I've been unwell for two months now, I've been to the hospital about 4 times, they Say I've been surffing from a viral infection, bit surely it wouldn't go on for two months? I've developed symptoms of a chronic sinus infection, I've got constant pressure in my head, front and back. the doctor said I've also got a middle ear infection because she can see fluid in both ears, I've got constant ringing noises in my ears that drives me crazy! I sometimes have to put tissue in my ears just to drown at the high pitched tones, I'm also having pain in my neck and back, also in my chest! I've always got drainage down the back of my throat and i have trouble swallowing and moving my jaw with also pain. My blood test results so that i've got a low white count and a vitamin d deficiency. I'm feel so dizzy and sick too. I'm very worried about it because I have symptoms of so many horrible things such as different cancers. I feel as though I aren't getting the right help from the doctors, please sure any helpful information, i'm thinking of going for an MRI, would it be worth it in this case? As my migraines are quite bad, thank you!
Illness for two months, low white blood count ... - CLL Support
Illness for two months, low white blood count just at 1.
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Some viral infections can take quite a while to get over, particularly if you are run down, as you seem to be. A low white count is unlikely to be associated with a blood cancer - where nearly always the white cell count climbs.
Adequate Vitamin D is an essential requirement for our immune system. Work with your doctor on how much of a dose you need to get you back into a healthy range and your health should improve.
Neil
Thank you
I've updated my post with other symptoms I missed out, could you have another read? Thank you
In my admittedly non-medically trained opinion, all of your symptoms can be most easily explained by a stubborn sinus infection. The problem with trying to diagnose yourself with Google searches is that you turn up results that are popular with readers - and not at all representative of the actual incidence of causes!
Your most common white blood cell type - neutrophils, only live for a few days in your body and they die fighting infections, which could explain your low white cell count.
Has your doctor taken a swab of your mucus from your nose/throat and requested a culture to find out what is causing your infection? That will enable the selection of the most effective antibiotic if your infection is bacterial or fungal. How about asking for a referral to an Ear/Nose/Throat specialist? They'll know what steps to take - including whether an MRI is necessary.
Sinus infections can be particularly challenging to overcome. Sometimes an an underlying allergy can cause you sinuses to become inflamed and the resulting warm moist pockets of fluid are ideal breeding grounds for bugs. You just need to persist with your doctor to find the cause - which may mean getting a second opinion. I would suggest that cancer would be well down on the list of probable causes of your current misery.
Neil
Hi Neil, yes a doctor at the hospital sent a referral to the ENT clinic but I won't get my appointment until March. I have seen many doctors which haven't provide me with much information about what's causing my symptoms other then viral infection, but luckily, I've recently seen a good doctor who's been giving me the right tests. What's the most troubling is that i've never experienced these type of symptoms before. I've been ill in the past and I've always made a full recovery. Would a sinus infection cause neck pain too? My neck feels like it's very week and it makes these horrible noices when I move it, just having such strange feelings. I'm thinking of getting a opinion from a dentist as my mouth has been effected too, I've also heard of a condition called Catarrh, which is a built up of mucus and can last for a very long time.
Thoughts?
You could have swollen lymph nodes from your sinus infection causing your neck symptoms but I agree it's best to get it checked out. Be interesting to see what your dentist says.
Pity you have to wait until March for your ENT appointment; hopefully you'll be better by then! At least the wheels are in (slow) motion...
Hia neil, The doctor has said she can't feel any lymph notes in my neck but there is swelling around my jaw area. I'm suffering from really bad fatigue, I can only be at the house for a couple of hours then i have to get back into bed. Otherwise i get too dizzy. I hope it goes soon because it feels like I'm stuck in a nightmare at the moment.
There are lymph nodes under your jaw that swell with infections. Ear infections can cause problems with balance and dizziness plus what is called tinnitus - that ringing in your ears. The pain in your chest is also most likely due to your respiratory infection spreading to your lungs and I would expect your doctor used a stethoscope to listen to your lungs to check your lung function and for possible pneumonia.
So you can see that all your symptoms are consistent with a bad respiratory infection - not cancer. If your symptoms worsen, you should see your doctor or even go to ER after hours if you are struggling to breathe.
