Absolutely, 110% agree: this is - in my opinion - without doubt a (highly) contagious *saliva-spread* virus. Hear me out:
(I spent an awful long time convinced this was some kind of STD, however, in the 4 months or so since my girlfriend and I started to get sick):
- 8 or so weeks ago I shared a cigarette with a work mate (don't smoke / just a one off). Within 48 hours she had a huge cold-sore outbreak round her mouth (although I've NEVER, ever had one) / complained of feeling incredibly fatigued / found it increasingly hard to get out of bed in the morning / irritable / pins and needles etc etc etc. Noticed a *huge* difference in her overall energy levels for a few weeks thereafter. Not sure how she is now (left my job) but will try and find out.
- 6 or so weeks ago: shared a drink (bottle) with a friend: that very NIGHT - 6 or so hours later - started complaining of painful pins and needles / muscle cramps. Caught up with him again a few weeks later: said he'd been sick since with 'night sweats, fatigue, sore throat, muscle ache'. Also had very dry / painful looking lips (but no coldsores).
- Bumped into his girlfriend recently (they live together): told me for the past month or so (since above exposure) she'd ALSO been having pins and needles, prolonged (severe) diarrhea, abdominal stabbing pains, muscle ache.
3/4 weeks ago: girlfriend and I shared a bowl of ice-cream with one of her friends. Next day: girlfriend's friend cancelled a day out they had planned because she was sick with 'flu-like symptoms' (not sure on the specifics / latest on this but again, will try and find out).
- Girlfriend's mother - recently - (who my girlfriend and I share meals with regularly) mentioned in passing the other day that she's been strangely / particularly tired of late. 'Haven't been sleeping well / keep waking up with PAINFUL PINS AND NEEDLES / numbness in limbs / ache in her wrist (struggles to carry things) / dry cough'. Also has a strange herpes-esque looking rash on her foot(?) Will keep an eye on / ask again how she is next time I see her.
In hindsight I probably shouldn't be sharing anything with anyone (my friends are incredibly 'sharey' though / often I don't have a choice - they'll just grab and drink from my bottles etc etc etc) but yeah. Contagious pins and needles anyone(?!) Saliva-spread. Without a doubt. (Also supported by all the Chinese forums / articles etc. Can't find the actual link right now but there was the guy who spat in his colleague's cup to see if it would spread?) Reminded me that six or so months ago a (Chinese) friend of mine (who'd recently been home) was complaining that she was feeling really really, crazily run down / fatigued and had been going for blood tests because of it. That was back when I was perfectly healthy BUT I do remember clearly on several occasions sharing food and drinks with her and it's after all of that that I began to get sick... Co-incidence(?) Hm. (To be honest maybe all of the above is co-incidence but... again: hm!) Have any of you noticed anything similar? Friends / family members / workmates getting sick?
Anyway, latest (symptoms-wise) on my girlfriend and I:
Personally - apart from the fatigue (unemployment / depression?) and leg ache - I'm more or less ok right now. Leg ache is bad though: constant dull ache / numbness / recurrent pins and needles / spasms / twitches / feeling that something's in there almost(?) Have tried exercise / bed-rest / supplements / dietary changes but the *only* thing that seems to even remotely help is firm massage to the back of my calf muscles. A lot of dark blue surface veins have popped up though which worried me quite considerably.
Actually lead me to see a (terrible) doctor yesterday who said that if it was anything to worry about (clotting for example) that lasted 6 months 'I'd almost definitely be dead right now'. Half-heartedly assured me 'it's nothing to worry about' but gave me a referral form for a 'peripheral vein doppler study' (leg ultrasound) just in case (clinical details: 'bilateral lower limb pain r/o DVT'). Gonna cost me several hundred dollars though so I'm not sure quite how soon I'll be getting that done. Sore throat / hives / peeling skin on feet / white tongue etc etc etc all more or less completely gone. Nails - both hands and feet - have become very brittle / transparent though. Same with my girlfriend's. Very strange. Keeping them extra short so I can try not to worry about it.
Girlfriend's (still) also struggling with quite a few other things, too. White tongue with red swollen taste buds still there; fatigue; dizzyness; twitches a lot in her sleep; frequent need to urinate. Most worrying is that her lips keep swelling (has been a month or so now) and become very dry / cracked / itchy. Had several blood tests yesterday which I think were mainly for allergies. Results in a week. Found out her recent ultrasounds and MRI scans came back all clear / normal though. It's not HIV / she's not pregnant / and she doesn't have a tumour at least - yay!
Anyway. Just checking in. Apologies for the rushed post - low concentration levels etc etc etc. Hope you guys are all well (or at least, as well as can be, considering)!