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Original poster

I'm still ill! Why wont it go for good?

37 replies

NewYearNewStart · 28/01/2008 21:24

It's driving me mad!

Since Octoberish I've had swollen glands and feeling generally yuck. I keep getting the odd temperature as well but not all the time. One day I can feel pretty ok and no temp but the next it might well change and often does. A couple of times since then i've thought I was going down with something awful but then it lightens until very soon after.

Now i'm all itchy! Stupidly driving me mad itchy. It started Sat night and it's driving me to distraction. I have a very slight rash around my middle but i'm itching all over. I've tried anti-histamines and they've one nothing.

Do you think it's connected? I'm loathed to go to the doctors about such vague symptoms.

Thank you.

OP posts:
Isa11 · 28/01/2008 21:37

Go to the doctors now! A simple blood test could at least rule out anything really bad. These sound like possible (don't freak out) symptoms of Hodgkin's disease. I say that because I've had it and had similar vague symptoms which I felt I couldn't go to the doctor's about. On the other hand it could be something like mononucleosis. There is a simple blood test to test for that too. I cannot stress this enough though, go get yourself checked out asap

Original poster
NewYearNewStart · 28/01/2008 21:42

What's Hodgkins disease? (sets off to google)

OP posts:
Isa11 · 28/01/2008 21:45

It's a cancer of the lymph nodes. Standard symptoms include: fevers, night sweats, fatigue, itching, swollen lymph nodes. Where do you have swollen nodes? above the collar bone is common

Original poster
NewYearNewStart · 28/01/2008 21:52

OMG Apart from the weight loss my symptoms match completely (I googled). It can't be that though, surely it's very rare? I have to admit i'm really quite freaked out especially now I have itching.

I was meant to be taking myself to the doctors sometime soon about something else (I want to take myself off my ads) so I will 100% make an appointment for this week.

OP posts:
Original poster
NewYearNewStart · 28/01/2008 21:56

I'm slightly swollen in my neck, yes, just above collarbones.

OP posts:
Isa11 · 29/01/2008 13:57

Let me know how it goes. don't freak out too much. I'm not a doctor so for all I know it could be a number of other things. When's your appointment?

dee24 · 29/01/2008 14:15

It could be glandular fever, very similar to hodgkins in symptoms. I had it and was really quite ill for months with fatigue, swollen throat and groin glands/spleen, on/off fever, weight loss, intolerance to heat and generally just feeling very unwell. they can do a blood test BUT it took three lots over 4 months for them to finally tell me what it was!! Some people can recover in a week but others it can take a long time like I did.

My mum was really worried that it was cancer or something as I'd lost so much weight. If the tests were to come back with nothing they can repeat to check for EBV antibodies, this would mean that you have had the infection and are still recovering.

Get to the docs and ask for some blood tests, even if just to put your mind at rest.

Original poster
NewYearNewStart · 29/01/2008 14:17

I've just made one now. They can see me Thursday 4.10pm. I'm really quite worried, it hadn't even occured to me that it could be anything potentially serious. Thanks for being honest though, it's made me make the appointment anyway.

So is this how you felt?

OP posts:
Original poster
NewYearNewStart · 29/01/2008 14:22

Crossed posts!

Do you get odd temps with glandular fever? Actually you can get a rash with that can't you? The itchiness is driving me MAD! Everyone at work was avoiding me this morning, I think they must think I have fleas!!!!

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dee24 · 29/01/2008 14:29

The best way to explain it is generally feeling yuck! I had about a week of being very unwell, docs put it down to having a viral infection. Couldn't do anything for about a week, glands were swollen, losts loads of weight. After about a week I felt better but still weak/generally unwell. Lasted for another month and went back to the docs, was told then it could maybe be glandular fever but test came back negative. So tried to get on with it, felt ok sometimes but still tired and a bit unwell, especially if I had a busy day. had to sleep more than usual and if I was in a warm enviroment I would start feeling faint and nausous and would need to leave

It took ages to go, yet my sister who passed it onto me was back to normal one week afterwards! I got it real bad, still not forgave her for it

dee24 · 29/01/2008 14:32

Yip, know what you mean one minute you feel fine, the next minute you feel very unwell. Usually I went to my bed and woke up feeling fine, it was so strange.

