The aches weren't due to exercise - it was Typhoid fever!

simon43 · July 17, 2016

So as reported by me in a recent thread in the 'I'm too Fat' forum, I recently started exercising each evening at my current (new) work location of Donsak, (the small town where the ferries to Samui Island leave from).

I thought the aches and pains were due to me being unfit. 'No pain no gain' I thought, and persevered for another 7 days, feeling worse and worse healthwise.

Finally this morning, I felt so weak and ill, I popped over to my local hospital for a check-up. I suspected that maybe I had Dengue fever.

In fact, I have Typhoid fever, which came as somewhat of a surprise. I'm in good hands now and starting to feel much better. Typhoid fever is picked up by eating crap food, (I mean that quite literally....). Perhaps the local restaurants in Donsak are not up to scratch....

impulse · July 17, 2016

How did they diagnose it, and what are they treating you with?

simon43 · July 17, 2016

How did they diagnose it, and what are they treating you with?

Not being a medical man, I have no idea. They took a load of blood, did some initial tests, then some further tests. Treatment seems to consist of various IV drips administered by the most beautiful of young nurses, (my BUPA is paying for all this...)

impulse · July 17, 2016

How did they diagnose it, and what are they treating you with?

Not being a medical man, I have no idea. They took a load of blood, did some initial tests, then some further tests. Treatment seems to consist of various IV drips administered by the most beautiful of young nurses, (my BUPA is paying for all this...)

Thanks for the info. The words I was looking for is "blood test".

For the 4th time in my 5 years in BKK, one of my friends (in this case, his Thai wife) is in an ICU barely hanging on to life because an infection wasn't diagnosed in months and months of hospital visits and spread to her brain and in her case, other vital organs.

Which hospital got it right for you?

simon43 · July 17, 2016

I went to my local, private hospital - Phuket Siriroj (Phuket International). I have never had any problems with this hospital in 15 years. It took them 1 hour from my initial blood test to identify an 'infection' and then 1 more hour after extra tests to identify the Typhoid 'bug'.

Having checked my symptoms with Dr Google, I find a close correlation, including the night fevers when I become somewhat incoherent, (which normally only occurs after a heavy drinking session).

My main concern is how long I have to remain in hospital. My resort is leased out, so no problem. But I need to get back to my school after the long break.

KimSamui · July 18, 2016

Yes I had it too on Samui. Took a while to get over it. In fact I visited Phuket Bangkok Hospital to see their infectious disease specialist to make sure. Samui do not have one.

Developed a hepatitis out of it too, so no drinking and recovery period is quite a while.

It is quite prevalent in Thailand. Many carriers don't know they have it, work in food preparation, and pass it on in the Typhoid Mary tradition.

It can be resistant to most antibiotics.

Sort of changed my ideas about the "wonders" of Thai street food.

Stocky · July 18, 2016

I caught Typhoid while working in Malaysia twenty years ago, my vaccination had lapsed by a couple of months. I think I caught it eating in the local wet market. Fortunately once I saw the right doctor, first one failed to diagnose it, the antibiotics got to work quickly enough. The second doctor I saw recognised the symptoms straight away as I was the third case of Typhoid she'd seen that month. Once the symptoms have gone you still need to get your blood checked several times to see that you're not still carrying the bacteria. The good news is you have life time immunity, no need to bother anymore with vaccination.

If you've managed to avoid Typhoid it is one of those jabs you need to keep up, once every five years, it's a particularly unpleasant disease to catch.

NickJ · July 18, 2016

A friend of mine caught it right after I arrived to live and work here. She got it from street food. Real ill. Not to be confused with Typhus though.

federico · July 18, 2016

So as reported by me in a recent thread in the 'I'm too Fat' forum, I recently started exercising each evening at my current (new) work location of Donsak, (the small town where the ferries to Samui Island leave from).I thought the aches and pains were due to me being unfit. 'No pain no gain' I thought, and persevered for another 7 days, feeling worse and worse healthwise.Finally this morning, I felt so weak and ill, I popped over to my local hospital for a check-up. I suspected that maybe I had Dengue fever.In fact, I have Typhoid fever, which came as somewhat of a surprise. I'm in good hands now and starting to feel much better. Typhoid fever is picked up by eating crap food, (I mean that quite literally....). Perhaps the local restaurants in Donsak are not up to scratch....

federico · July 18, 2016

Can you please explain what were the symptoms apart from pains ?

