Sisyphus3
04-20-2005, 08:21 PM
In 1981, while a freshman in college, I came down with either a raging case of a "mono mimic" (80% abnormal leukocytes but not positive for Epstein-Barr) or a simultaneous case of same with flu. 103.5 temperature that would cycle down to 96-95 degrees and back, enlarged liver, jaundice, extreme fatigue, etc. Being headed toward midterms, I prevailed on the doctor to not admit me to the hospital, instead he whacked me up with some prednisone. I got through midterms. Also had 5+ years of night sweats, fatigue etc. Basically haven't felt 100% since, but symptoms come and go, with nothing too severe in the last few years. I even rode a century in '97. I take plenty of vitamins and supplements, with a bias toward anti-oxidants and other things that help the immune system.
Lately I've been more tired than usual (but our baby is just about to turn 1, so that has a lot to do with it). Also, whenever I mow or use a hand-spreader to spread fertilizer, my underarm glands redden and swell. Right now I can also feel the glands under my jawline toward the back are just a bit swollen too.
I haven't really been exercising, but I haven't been gung-ho to exercise either. Prior to all this I was in relatively good shape and rode 5+ miles most mornings, as well as going to Bally's a couple of times a week. Now I might ride slowly for 15 minutes or so. There's a well-equipped gym at the clubhouse of the development I moved to a year ago, and I've been in it only a couple of times.
And that brings us to the present situation, which is that my doctor has diagnosed low testosterone (level is 173). Other tests have not indicated any problems with any other levels of things that might be related.
Does anybody have any thoughts on whether a smoldering infection with a "mono mimic" (my guesses would be that either cytomegalovirus [CMV] or Human Herpes Virus 6 [HHV-6] would be the culprit in this case) could cause this and what might be done about it other than to simply replace the testosterone with a patch, gel or shot?
Lately I've been more tired than usual (but our baby is just about to turn 1, so that has a lot to do with it). Also, whenever I mow or use a hand-spreader to spread fertilizer, my underarm glands redden and swell. Right now I can also feel the glands under my jawline toward the back are just a bit swollen too.
I haven't really been exercising, but I haven't been gung-ho to exercise either. Prior to all this I was in relatively good shape and rode 5+ miles most mornings, as well as going to Bally's a couple of times a week. Now I might ride slowly for 15 minutes or so. There's a well-equipped gym at the clubhouse of the development I moved to a year ago, and I've been in it only a couple of times.
And that brings us to the present situation, which is that my doctor has diagnosed low testosterone (level is 173). Other tests have not indicated any problems with any other levels of things that might be related.
Does anybody have any thoughts on whether a smoldering infection with a "mono mimic" (my guesses would be that either cytomegalovirus [CMV] or Human Herpes Virus 6 [HHV-6] would be the culprit in this case) could cause this and what might be done about it other than to simply replace the testosterone with a patch, gel or shot?