Fatigue was mentioned.
My personal opinion is that its likely that the cause of my symptoms are as a result of the sexual encounter, but that perhaps as yet docs have not managed to make a comprehensive map of all the pathogens that can be transmitted this way.
What frustrates me is that If my illness is being cuased by an as yet undetected bacteria, pencillin would probably resolve it.
If my illness is being cuased by a virus things are a bit tougher, but it would probably respond to Glancyclovir or similar. But can I get treatment? Nooo All I get is this same old banter about physcogenic effects. It seems like a "safe call" as opposed to a diagnoses from where Im sitting.
The reason I mentioned it was becuase as the doc probably is aware there are strains of for example Gonnerhea in SE Asia that are highly resistant to Cipro & Doxy.
I have to say I do feel that when doctors are unable to make a diagnoses they seem to fall back very hard on this mind over body stuff. I could accept it apart from the fact I dont feelthe NHS physicians Ive seen have gone far enough to exclude the possibility that the symptoms are as a result of infection.They have failed for example to run tests for a disseminated bacterial infection. In fact they dont even seem to have the laboratary requirements to do so. It gets very difficult in the UK if the NHS wont help you, then your forced to pay for your medical care twice, which is what Im confronted with now.
From my own perspective the sequence of symptoms that I have experienced could not be more clearly associated with some type of infection. A rash 3/4 weeks after exposure, followed by a fairly long flu type illness with all the signs and symptoms of a viral infection. The confusion starts when I take into account that I have had 5 courses of antibiotics (2 admininstered by my doctors, and 3 by myself) all of which barring the last one seemed to reduce drastcially but not eliminate symptoms. It wasnt until I finished the 4th course that many symptoms for want of a better phrase "matured" I was as sick as a dog for 9 days or so (in October 6 months after the incident in question) , the neuropathy went from being something that was more of an annoyance than anything to diabilitating bodywide pain...my nerves where being destroyed, and now Im living with that everyday, one hand hot, the other cold, deep shooting pains in back of legs and forearms..even my teeth and lips are affected.
The 5 th time I started the antibiotics they didnt work...suggesting a bacterial infection that had built solid resistance to that particular antibiotic, as a result of my rpeated stopping and starting (stopping becuase I felt better, starting becuase I had gone back downhill)
I have since recovered from this by about 75% but what Im left with is perhaps what I think the doc described quite well when Chronic Fatigue was mentioned.
My personal opinion is that its likely that the cause of my symptoms are as a result of the sexual encounter, but that perhaps as yet docs have not managed to make a comprehensive map of all the pathogens that can be transmitted this way.
What frustrates me is that If my illness is being cuased by an as yet undetected bacteria, pencillin would probably resolve it.
If my illness is being cuased by a virus things are a bit tougher, but it would probably respond to Glancyclovir or similar. But can I get treatment? Nooo All I get is this same old banter about physcogenic effects. It seems like a "safe call" as opposed to a diagnoses from where Im sitting.
Doc,
Just to let you know, I have found a hospital in the UK that specialises in diagnosing and treating CFS. Amazingly they recognise that CFS is usually as a direct result of an infection (usually Viral). This has given me the confidence to book an initial consultation with them. Thanks for suggesting CFS as a possibility for what is giving me these symptoms.
Thanks
Just to let you know, I have found a hospital in the UK that specialises in diagnosing and treating CFS. Amazingly they recognise that CFS is usually as a direct result of an infection (usually Viral). This has given me the confidence to book an initial consultation with them. Thanks for suggesting CFS as a possibility for what is giving me these symptoms.
Thanks
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Good for you. Best wishes; I hope they come up with some answers. However, it's not at all "amazing" that they recognize a possible viral infectious origin of CFS. That has always been the main theory about the cause.
HHH, MD
HHH, MD
Having spent many hours reading about CFS it really fits the bill for whats happening to me in terms of symptoms (although Neuropathy does not seem to be a term used to describe the pain and inflammation of hands and feet)
What I find amazing is that niether my GP or the GU clinic mentioned this thru all my recent visits.
Considering I explained so clearly to them my symptoms; rash followed by flu/mono like illness from which I have never fully recovered, directly following a known infection (Gonnerhea) to me it just goes to show how poor our health service has become in the UK...A $15 consultation has got me closer I feel to finding out whats happening to me than around 10 visits to my GP/GU Clinic. Thats amazing!
What I find amazing is that niether my GP or the GU clinic mentioned this thru all my recent visits.
Considering I explained so clearly to them my symptoms; rash followed by flu/mono like illness from which I have never fully recovered, directly following a known infection (Gonnerhea) to me it just goes to show how poor our health service has become in the UK...A $15 consultation has got me closer I feel to finding out whats happening to me than around 10 visits to my GP/GU Clinic. Thats amazing!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I caution you not to get fixated on chronic fatigue syndrome as the explanation for your symptoms. Get evaluated by the clinic before you jump to conclusions; the symptoms of CFS are pretty much identical to those of several other disorders.
HHH, MD
HHH, MD
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
