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Cluster of new symptoms - any ideas?

Messages
15,786
About two months I got some sort of infection. Tons of yellow mucus, feeling worse, etc. After a few days everything got somewhat better, but the mucous has stayed ever since. At times it was just coming out once a day or so, then went away for a few days after a week of doxycyline, but has since come back with a vengeance.

Three weeks ago I had an episode of being unable to breathe even while laying down on my "good" side. My hands and fingernails turned blue, face turned white, and I felt pretty horrible. It slowly got better after sitting up slumped over for an hour or so. Using a pulse oximeter a few days ago showed that my oxygen levels often drop, especially when laying down, though typically my pulse rises to compensate. More observation has indicated that this dropping oxygen is triggered by prior over-exertion, starting immediately after the exertion, and can last for hours or days.

2-3 weeks ago I noticed a new short stretch mark (blue) high on the left side of my abdomen. My abdomen seems chronically swollen, but I'm fat so it's hard to tell :p

4-5 days ago my right elbow and right ankle joint got very painful. This has diminished somewhat, but they still feel stiff and a bit sore. I thought this might have been triggered by some over-enthusiastic gardening, but it's lasted too long, and it's odd that it's just the joints and not the muscles.

3 days ago my stomach was hurting quite badly. I had some constipation, but not the usual PEM constipation I'm prone to get. Stomach didn't feel any better after the constipation was resolved. It finally got better about 24 hours ago.

My appetite was very poor yesterday.

My throat has been sorer than usual for the past two days.

Yesterday my mucus was mostly yellow, but some greenish stuff appeared as well. Today there's been both yellow and green mucus, but the green is now more intense.

Today I noticed a ton of petechiae on my entire abdomen, but nowhere else (aside from a few scattered ones I always have). They aren't tightly clustered at all, but spread out pretty evenly.

I have a referral to a cardiologist coming up for the breathing problems, and a sample of my snot went to the hospital to get cultured yesterday. Lung function and x-ray are normal. CRP is slightly elevated, ESR is 31 (I'm usually around 20), and ALAT is a bit elevated as of June 26th. Hemoglobin, glucose, TSH, GGT, NT-pro BNP, D-dimer, and leukocytes + differential are normal as of June 26th.
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
Yuck Valentijn! That sounds awful. So sorry you are going through this...

It sounds like mycoplasma infection to me though certainly could be other things too. Are you able to get a titer?

Ema
 
Messages
15,786
It sounds like mycoplasma infection to me though certainly could be other things too. Are you able to get a titer?
No idea if they give titers :p

Mycoplasm does seem possible, but it sounds like that usually doesn't have the mucus production with it. And (thus far) the rash looks very different ... tiny pinpricks under the skin, not raised at all.

I've been doing more searching, and think Bartonella (Cat Scratch Fever or Trench Fever) sounds pretty similar too. Though my stretch marks are much smaller than the photos thus far!
 

rosie26

Senior Member
Messages
2,446
Location
NZ
Sounds like you need another round of antibiotics, Valentjin. Your other symptoms might come right then. x
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
Valentijn, have you looked into Chlamydophila pneumoniae (formerly Chlamydia pneumoniae)? It's one of those intracellular pathogens we're prone to getting.
 

rosie26

Senior Member
Messages
2,446
Location
NZ
I had the test for that 3 weeks ago SOC, it is worth getting that one checked out. Mine came back negative.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
Unfortunately it sounds like you are needing another round of antibiotics. I hope you work out what the infection is. Best luck
More observation has indicated that this dropping oxygen is triggered by prior over-exertion, starting immediately after the exertion, and can last for hours or days.

Its well known that there is a drop in oxygen in ME when one is overdoing it. (its in the graphs on the effects of exercise on ME in the offical documents). This is one of the reasons we need to take care not to be overdoing it.
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
No idea if they give titers :p

Mycoplasm does seem possible, but it sounds like that usually doesn't have the mucus production with it. And (thus far) the rash looks very different ... tiny pinpricks under the skin, not raised at all.

I've been doing more searching, and think Bartonella (Cat Scratch Fever or Trench Fever) sounds pretty similar too. Though my stretch marks are much smaller than the photos thus far!
You can get mucus and petechiae with mycoplasm (but with lots of other things too of course).

I hope it's not Bart. That's a common co-infection with Lyme. I think you've had Lyme testing, right?

Ema
 

alex3619

Senior Member
Messages
13,810
Location
Logan, Queensland, Australia
There may be cardiovascular or other complications that might cause this. My guess is that whatever it is causes fluid to shift when lying down, making breathing difficult. Its good you have a cardiologist appointment.
 
Messages
15,786
You can get mucus and petechiae with mycoplasm (but with lots of other things too of course).

I hope it's not Bart. That's a common co-infection with Lyme. I think you've had Lyme testing, right?
Yup, Western Blot I think, clear on all bands.