I had a severe fever and vomit and diarhrea all night long in railay last week and still feel very weak

I go back europe on wednesday and will see my doctor there but i worry now

BKKBrit · July 18, 2016

Why don't you guys all get typhoid shots...and tetanus. Much cheaper than being treated! A typhoid shot which i have been receiving since i was a kid gives you mild symptoms of an achy flu bug but it lasts 24 hours only.

bazza40 · July 18, 2016

Based on a couple of experiences for myself and friends, it seems to me Thai doctors diagnose in series, not in parallel. Don't know if this is to rake in more money, or simply the way they are trained. For example, it took three weeks and 4 blood tests for the private hospital to diagnose cellulitis in my foot.

Has anyone else noticed Thai doctors prescribe antibiotics like lollies?

Sheryl · July 18, 2016

Can you please explain what were the symptoms apart from pains ?

I had a severe fever and vomit and diarhrea all night long in railay last week and still feel very weak

I go back europe on wednesday and will see my doctor there but i worry now

This does not sound remotely like typhoid. Sounds like food poisoning. Take rehydration fluids and you'll likely be close to normal by the time you get home (of course if fever and vomiting recur and persist, see a doctor).

The cardinal sign of typhoid is a high fever that persists for a long time (i.e.more than a week or two).

It is actually not widespread in most of Thailand any more but sounds like Samui may be an exception.

I had it several times in the 1990's in Phnom Penh at which time it was hyper prevalent there. They have since completely redone the city water system and it fortunately is now much less common there.

ozyjon · July 18, 2016

The weeks of coughing and sneezing wasn't

dengue fever, it was hay fever. How could

they not diagnose something so simple.

federico · July 19, 2016

Can you please explain what were the symptoms apart from pains ?

I had a severe fever and vomit and diarhrea all night long in railay last week and still feel very weak

I go back europe on wednesday and will see my doctor there but i worry now

This does not sound remotely like typhoid. Sounds like food poisoning. Take rehydration fluids and you'll likely be close to normal by the time you get home (of course if fever and vomiting recur and persist, see a doctor).
The cardinal sign of typhoid is a high fever that persists for a long time (i.e.more than a week or two).

It is actually not widespread in most of Thailand any more but sounds like Samui may be an exception.

I had it several times in the 1990's in Phnom Penh at which time it was hyper prevalent there. They have since completely redone the city water system and it fortunately is now much less common there.

Thank you Sheryl for your answer yes it looks more like a classical "turista"

First time it happens to me here in Thailand...

I will check out at home

Cheers

Fred

warrimurf · July 19, 2016

Some years ago while in West Africa I caught Malaria and Typhoid. On returning to UK I went to see my Dr as I still felt pretty bad. I asked him how come I caught Typhoid as I'd had the inoculation? He laughed and said it won't stop you getting it it just stops it from killing you!

Nice.

simon43 · July 19, 2016

Update:

My good hopes that the hospital had identified the illness have been dashed.

After several days IV dextrose and IV+pill antibiotic treatment, the hospital reports to me that their detailed tests for Typhoid fever have come back negative. I still have a general weakness and night fevers.

The doctor reports that they have tested for the following, all of which have come back negative:

- Typhoid fever

- Malaria

- Dengue fever

- Flu

- HIV

- Hepititus A, B, C, D

And that she is therefore referring me to see a specialist in infectious diseases at Bangkok Phuket Hospital.

Whilst I wait a day for that appointment, anyone got any suggestions as to what it might be?

In particular, could it be the effects of sea food poisoning? I ask because each time that I have got SF poisoning, the effects have been long-lasting, unlike normal food poisoning, (ie no vomiting but with aching bones etc), and I have still been able to eat and drink.

Sheryl · July 19, 2016

Have they tested for Chikungya?

bazza40 · July 19, 2016

Have you had a MRI scan? May not be an infection at all, something else.

Antibiotics will achieve nothing if the infection is viral.

My first indication of bladder cancer was night sweats.

Edited July 19, 2016 by bazza40

kkerry · July 19, 2016

Why don't you guys all get typhoid shots...and tetanus. Much cheaper than being treated! A typhoid shot which i have been receiving since i was a kid gives you mild symptoms of an achy flu bug but it lasts 24 hours only.

