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I Have Been Feeling Sinus Issues ,Sore Throat (mild) And Ortho Issues Want To Receive Your Insight?

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Posted on Fri, 17 Mar 2023
Question: I have been feeling less than 100% for about 5 weeks now. I have asked some questions here and gotten a good response, but my symptoms don't seem to have truly abated, so I figured I would reach out again.

Here are is the list of symptoms I have experienced:

Sinus issues
- congestion/phlegm
- Headache, particularly in am
- Swollen glands in neck
- Sore throat (mild)
- Intermittent cough
- Ear pressure
Ortho issues
-swelling/pain in finger joints (arthritic)
-intermittent pain/stiffness in both knees
-neck stiffness
Macro issues
-Mental fogginess/emotional swings
-Achy larger muscles (quads, etc.)
-intermittent feverish/sweaty feeling
-face and scalp feels hot, face is flushed intermittently
-intermittent tingling/cold extremities (hands feel cold to touch most all of the time, which is atypical)
-general feeling of malaise (operating at 60-70% energy level)
-thirsty/dry mouth, sometimes feel like I have to urinate out of nowhere.)
-vision seems blurry at times, almost as if there is a coating or film on them.
-digestion feels off, perhaps somewhat constipated. Stomach def a bit queasy, but could be due to Advil Cold and Flu I have been taking.
Recently some lung fullness/short of breath.
Right hand feeling cramped/claw like - tight tendons.

I have had fairly extensive labs done and I am attaching them here.

I felt 100% for about 3-4 days a week ago and now it is back. More of a general sense of tiredness and being unwell and a lack of motivation to do much of anything. Is there anything else you would be looking in to at this point? I have read that the IGENEX Labs have a pretty high "false positive" for Lyme, that their ethics are frequently questioned. It would be good to receive your insight. Thanks...
doctor
Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (8 hours later)
Brief Answer:
not conclusive tests

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
What I can say about them is this. There is not active EBV, HBV, HCV, HIV or any other infection (none is unequivocally positive) including Lyme disease. Ehrlichia has been reported to be close to positivity but a rising titer of antibodies would be required to consider the diagnosis. Also please note that a tick bite is required for transmission. So if you're living in a big city and have no chance to 'meet' a tick then Lyme disease and the like can be considered unlikely.

If you've done more tests please upload all the reports. I would be very much interested to check your ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate), an X-ray of your sinuses and your liver function tests. Besides the lab tests, I'd like to know whether you had symptoms of asthma or not (shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort, wheezing, etc that come and go).

I'll be glad to continue this discussion with more information, particularly with answers to the questions I've asked and the suggestion I made.

Kind Regards!


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (3 hours later)
Hello,

Thanks for your thorough reply. I uploaded labs that were done a couple of weeks ago. The ESP and liver function tests should be there. I haven't had a recent sinus X-RAY, but my ENT said a couple of years ago that it was unremarkable.

I do live in the country, in fact my area is the epicenter for Lyme infections and I am a trail runner, so it wouldn't be impossible to have a deer tick bite, even though I never saw it or had a rash.

I have had a come and go feeling in my lungs of a very slight bit of fullness that manifests as a tickle/cough when I inhale fully, but it is not something that is consistent. I have had no chest pain or discomfort.

I look forward to your insights.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (7 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Please read the full answer

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the additional information.

The tests I've seen so far do not help much. Although having negative tests is good, we can't get a diagnosis without a positive one!

The only suggestive information are your respiratory tract symptoms.An old X-ray would not help. Perhaps your doctor should exclude the most common causes starting with sinusitis before looking for less common disorders. The cbc, crp and esr are not suggestive of an acute infection or autoimmune disorder but we can't rely solely on them.

So my suggestion is to start with the basics and then move on to more complex diagnoses - if needed!

Kind Regards!
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1999

Answered : 3818 Questions

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I Have Been Feeling Sinus Issues ,Sore Throat (mild) And Ortho Issues Want To Receive Your Insight?

Brief Answer: not conclusive tests Detailed Answer: Hello, What I can say about them is this. There is not active EBV, HBV, HCV, HIV or any other infection (none is unequivocally positive) including Lyme disease. Ehrlichia has been reported to be close to positivity but a rising titer of antibodies would be required to consider the diagnosis. Also please note that a tick bite is required for transmission. So if you're living in a big city and have no chance to 'meet' a tick then Lyme disease and the like can be considered unlikely. If you've done more tests please upload all the reports. I would be very much interested to check your ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate), an X-ray of your sinuses and your liver function tests. Besides the lab tests, I'd like to know whether you had symptoms of asthma or not (shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort, wheezing, etc that come and go). I'll be glad to continue this discussion with more information, particularly with answers to the questions I've asked and the suggestion I made. Kind Regards!