Another multiple co-infection disease?
Hello Hanchuchu,
I just found this thread and read through your posts and also looked at some of the Chinese articles.
As you may know, there have been many, many attempts to explain CFS and one of the most agreed-upon points is that people with CFS have multiple co-infections. So maybe the problems we have in characterizing CFS may be helpful to you and others in China struggling with your new mystery virus.
Like you many of us had a 'sudden onset' to our illness. But the strange problem is that many different types of illnesses and stresses are capable of triggering CFS.
The CFS community has survived for over 25 years now without a secure diagnosis of a specific infection. I do not want to discourage you, but I think you might benefit from learning more about CFS. Also you might benefit from learning more about Lyme Disease and its often strange symptoms that include rashes, psychological disturbance and depression (including becoming suicidal), many neurological and immunological symptoms, and even breathing problems (which may come from the neurological problems).
Much of what you describe has happened to me, and to others who now identify with the CFS label for our illness.
What makes the most sense to me is that different locations, such as China, may have a different mix of co-infections, so there are some areas of your illness that appear different. But perhaps this is not so different. If you have had this in China for 7 years, then any virus may already be in the rest of the world, so we also probably have some of this also in the US and Europe. And when we get those types of symptoms it seems to be from a combination of infections, or co-infections. For example, you may have some STD co-infections in China that are not being tested for or maybe that have mutated enough that they are not being detected, such as chlamydia pneumonia or syphilis. And they might add a burden to other co-infections you might have, creating this new disease. But all of these co-infections can be treated, many with anti-microbials, as has been pointed out already by Eric.
If you want to avoid drugs, there are many safe and natural ways to treat even severe co-infections. People in the US and UK and Germany in particular have been forced to find natural therapies because of the denial of this illness by our Governments. So there is much information out there besides TCM. I suspect that if you study alternative treatments for CFS and Lyme Disease you might find some good ideas to help with your situation.
I realize that you are seeking international medical assistance. And that is a political problem you are trying to help solve. But that international help might take a long, long time. They are fast when they understand the problem, such as the spread of AIDS, SARS, or H1N1. But they are VERY slow about problems that they do not understand. We have also been seeking international medical assistance for CFS, as well as help in the US, for many, many years. Do you have that much time to wait? I think trying to find treatments, and then helping other people learn those treatments for your illness, is important while you wait for a government solution.
This illness that perhaps we ALL have, is everywhere in the world. There are many faces of CFS, including Gulf-War illness, Lyme Disease, atypical forms of many other diseases, etc. In some regions of the world this illness may appear a little different but in many ways it is the same. Nobody has totally figured out what is happening, so we are sometimes forced to find safe ways to treat our symptoms ourselves while we work through traditional medical and government channels.
Do you have access to natural medicines in China besides TCM? This might be a very important point. For example, olive leaf extract, oregano oil, colloid silver, vitamin C, things like that? Also, do you have help with the social and mental distress this is causing you? In the US and Europe we often benefit from Eastern spiritual systems, including from China, that help us to accept and be at peace with being sick, and help us also learn to change our life to find happiness again. The psychological challenge of a mystery illness is very difficult for some people. I hope you find some answers.
Best Wishes,
--Kurt
