Wednesday, March 26, 2008

What the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks?????

Ok guys, I am going to see my doc on Friday to find out if I have some kind of immune system disorder and have them run some tests because...wait for it, wait for it....I am sick again - strep throat. I got sick on Sunday afternoon around the same time that I started getting pink eye. It was like my body started attacking me. I had a fever and MASSIVE chills. With all of my sickness as of late, I was totally trying to play it down but the ONLY other time I have felt that way was when I had strep throat.

When I went to the doc on Monday (with cyclops eye) he asked me how I was feeling in other areas and I said oh, head hurts, throat hurts and general crappy but I don't think it is anything big. Mostly I said this because my eye looked like I had stolen it from a zombie person from 28 Days Later and I didn't really care about the rest of me. When he looked at my throat he said "it is pretty red" and I said "it's fine - i am all good - just hook me up with the eye." Then on Monday night my throat was KILLING me, so I broke out the flash light and had the DH take al look. What did he find? WHITE puss pockets. A clear indicator of the streptococcus virus.

Luckily, my doc gave me an oral antibiotic for my pink eye because it had gotten into my under eye and cheek area. The antibiotic is also addressing the pink eye. AWESOME!

My DH was sick last week - Thursday through...well, yesterday but hasn't been as sick and didn't get strep. So I am thoroughly perplexed. I have never in my life been this sick. In fact, if you added up the total number of times I've been sick in my life and THEN added up how many times I have been sick in the last year, they would equal each other OR the last year could possibly be HIGHER than my whole life. No joke. I just don't get sick. It is NUTS.

So, I have a couple of rational theories:
1. I have been exposed to more airborne viruses than I ever have been in my entire life.
2. Our two year old house has black mold.
3. I have an auto-immune disorder.

I also have a continued list of less rational theories:
4. I am waking up in the middle of the night and eating all kinds of terrible foods for me that is tearing down my immune system.
5. My DH is feeding me Draino in hopes of killing me an cashing in on my measly life insurance policy.
6. I am allergic to Northwest Arkansas.
7. I have suddenly become possessed by some sickness demon.
8. There is an old voodoo woman in Louisiana with a Jessica doll poking needles in my throat and lungs.

Would love any and all thoughts/opinions/feedback from all of my bloggers. Especially those of you who are in the medical field. What in the heck is going on with me? To rule out other things, keep in mind that:
  • I have worked more/longer hours before in a different job.
  • I have gotten less sleep in a previous life.
  • I have been WAY more stressed at work in a previous life.
  • I eat good and take vitamins.
Bueller? Bueller? Anyone? Anyone experienced anything similar?

Workouts this week are spotty at best. Food is ok. Attitude is cranky. :)
Jess

11 comments:

Cathy said...

chick......this from a buddy in the medical field :)....you hit the nail on the head.....poor rest, stress and other folks breathing on you gets you sick!

As for the pus pockets being strep....possible but not always.....a viral presentation ( ie: mono) looks exactly like strep.....big red tonsils with attractive white junk!

Unless you do the rapid strep/throat culture/ influenza swab or mono spot you will never no for sure. Trust the dear doc to figure it out for you.

And a antibiotic prescribed for an orbital area cellulitis might not work for strep throat.... it really depends on what antibiotic was prescribed.....my guess is if you are feeling better the throat may have been a viral thing......but anyway.......

I Hope You are Feeling Better!! Soon!

Jessica said...

Holy crap. Where should I send the check??? :) This is better than going to the doc.

Concur with all you said. I will have him test me tomorrow when I am in there. The reason I deduced (clearly a challenge when done in the NON medial field) I had strep was that I don't ever have a fever unless I have strep and I get chills so bad I can't get warm. The only time I have ever felt that way is when I have strep.

You are totally right but my question is: I have had all of those other factors - stress (like TONS more), lack of sleep and exposure to sickies, and I never got sick. What gives???
Jess

Anonymous said...

I was thinking mono too!


I can cheer you up...look over on my blog for a good time. You got one hour....3-2-1 Go!

~C.

Cathy said...

jess......also.....depending on what antibiotic you have been on....if you do/did have strep, those tests would probably be negative by now. But the viral/mono stuff would not be affected by a antibiotic.
( no check necessary! its just what I do for a living! )

And i think that stress (because it increases your cortisol levels) can do amazing aka awful things to our minds and bodies.....that is why it is so important to get quality sleep......that is when your cortisol levels drop ( IF your sleeping) and your body repairs itself.
But if your not sleeping.........beware!

I do ZMA to aid in restful sleep. It has made a huge impact on my rest. I found it better than any OTC or prescription sleep med. And I tried them all!

EM :) said...

dang it, J! I'm so sorry to hear this. Rest rest rest & keep us posted!
Sending healthy vibes your way!

Anonymous said...

Get checked for TB also.
Symptoms are similar to yours, no?
~C.

O' Natur Nail said...

antibiotic resistance, age and any environmental changes??!!! get well soon!

Anonymous said...

I wish I had an answer but I am clueless besides everything that has been mentioned. Have you had blood drawn? A complete workup? It seems like you get sick after a great workout week---which I know is frustrating.

Hope you feel better....so you can vlog!!!! Just kidding. okay, so maybe Im not. :)

Krissa

Jessica said...

Hey guys,
You are all so awesome for stopping by with your thoughts. I also lost my voice today. Makes my job very difficult.
I am going back to the doc tomorrow and will get tested for mono. Cathy, you are such a peach for all the details. I kind of assumed that I wouldn't be able to get a good read on the strep since I have been on antibiotics but I can get tested for mono, and hopefully rule that out.
Krissa, I am basically gonna tell him to do whatever he needs to do to figure it out.
ALL - thanks so much for your thoughts. It really has been frustrating! But I am gonna kick this thing in the BE-hind. :)
Jess

Anonymous said...

Jess,

Sorry to hear ur still under the weather. Everyone I know, including myself and my son, has been more sick in the past 6 months than usual. Not sure what that means....but we are local to you....breathing the same germs here in NWA!!!

Cortisol comment from Cathy is interesting. High Cortisol can definitely take a toll and is not so uncommon. Blood work is the only way to know. There is an over the counter dietery supplement called phosphatidylserine. Taking 100 mg in the am and pm can help maintain lower and healthier cortisol levels. The intense workouts and diets you undergo could be elevating your body's cortisol levels.

FOOD For THOUGHT, girl!!!! :-)
Feel Better Soon!

Michelle

Anonymous said...

Jess,

Sorry to hear ur still under the weather. Everyone I know, including myself and my son, has been more sick in the past 6 months than usual. Not sure what that means....but we are local to you....breathing the same germs here in NWA!!!

Cortisol comment from Cathy is interesting. High Cortisol can definitely take a toll and is not so uncommon. Blood work is the only way to know. There is an over the counter dietery supplement called phosphatidylserine. Taking 100 mg in the am and pm can help maintain lower and healthier cortisol levels. The intense workouts and diets you undergo could be elevating your body's cortisol levels.

FOOD For THOUGHT, girl!!!! :-)
Feel Better Soon!

Michelle