Anyone experiencing unusual health issues?

[30A Skunkape]

Two more I thought of-Thiamine deficiency and my favorite, syphilis!

 

[Mango]

Another good lab is MDL in New Jersey. Some people have gotten different results there than Ingenex. Most physicians literate with tick borne infections use multiple labs. I guess what I am saying is, the same lab that does your CBC or liver enzymes test is not going to have the same sensitivity as a lab that specializes in tick borne diseases. Also, the labs are more knowledgeable in helping your doctor interpret the results. They are not always black and white.

Skunky, people with tick borne infections often have B-12 deficiencies, too. They wreck havoc on the stomach. Mine was close to zero and, ask any Sowaler, I do not drink alcohol. Wish I could.

 

[TreeFrog]

This year, the tick population was high in the area.

That explains it...

My 6-month old pup, who largely lives indoors, just had a tick. That's the first one we've found on our dogs since moving here in 04.

 

[Carol G]

My allergies are off the chart, they usually only get bad enough in the spring/ summer to have to take antihistamines to keep in check. I hate the foggy head from them too...miserable.

Is anyone else experiencing this??? Same thing this morning with my eyes being so itchy and swollen... it's never this bad, even at the worst times of the year. What is in the air?

 

[heartbren]

Virus?

Is anyone else experiencing this??? Same thing this morning with my eyes being so itchy and swollen... it's never this bad, even at the worst times of the year. What is in the air?

Myself and many people I know who live here have had similar symptons like sever allergies. It comes and it goes and keeps coming back. We also said we wonder what is in the air. It is very contagious because everyone is spreading it so it must be in the air. This all started after the Oil rig explosion and we wonder if the stuff they were spraying in the air could be affecting people? None of us has ever had anything quite like it before especially at this time of year. Hmmm.......

 

[grace]

I too am curious as to your whereabouts. Sacred Heart here in SOWAL does not have an ID doc in house. I'm not sure about Bay or White Wilson.

Without knowing anything else about this case, it sounds very similar to a case of West Nile encephalopathy I once saw, although I am not sure that the duration of symptoms fits-but who knows. If your husband has a transplant history and/or is immunocompromised there are a host of viruses that might be causative besides WNV. I would also think of normal pressure hydrocephalus as a possibility, too. If it has not been done already, a lumbar puncture is in order. Other things that come to mind without knowing the full history-B12 or folate deficiency (not uncommon in chronic alcoholics or gastric bypass patients), multiple myeloma or some other occult cancer, Lyme (although I disagree that there is only one lab that competently runs the tests needed for confirmation), Ehrlichiosis, other tick borne diseases, heavy metal poisoning, some other neurodegenerative disorder similar to ALS, the often present (but usually discovered only following an unproductive five figure workup!) depression or other psychiatric disorder. You mention the term 'organic', which I take to mean organic brain syndrome which really isn't a specific diagnosis...all of the above can cause organic brain syndrome.

At any rate, keep us posted and best wishes!

That's my guess. MS or ALS. Lumbar puncture sounds like a good idea.

 

[Kurt]

Is anyone else experiencing this??? Same thing this morning with my eyes being so itchy and swollen... it's never this bad, even at the worst times of the year. What is in the air?

It could be from the controlled burns that have been going on. Smoke alone may not be a problem but I wouldn't be surprised if there are things in the forest that shouldn't be there that get burned.

I have also heard people claim that chemicals from Eglin munitions might be a cause for concern.

 

[Carol G]

It could be from the controlled burns that have been going on. Smoke alone may not be a problem but I wouldn't be surprised if there are things in the forest that shouldn't be there that get burned.

I have also heard people claim that chemicals from Eglin munitions might be a cause for concern.

I think it is the controlled burns, plus all of the trees that have been cut down in the state parks recently to create fire breaks. PLUS I just found out the folks from the building next door to me cut down 5 large pine trees, the same day the really bad eye-itching started. I know I am allergic to pine pollen, so I'm thinking that must be it...

I know some have speculated that this may be related to the oil spill, but I highly doubt it; I just can't believe the concentrations of any of the associated chemicals would or could still be high enough to cause problems in our area. I have always had bad problems with allergies while living here - there are so many pollens, molds, fungi and other assorted goodies that come with this subtropical climate. While it's not normal for me to have allergic reactions during this time of year, "normal" is all relative when you take in all of the potential contributing factors. It's also not "normal" to find so many ticks after we get freezing temperatures, but I pulled 5 off of Daisy yesterday.

 

[Kurt]

Lots of folks who never had allergy problems or mild ones move here and develop problems.

 

[Jdarg]

Lots of folks who never had allergy problems or mild ones move here and develop problems.

I always took pride that I never succumbed to hayfever, allergies, and such- and I lived in Kentucky, the ragweed and allergy capital of the universe.

But I moved here- and started having seasonal allergies EVERY season. Because every season something blooms here that I have not experienced, or did not experience it in KY at the time of year it happens here.

There is a lot that we can truly blame on the oil spill (like what many of us are seeing on our beaches) but I don't think we can say for sure our respiratory symptoms are cause by BP.