West nile virus

[lesliemarie]

I was wondering if anyone here has had the west nile virus or know someone who has had it. My hubby is very sick and we are thinking he has it, they are running blood tests to make sure, I would like to know how you felt and how long it took you to feel better?

 

[ducky]

I got West Nile last summer. Symptoms are very different depending on the individual, but a few things seem to be common. First, before you know you are sick, you break out in a rash. It seems most people get some form of the rash. Mine was horrible, I couldn't imagine what it was. Then I got flu like symptoms, but my worst symptom was fatigue. In my case the fatigue has persisted for coming up on one year. My doctors and specialists (infectious disease folks) say what I have now is chronic fatigue that was instigated by the virus.

I know of 2 other cases where the patient had partial paralysis of the legs that persisted for several months, while some people get it and don't even know they had it. The range of symptoms is huge and varied. There is a LOT the doctors don't know about West Nile virus. I hope your husband doesnt have it. I don't know if I'll ever get over the condition I got from this thing.

 

[lesliemarie]

My husband got a fever then his neck became very stiff and his head was killing him and then I think the worst part for him was the pain in his legs! they shook as he tried to walk they hurt soooo bad. then after about 4 days he started to get a bit delirious or severe anxiety attacks, he slept and he slept, he would only be up for 1/2 an hour a day. He got me soooo scared but he is soooo stubborn and heard headed, I told him if they looked in the dictionary for hard headed and stubborn they would see his picture there. The doctor I took him to did not know how to test him for the west nile virus and so for did not test him for that. He is still really tired all the time, the pain in his legs are getting better, actually all his muscles just ached and now are getting somewhat better for him. His head still hurts some and his neck is still really stiff. and he still has no appetite yet. There have been two confirmed cases here in Utah but now where we are at though we live in Mosqito infested area. we live in a swampy area where naturual springs are common. He was also on prednisone for hives he got a month ago, but he did notice a rash around his trunk area just a few days before he got real sick. He says he is feeling a little better and I hope he is. He gave me a good scare.

 

[Hotspur]

Did you have him checked out for Lyme disease? That sounds a lot like Lyme Disease, too. Better tell him to get over his hard headness because it can get worse and cause neurological damage. They treat Lyme disease with antibiotics and kills it right away if caught early enough. I don't have either one of those but I know people who've had it. Good luck!

 

[ducky]

wow, that sounds a lot like West Nile to me. He did have a rash and the sleep part sound just like what I did (and still do). The blood samples need to be sent in to the state health dept, at least in my state they are the only ones that do the testing.

The bad news is that there is no antiviral for West Nile, they just carefully monitor and treat the symptoms. Sounds like he was pretty sick what ever it was. If it was West Nile, a lot of people go through some of the symptoms, then recover just fine.

Too bad your doctor wasn't of any more help. I would think he should be tested by the state health just for state statistics if nothing else. They interviewed me for a long time just getting information for the state records.

 

[shellnc]

My little brother got it two years ago - he was/is very healthy and hardly ever gets sick. He lifts weights - he was 20 when he got. So, he was not what they where stereotyping when they were broadcasting it all over the news. It happened like this for him.

He was going to school living with my parents at the time. On a Wednesday he didn't feel well, so that evening he went to bed. He stayed in bed all day Thursday with a fever. Friday morning he was still in bed - he just couldn't get out of bed. My mom went and checked on him and he was burning hot and covered in a rash. So my mom took him to the emergency room. He had a 104 fever which is high for an adult and his white blood cell count was very high. His blood pressure was incredibly low. They ran all kinds of tests and couldn't figure out what it was. Luckily they live in Atlanta, so the hospital called the CDC in. They quarantined my poor brother. They checked for lyme, rocky mountain spotted fever and all kinds of things. It was the west nile. He stayed in the hosptial for several days until the fever broke and they stabalized his blood pressure. He was pretty week for the next month or two.

I hope all works out for your hubby.

shellnc

 

[lesliemarie]

Thank you for responding, my hubby's muscle pain is getting less everyday,he is still very weak and nauseated and still so tired, it has now been two weeks since he got sick. He won't go see another doctor. I don't know why when it comes to doctors he refuses to go. I guess it is a man thing thinking they can tuff it out LOL. I still take care of him and try to get him well the best that I can.