The last time I wanted a typhoid shot in Thailand I visited three (small) hospitals and none stocked the vaccine. At my local hospital the doctor was curious as to why I wanted it. I told her I travel a bit and prefer to err on the side of caution. Seems few Thais in Bangkok get vaccinated for typhoid. I ended up getting it in Singapore. Reading this thread made me check and I'm overdue so will see if I can arrange at a larger hospital I need to visit in Bangkok soon.

The manic · July 19, 2016

Update:

My good hopes that the hospital had identified the illness have been dashed.

After several days IV dextrose and IV+pill antibiotic treatment, the hospital reports to me that their detailed tests for Typhoid fever have come back negative. I still have a general weakness and night fevers.

The doctor reports that they have tested for the following, all of which have come back negative:

- Typhoid fever

- Malaria

- Dengue fever

- Flu

- HIV

- Hepititus A, B, C, D

And that she is therefore referring me to see a specialist in infectious diseases at Bangkok Phuket Hospital.

Whilst I wait a day for that appointment, anyone got any suggestions as to what it might be?

In particular, could it be the effects of sea food poisoning? I ask because each time that I have got SF poisoning, the effects have been long-lasting, unlike normal food poisoning, (ie no vomiting but with aching bones etc), and I have still been able to eat and drink.

I too had a similar problem years ago. After many tests they just concluded unknown 'jungle fever'. It went eventually

MiKT · July 19, 2016

How did they diagnose it, and what are they treating you with?

Not being a medical man, I have no idea. They took a load of blood, did some initial tests, then some further tests. Treatment seems to consist of various IV drips administered by the most beautiful of young nurses, (my BUPA is paying for all this...)

Thanks for the info. The words I was looking for is "blood test".

For the 4th time in my 5 years in BKK, one of my friends (in this case, his Thai wife) is in an ICU barely hanging on to life because an infection wasn't diagnosed in months and months of hospital visits and spread to her brain and in her case, other vital organs.

Which hospital got it right for you?

Spread to the brain and other organs, sure you don't mean Tuberculosis?

simon43 · July 20, 2016

Have they tested for Chikungya?

Not on the list so far - I'll ask the specialist about this.

I'm resting at home for a day. I feel slightly better, but still have night fevers and a clammy skin, plus an ever-present, low headache. My muscle and bone aches are much reduced.

The hospital tests, x-rays and ultrasounds have also checked that various parts of my body are all ok. Heart, lungs, bladder, liver etc, all looking good. My blood pressure has been rock solid normal throughout.

Stocky · July 24, 2016

"muscle and bone aches"

Sounds far more like Chikungya or Dengue. My most vivid recollection of Typhoid was not knowing which end to point at the loo first, I didn't have any muscle or bone aches, I just felt terribly, terribly ill.

Sheryl · July 24, 2016

Have they tested for Chikungya?

Not on the list so far - I'll ask the specialist about this.

I'm resting at home for a day. I feel slightly better, but still have night fevers and a clammy skin, plus an ever-present, low headache. My muscle and bone aches are much reduced.

The hospital tests, x-rays and ultrasounds have also checked that various parts of my body are all ok. Heart, lungs, bladder, liver etc, all looking good. My blood pressure has been rock solid normal throughout.

Frankly as long as you get better it really doesn't matter what it was and is not worth a lot of expense to try to find out. Thete are a lot of viruses here that produce dengue-like symptoms.

If it persists of course that is another matter in which case a trip to Bangkok to see a good, western-trained infectious disease specialist would be in order.

simon43 · July 25, 2016

I decided last Wednesday to go back to work after the long holiday. I was feeling somewhat better. Now it is Monday, about 12 days after my initial symptoms. I still have a general fatigue, low fever and clammy skin, but the aches in my bones and muscles seem to have much reduced. It is not causing me concern now - I feel much better than a week last Friday when I went to the hospital. I'm drinking lots of liquids, still only have a small appetite.

ClutchClark · July 25, 2016

Cheryl,

Is Toxoplasmosis common over here?

I hope the OP starts recovering soon.

Sheryl · July 25, 2016

Cheryl,

Is Toxoplasmosis common over here?

I hope the OP starts recovering soon.

Of course, it is pretty much worldwide, but rarely causes disease in people who are not immunocompromised.

TallGuyJohninBKK · July 25, 2016

If it persists of course that is another matter in which case a trip to Bangkok to see a good, western-trained infectious disease specialist would be in order.

Sheryl, any suggestions for BKK doctors who fit the prescription you gave?