Advice Needed To Help With Virus

[sprog1]

Hi everyone, i'm useing this forum as a last resort, I hope someone can help. I've been liveing in Thailand now for about 14yrs, & every year at about the same time, when the weather gets hot, I come down with some sort of a virus. It comes on very fast, I can be feeling ok when I get up, but within hours, I start to feel very tired, bad headaches, stiff joints, especially the neck, I feel nauseous, but I don't throw up, diarrhea, dizziness & loss of appetite. Within a day or so, I get so weak I can hardly walk. It normally lasts about 2 to 3wks, but last year, I recovered & then it came back again, & I was ill for about a month to 6 wks.

Every year I go into the local private hospital here in Buriram, & every year it's the same, we can't find anything wrong, but we will give you these tablets & put you on a drip, but it doesn't do much good

Many years ago, while serving in the Army in Hong Kong I caught Malaria, I spent about 6wks in hospital & I lost 2stone in a week, to me this feels the same, except I don't have the Tempreture.

I know that Malaria reoccurs, but someone has told me that if you don't have a blood check within the first 3 days of the symptoms appearing, the virus goes dormant again, & it's impossible to trace, is this true? Because I normally wait a couple of weeks, until I can't bear it any longer before going to the hospital & if it is true, that will be why, when they give me a blood test, they can't find anything wrong.

The weather is starting to warm up now, & i'm dreading this coming back. Has anyone got any ideas? Thanks

[Sheryl]

There are a lot of possibilities here.

I gather you do not have any fever with this. Which makes recurrent malaria very unlikely. It would be useful to know what blood tests show when you have this problem. Specifically: white blood count and ESR (sedimentation rate). C-reactive protein also but I doubt a local hospital is checking this.

Also - are you on any regular medications, if so, what?

My first guess -- and it is just a guess -- is that there is no infection at all but rather your fluids & electrolytes go out of whack when it turns hot out, easy enough to happen.

If so the cure would lie in drinking (1) enough (nonalcoholic) fluid to keep your urine light in color and (2) being sure to replace the electrolytes lost through sweat (sodium, potassium). Sports drinks or fresh coconut water are good. Also Thai-style nam minao and nam som i.e. with the bit of salt added (unless you are on sodium restriction for other medical reasons).

Should avoid or minimize alcohol intake during this time as alcohol is dehydrating. Many people find they cannot tolerate the number of beers etc they usually do when the weather is very hot.

And, of course, take it easy in terms of being out in the heat during the afternoon.

[Mrjlh]

Just a thought. Have you ever thought about trying the "Tropical Disease Hospital" in Bangkok? It's located just a short distance west of Victory Monument in Bangkok. I know you need to travel there but it might be worth your while.

[sprog1]

Hi Sheryl, hi Mrjlh, thanks to both of you for your replies.

Mrjlh, I haven't tried the hospital for tropical diseases yet in Bk, but I went to Bumrungrad hospital last year, & they give me a complete medical, & could not find anything wrong. When I was last in England I went into the Tropical desease Unit in the North Staffs hospital, & even though I was to weak to walk, they could not find anything, but they would not let me out until I could walk about 20mtrs comfortable, that took 3wks. I don't mind the traveling, so when it comes on again, I will give Bangkok a try. Thanks

Sheryl, I don't know what my blood tests were, only that everything was clear, but like you said, it's unlikley that they would be able to test for anything like you sugested.

Medicine i'm not on any at all.

I'm a cyclist, & I go out most days, but usualy at about 6.30am & i'm back at 8 before it gets to hot, except for Sundays when I will do about 100kms so somtimes it is a bit hot. I must admit it does seem to come come on after I finish on the bike, but with being a cyclist & i've been one for many years, I take plenty of drink. I usually take electrolytes with a bit of glucos mixed in, & last year, I took it nearly every day all day, I thought I was overdosing on it, can you overdose on it? I don't add salt to anything, & I don't drink alcohol at all. I normally go into the bedroom after launch in the aircon, so I do take it easy, most of the time.

The local doctor who I see, is a young man & a fellow cyclist, so he knows how fit I normally am, but like everyone else, he's at a loss to what to do now. Is there anything else you can think of. Thanks again

[Robby nz]

Sorry I have no suggestions as to what your problem may be but what I do no is that any hospital should give you a print out of the results of any blood tests they do.

If they dont give it to you ask for it and insist they give it.

Then learn to read and understand the results.

I have a file of all my various blood tests from a variety of hospitals.

Oh yes, and they are all in English.

[Deserted]

Could it be related to your thyroid gland n anyway, have you had that checked?

