Glandular Fever or is it something else?????? - Infectious Diseases Message Board

Cyprus Paul · 04-12-2003, 08:39 AM

Hi to one and all aint life a *****, I am a male 46 years old I have lived in Cyprus for 2 years now.

Since June/July last year 02 I have felt unwell, it all started off with a blocked nose and a feeling of a cold with a feeling of both my ears being blocked at the back of the head, it was almost like a shadow going over my scalp.

Come late Augst I felt that I was certainly below par, still had the above problems, a friend of mine suggested that I take Sudafed to clear my block nose this I did, within an hour I sneezed down came some brown fluid, however within a few hours I had Tinitus in both ears the left being the worst.

About 3/4 weeks later numbness began to set in to my top and bottom lips my jaw left side up to and around the left ear and left temple, the feeling was as if I had an injection at the dentist, I tried to seek help here in Cyprus but gave up after a few weeks and went to the uk, my doctor there said he thought I had a virous and possibly a ear infection , he gave me some medicine after my MRI scan which was normal and I came back to Cyprus.

Well I realy began to feel very unwell, and one day in October, my right hand and arm began to shake then both my legs particulary at the knees, I was taken into hospital after numerous blood tests my doctor said I had Glandular fever.

I am still not well mainly in the head, it feels like and sounds like a block of wood when I tap it I still have the Tinitus some of the other problems hedache loss of balance loss of cooridination night sweats head only, numbness to left hand numbness to all finger tips eye irratation sometimes very red, and when an attack comes on its like 6you are about to die a truely horrible feeling and thought all energy flows from you quickly I only want to retreat to my bed and shut my eyes can this truly be glandular fever, I am sorry to say but they just dont know here, I feel sometimes I will go mad with this thing any help would be very gladly welcomed.

Sarah68 · 04-12-2003, 09:57 AM

This really does not sound like glandular fever to me either. Glandular fever is cause by the Epstein Barr virus and does not normally start with cold like symptoms, but with a very sore throat and swollen cervical glands and swollen glands elsewhere in the body. You would also normally have a high fever and feel very unwell. This seems to much of an insidious onset to be mono.

However, your symptoms do sound like something called Guillan-Barre Syndrome and you should try and get checked out for this and even if it is not, there is the possibility. It is a syndrome that occurs quite commonly after a viral infection, such as you had that can then be followed, by muscle weakness and some of the symptoms that you describe. It is either an acute inflammation or post-infective demylination of the nerves and between the nerve synapses that cause these symptoms.

It can last for up to 6 months and there is no real treatment for it except to try and identify the causative mechanism in the first place. However, you symptoms do seem to have been going on for quite some time.

I would strongly suggest that you go back to see a doc and mention the possibility of Guillain-Barre to him and get him to run some more tests. Ask for a referral to a neurologist if not. After this time you do need to get checked out.

Mono can last this long if you ever had it in the first place though and there is no real treatment for that either, except for plenty of rest.

Hopefully, you will not have Guillain-Barre Syndrome, but it is a possibility and was the first thought that entered my head on reading your post, so I would advise you to go back to a doc and get checked out again.

Good luck

Cyprus Paul · 08-10-2003, 07:44 AM

Thanks Sarah for your reply sorry for the delay in posting update.

I took your advice and suggested Gilliains-Barr but it was dicounted the Neuro looked at my Mri and said that I had a cist in the left cinus cavity, I had this removed end of April it turned out to be 3 cm in diametor heavily inflammed, after the op I started to feel better, but I then took a turn for the worse, it turns out that I am allergic big time to Sudafed and has caused the Tinitus.

I have since seen another Neuro and he said I had a bad allergic reaction to something, I feel he is right up to a point but I felt unwell before I took the Sudafed.

I still get this burning sensation on my left side of my face and head, it can change to a sting like sensation to nothing maybe for a few days only to return and annoy me, my hearing is slowly coming back but again can deteriate suddenly only to return as quickly as it went still have the blocked sound in my head and if I shake my head a noise can be heard in my ear almost like something is loose, and metalic? still get the feeling that things are moving around my head,scalp have become quit irratable with it, I have been put on Prozac, after about 4 days the burning seemed to be leaving me only to return this thing seems to be irratating my eye socket and feels very heavy my eye lid is dropping again and is swollen looking I also had a very slight yellowing of the white of my eyes, my stools have become loose and are strong, my neck spine area feels tight and uncomfortable. any other suggestions

Sarah68 · 08-11-2003, 09:26 AM

Why are you taking Prozac? This is a strong med and believe me, you should not be taking this without very good cause. It can do you more harm than good with side effects as you are just finding out.

If I were you, I would check out the alternatives. Homeopathy would be a very good alternative for your kind of chronic symptoms and it is very good for allergic reactions too and Never well since these types of reactions.

Good luck