HELP..Anyone heard of this condition?

Question

This past March I had what I thought was the Flu for a few days. After a week the symptoms lessened but never went away. After 3-4 weeks of flu like symtoms (achey muscles, fatigue,dizziness, nausea ) I went to see my Doctor.He couldnt find anything, saying it was an "unnamed virus" that was going around lasting 8-12 months! So I went to several other Doctors. They checked for pnuemonia, bronchitis...took blood samples and chest x-rays. And all say the same thing, the "unnamed virus" There's no meds or no cure and it lasts 8-12 months. It's been 4 months without a change. Sidebar note: I've had a chronic(dry) cough for almost a year now (Months before the virus) Can't seem to stop it. Tested for allergies, Sinus infections and more without luck.
Does anyone have or know of anyone who has this unnamed virus? If so any information would be so helpful. I live in a small town in Maine and Specialists are rare here. Any causes, cures or info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

to answer some questions asked earlier: No I've never smoked but do have chronic bronchitis (from living with a smoker in the past)I do have allergies and chronic sinus/ear infections. No, Don't have West Nile or Lyme Disease. Thanks again. I'm checking out all the info and taking my time researching all your advice. Your time and info are greatly appreciated! Thanks to all!

Answer 1

Here's some info you may be interested in looking into
http://www.chronicfatiguesupport.com/
in most people it starts out with flu like symptoms that do not go away.
I have cfs so noticed the simialarities with myself.

check out my 360 if you wanna stay in touch and talk about it
http://360.yahoo.com/bill45310252

Answer 2

If it's unnamed...sounds like it probably is named but your dr. doesn't know exactly what virus it is. Were you checked for Lyme disease? I got bitten by a tick earlier this summer and had a nasty fever that wouldn't go away, a horrible backache, headache, fatigue, and nausea. Mine was treated with doxycyclin, which is an antibiotic that kills spirochetes, which are one of the grossest disease categories ever--non STD syphilis, traveler's diarrhea, some kinds of malaria, a couple of types of tick fever...ugh.

I doubt you have an unnamed virus. Undetermined. Not unnamed. Have they done "titers" for bacteria? There are a ton of bacteria and viruses, amoebas, fungi...it's a fantastically disgusting microbial world out there. Sorry I don't know what you have, but I find it odd that you would have an unnamed virus and none of them would be jumping at the chance to name it for posterity. Doctors *love* finding unnamed diseases! I think you need an epidemiologist to do some tests--can't the drs. send off tests to labs?

Answer 3

'Unnamed Virus' sounds like a cop-out to me too.

Now, some of this does sound a LITTLE familiar. Have you been tested for ulcers or acid reflux, or anything similar? Has this condition effected your appetite? Some of the fatigue and vertigo might be from you not eating quite enough: My husband had symptoms very like yours, and he never did get a diagnosis as such. But once I stopped letting him sleep so much and started making him eat, he did get stronger and some of the symptoms did lessen. He seldom coughs now.

Good luck!

Answer 4

No, I have never heard of this condition. If your doctors are all in general practice, get yourself to an internist. There are many other possibilities besides a virus. If you have had a dry cough for almost a year, you have every reason to get yourself to a specialist and get a concrete answer. I had strange symptoms for a number of years. The doctors always either ignored them or attributed them to my mental health. Doctors just love to tell people whom they can't diagnose that it is all in their heads. It's the ego thing. Or in your case they are telling you its a virus. You need a definitive diagnosis. Maybe it is a virus and maybe it is not. In my case it turned out to be multiple sclerosis. If I had seen a specialist instead of a general practitioner, there is a good chance I would have been saved from years of misery. For the sake of your peace of mind, get in the car and get out of Dodge for an afternoon and get some other opinions.

Answer 5

I haven't heard of anything like that going around. I noticed you said you had x-rays and they showed nothing. I don't know if you had any CT scans but if I were you I would ask my doctor to give me a CT scan on my chest since you have an ongoing cough. A CT scan shows much more than an x-ray. I sure hope you find out exactly what is going on and I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Good Luck

Answer 6

I've heard of Lyme disease causing the flu-like symptoms, but not the chronic cough. I'm not an expert on it, I had a friend who went through a mystery illness, and that's what it was.

Answer 7

Did they test for lyme disease or west nile virus????

See links below
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lyme-disease/DS00116/DSECTION=2
or
http://www.improvingyourhome.com/west_nile_virus.html

and then I found this site
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/sym/flu_like_symptoms.htm
The flu is not the only condition starting with flu-like symptoms. These symptoms are similar to the body's general method of reacting to a serious infection and are called "flu-like" simply because the flu is the most common of such infections. Numerous other conditions include other infectious viral conditions, initial phase HIV infection, viral hepatitis, food poisoning, lymphoma, leukemia, Lyme disease, and many others. The list of conditions with fever is much longer than those with the full list of flu-like symptoms.

Answer 8

Sorry you haven't had any luck with the doctors. I know you mentioned seeing more than one, but I suggest, strongly, that you keep looking. "Unnamed Virus" sounds a bit like a cop-out to me. Find a doctor that isn't going to just give up on you!

Best of luck!

Answer 9

Have you been tested for West Nile ? or Lyme's Disease?
I don't know about the cough, you could possibly have a combination of illnesses.

Answer 10

Its going around here in fl were I live. My friend had a virus, which was "not known," but the symptoms were like yours but worse for almost 3 weeks, they gave her some antibiotics anhd she's all better now.