Can't remember about a rash, though I remember one of the doctors saying taking certain medication with GF can cause rashes.

imaginaryfriend · 29/01/2008 14:34

I'd visit the GP. But just wanted to let you know that after I had pneumonia last year I had a week or so of a horrible rash and manic itching which the GP reassured me was post-viral. So it could mean you're coming out of something.

dee24 · 29/01/2008 14:35

just goggled it and yes it can sometimes cause an itchy rash.

Original poster
NewYearNewStart · 29/01/2008 14:40

Maybe it is that. I guess there's only one way to know for sure, it's pointless me worrying (although I am..). Certainly i've been feeling shattered and sleeping up to 10 hrs a night (when allowed to) and still feeling tired.

It's not actually so much a rash (although is definately slightly rashy around my middle) but it's the itching. I've tried more anti-histamines today and again they've done nothing.

Certainly some days I feel really ok and i think 'finally', then literally the next day (but could be longer) my glands come up again, up goes my temp and I feel awful - esp at night.

OP posts:
Original poster
NewYearNewStart · 29/01/2008 14:41

I like the sound of something being 'post-viral'. It could mean it's almost gone! Thank you!

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Original poster
NewYearNewStart · 29/01/2008 19:39

Gawd, I can't stop googling now, I wish my appointment was now. I need to know! I'm still convincing myself that it's almost certainly nothing serious and GF at the worst. having read lots on GF i'm just not convinced i'm completely tired enough. Except a few days off that i've needed i've been able to work, although some days have been very hard.

Thank you btw. x

OP posts:
dee24 · 29/01/2008 21:56

Try not to worry. And stay away from google! Its so easy to get carried away looking these things up.
You may have already had the worst of it and may have put it down to something else, as I said the tiredness lasted months in my case, but I was still able to work and do everyday things. Let us know how you get on on Thursday.

Original poster
NewYearNewStart · 29/01/2008 22:48

I hope you're right (sorry for the delay in posting - I fell asleep! lol!). Even just a few weeks ago I was posting about some really bad lurgy I thought I was getting/got but again nothing actually materialised after the initial few days of feeling appaling. I've had many things like this (all similar in that I get a temp and my swollen glands get even bigger) since Sept/Oct and they seem to be increasing. It would be nice to know it's on it's way out.

OP posts:
Isa11 · 30/01/2008 12:35

Do you have any aches and pains? Back pain or down an arm for instance?

Original poster
NewYearNewStart · 30/01/2008 23:15

My left arm gets a shooting pain down it every now and again, it's nothing very new though so i'm sure it's not related. Why do you ask?

I should be in bed now but I am itchy itchy itchy!! It's driving me MAD! I am contemplating having a bath in calamine lotion.

OP posts:
Isa11 · 31/01/2008 19:54

How did your appointment go? Sometimes enlarged nodes press on the nerves and cause referred pain in the back or in an arm. Ususally its the kind of pain though that keeps you awake at night, so your pain may not be related.

Original poster
NewYearNewStart · 31/01/2008 21:14

Oh no, it's nothing like that.

My appointment was ok I guess. I mentioned how i've been and she told me off for going back for a blood test months back when I was meant to, oops. She said probably glandular fever but seemed particularly concerned about my itching which she said could be liver related or something else. I asked her what else and she said there were many things.... whatever it is I need to stop itching! It's horrid!

Anyway so i'm having a blood test next week (to check for GF, blood count, thyroid and liver), i'll get the results the week after.

I also asked her about coming off my ads and she laughed . She did apologise after and has agreed on a cut down.

So there you go! Thank you for asking x

OP posts:
Original poster
NewYearNewStart · 31/01/2008 21:16

that's not going back! I was meant to go for one some months back

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FuriousGeorge · 31/01/2008 21:53

AD's gave me horrible itching a few years back.I can't remember what they were called-think it was Citrapam or something like that.I went back onto good old Fluoxetine after a few sleepless twitchy,itchy nights.

Isa11 · 01/02/2008 15:01

Didn't know you were on Ads. that could account for the itching, and, indeed for the night sweats (assuming you're having some). It doesn't explain the swollen glands though. But perhaps that's gladular fever. You'll find out soon enough anyway! Keep me posted, and try not to scratch