Wierd Neuromuscular symptoms after an 'unusual virus' - General Health Message Board

corpcross · 07-15-2003, 08:38 PM

I have been battling some very wierd symptoms after an 'alleged virus'. It started with a low-grade temperature, overall weakness. I spent a few days in bed and ran a number of tests - mono, bloods, HIV, upper body cat-scan, ultra-sound of kidneys/liver/gall bladder, endoscopy all came back negative. While in bed, my white blood cells were borderline, but mostly due to dehydration - I was told. While in bed, I started feeling a horrible mid-section and lower back pains and stiffness. Two months prior to this episode, I had severe migranes and even did a spinal tap test - again negative. Now I am experiencing muscle tingling and burning (constantly) in the left side of my body, muscle weakness, slight confusion, and lower back and mid back pain. Weakness in arms and legs. But the tingling and burning in the left back, and front left chest is freaky. Any ideas? I hope it is not ALS or MS. I am also very stressed - going through a divorce and consulting 'blues'. What could this be?

07-16-2003, 08:24 AM

The fact that your white cell count has been on the low side, warrants some further investigation and would probably go with the low grade fever during any kind of infection rather than a high fever. With a normal viral infection, you would get a high fever rather than a low grade fever.

Anyway, I have to say that dehydration would not make your white cell count low. Dehydration will affect your electrolytes such as sodium and potassium and possibly your urea, which will be affected both by dehydration and malnutrition.

Cases where you have low white cell counts can be suggestive of myeloma or leukaemia states.

Also, if you have had a viral infection, then it is possible that you have post viral fatigue syndrome (ME) or something such as Guian Barre Syndrome which affects the muscles in the same sort of way that you describe and can occur after a viral infection.

I would suggest that you go and see a doctor about this and get some further tests done to rule anything further and sinister out. I would get some repeat bloods done that includes biochemistry and hematological testing just to be on the safe side.

Good luck