Unexplained Symptoms-No Health Insurance Yet

[cbrooks33]

Please Help! My 21 year old son had a bad case of bronchitis over 6 mos. ago, it was cured with antibiotics and prednisone. Now 6 months later, after he has been taken off of my health insurance, he has been experiencing bouts of severe body aches, where he can barely move, fevers, night sweats and alternate cold spells, it goes away for a month or so and comes back. He can only get through the work day by taking the max amount of extra streghth excederine and is too weak to do sports and things he used to do. Recently, his elbow swole and he could not straighten his arm, but that has gone away. He won't have insurance again for 3 or 4 months. Seems like Lyme Disease or some other sort of autoimmune disorder. Any adivce?

[Joni686]

I agree with Karajo but since this does seem to be coming in flares if you can manage to get him a blood test for ANA to check for autoimmune I think that would be a good start.

[cbrooks33]

Thank for responding, I REALLY hope that it's not. He has been taking a lot of vitamins, including vitamin C for a month or so now, but when he works outside in direct sunlight it seems to trigger it or make it worse. There are no new allergy triggers in his life, this started after he had and was treated for bronchitis (antibiotics and prednisone for the swelling) and I've read that infections can trigger autoimmune disease. I didn't make it clear that this has been going on for six months.  It is not more severe, but the same as the time before each time it happens. I will try the vitamins you recommended.

[karajo]

Honestly, I don't think this sounds like an autoimmune or lyme.  But it does sound like his immune system has been hit really hard.  Since you are w/o insurance I would encourage anything that boost the immune system.  Things like vit C, getting out in the sunlight, an herb called cats claw, astragalus, to name a few.  You local healthfood store could probably help direct him in the right direction.  You son could be dealing w/ allergies.  Assess what might be new in his life.  For ex. a new cat or dog, etc.  

It could be walking pneumonia.  It seems to come and go and each time it is more severe than the time before.