[rak sa_ngop]

As soon as you mentioned cycling I had a flashback to my old cycling days about 25 years ago when I used to do long distance charity rides in the UK. One ride I did was London to Oxford at a really fast pace. It left me so exhausted that my muscles almost ceased to function. Even lifting my arms was tiring. Just a general exhuasted feeling that started about 24 hours after the event and persisted for several weeks.

I experienced the same symptons several times over the years but only after excessive cycle rides.

Only solution was to stop overdoing it. Obviously the weather may be a contributing factor. I had no real medical explanation for what caused these symptoms (no google at the time).

Maybe you need to consult a good sports doctor?

[sprog1]

Thanks again for your replies.

Robby nz Up till now, I havn't bothered to ask for a print out of my blood test. I have been content when they have told me everythings clear, next time I will ask.

Deserted, when I went to Bumrungrad, the thyroid gland was one of the things that they checked, again, everything was fine.

Rak sa Your comments are intresting, but I find it hard to think that could be it. I know at 63yrs old i'm not getting any younger, & i'm going out with the local fast lads who are 20 & 30yrs younger than me , but i've been a cyclist nearly all my life. I started racing at 15 & rode my last TT at 40 & I raced in Hong Kong where it's very hot with no problems, but I was younger then. After finishing some races or training rides, i've been in some states, but i've never had anything like this. I don't normally sweat a lot until I finish on the bike, but a couple of days before this comes on, especially while on the bike, I will sweat buckets, & my legs feel like lead, it also feels like there's a steel band round my muscles. I agree I think it's something to do with the heat, but what?I will try to find a sports doctor though. Thanks, I've not rode the London to Oxford ride, but i've rode the Manchester to Blackpool a few times, they were great fun.

Does anyone know anything about IV vitamin C therapy, I don't eat much fruit or veg & a friend sugested I should try it. He takes 100grams each time, & say he feels great after it. I've read a bit about it, & they sugest starting at 20gr & working up to maybe 100gr. but when I asked the hospital they refused to to give me more than 1gram & they said it's alternative medicine & they would not recomend it. Is there anyone who as any experence with it, & know of anywhere close to Buriram where I could get it done, has long has it's safe that is

[Sheryl]

What you describe really, really sounds like the effects of fluid and electrolyte loss.

I suggest you not go bike riding or engage in other vigorous exercise when you have recently been sweating a lot, and cut any activity short as soon as you notice you are sweating much. Rest and take fluids, preferrably ones with sodium & potassium in them(as mentioned in prior post).

In particular be careful at the early part of the hot season as this is when the body has not yet adjusted and one is apt to sweat most. I'd hold off on biking and other vigorous exercise until you feel comfortable in the heat and aren't sweating much, and even then, keep it light.

Your descriptions and reported negative lab tests make an infectious process very, very unlikely so I do not think anything to be gained by consulting infectious disease specialists. Also nothing to be gained from IV Vitamin C, a treatment which in any case you are unlikely to find in any Thai hospital or clinic.

[sprog1]

Hi Sheryl, thanks a lot, what you have said, makes perfect sense, I hope you are right, I dread the hot weather coming, but there's no way I want to go back to England.

Thanks

[bitterbatter]

It also could be the effects of malaria coming back.

My best advice for any and all viral/bacterial issues is Good Probiotics!!! When you have a healthy community of the correct probiotics living in your digestive tract, then these guys literally create a protective film and ph that works against nearly all viral and bacterial infections. I was actually hired to write a book about a doctor in China doing breakthrough research in China.... What I discovered changed my understanding of medical issues dramatically. So go look for a probiotic if you can find it. I think you should be able to. Forget about Acidopholus and Bifudus. These actually are not very important and only help in the end of the digestive tract... The most powerful helper known so far is Lactobacillus Fermentum. Try to find that and then you feed it by drinking a soymilk or milk everyday to feed it while avoiding preservatives and oils which can kill off your little helpers. These will provide protection for infection, manufacture all kinds of vitamins, enzymes, neurotransmitters(such as seratonin), and get rid of toxic gases and fluids which most of us have from poorly digested food, and other toxins that are made from non-beneficial organisms.

This science came to him as a result of working with longevity tribes whose people live to an average of over 100 years old.

[Sheryl]

irresponsibly inaccurate post.

The symptoms described are inconcistent with recurrent malaria. There is not even a fever, and the symptoms occur solely and always in the hot season.

Probiotics do not confer any protection or benefit with regard to malaria or other vector borne diseases. these are caused by parasites, not bacteria or viruses, which enter the blood stream directly as a result of a bite, they do not pass through the intestinal tract at all.

Probiotics do have a protective effect on certain GI infections and on yeast infections of the GU tract in women. But that is a long, long way from working "against nearly all viral and bacterial infections" !! Much less somehow conferring protection for parasitic diseases spread by vectors.