Unfortunately antibiotics don't help with viral infections - we have to rely on our bodies to overcome the infection. Sometimes secondary bacterial infections can develop, particularly with sinus infections, in which case a course of antibiotics may need to be prescribed.
Some people regularly struggle with sinus infections like yours and an ENT may or may not be able to help them. (I get the feeling that you are quite young if this is your first experience of a bad sinus infection - the average age of our membership would be in the 50s/60s. You need to concentrate on rebuilding your health so you can overcome this and boosting your vitamin D will help there. There are range of techniques you can use to help your body too, such as sleeping more upright so fluid can drain from your sinuses, having hot, steamy showers and breathing in the steam to reduce sinus congestion and so on. It is usual to have a nurse practitioner or your doctor to instruct you in these techniques.
Again, I am not medically trained and you need to seek better medical support from people who are.
Neil
Kayley I agree with Neil. The information you shared shows a need to
get your Vitamin D3 levels up. Recovery from an infection of any kind can be a long time clearing even with medications.
If you are not satisfied with the Dr. you have seen, you need to see another for a second opinion--get copies of every test to share. The Dr. will decide if you need any further testing or any medicine to get at the infection you have said you have.
Hope you find the Dr. you need and can have a happy holiday season.
I would suggest Vitamin C for help with sinus infections. My son who has asthma struggled with sinus infections even when a little guy. I had a friend who had good results with a holistic Chiro so I decided to give it a try. He had powdered Vit C which he sold us. It did help my son a good bit. I believe the dose was 1,000 mg (I know the 1,000 is correct not sure about the mg).
Hoping you feel better soon,
Spacee (Linda)
Thank you for your comments
Hi Kayleigh, you have my sympathy. I had very similar symptoms about three years ago. I thought my head was going to explode. It did end up as a perforated ear drum. Sadly while you feel like you want to curl up on the sofa you need to keep nagging everyone and asking for an emergency ENT appointment. MRI a waste as it's a CT scan you need. You may find a sinus rinse called NelMed helps clear the mucus and I did invest in a quick private ENT appointment to get my ears suctioned. Good luck. Regards Colette
Hi Colette,
The doctor has said that she can see fluid in both my ears, which is causing a middle ear infection she said, I've got terrible high pitched tones in my ears, it can be so bad at times it makes me feel sick, she's gave me amoxicillin, I've been on them for 4 days now and it's made no improvement, she says it's because of my sinus's been blocked, I'll feel so tired all them time, I have no clue What going on with me. I will ask for a ct scan if nothing changes, I also think i need a scan on my neck too.
Kayley.
Sorry just reread your post and ignore my comments about getting ears suctioned , mine were blocked. GP should be dealing with this though ?Colette
Hi mrjsmith,
What was your symptoms when your ears were blocked? The noises in my ears are so loud and always constantly there, I can't be any where too loud otherwise it makes them worse, the doctor said I've got fluid in them which has apparently have me an middle ear infection, I've been taking amoxicillin now for 4 days but have not improved with any of my symptoms, it's such a horrible feeling.
Kayley.
Hi Kayley,
Mine are linked to sinus problems, and first time was terrible pressure, thought my head would explode, and that did lead to bleeding and perforated ear drum. Last Christmas my ears were blocked and I was partially deaf,and my voice sounded like someone else and an echo. I checked the meds at the time and they are sinus based. Think asap get to your GP and see what can be done about ENT appointment ! Good luck
Hi,
I'm too suffering from pressure feeling, it's always worse in the morning when I've been asleep, did you suffer from tinnitus? Mine is quite bad. I keep getting fluid coming out of my ears too. I'm very worried as it's the same symptoms as a acoustic neuromas. Its making so miserable, thank you for your comments!
Kayley.
Hi no tinnitus but it may help trying to sleep on a pile of pillows to prop yourself up. Colette
Thanks
Acoustic neuromas have an incidence of 1 per 100,000 persons per year. Sinus infections probably about 1 per person per year. Go with the odds. Mark Twain once famously said "Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint." In modern day terms that equates to using Google for self diagnosis; you'll worry yourself ill thinking that you may have an illness that is extremely rare, when there are far more common causes that are either self limiting - you'll recover from them eventually with or without treatment, or easily treated once you get the right medical support...
Hi Neil,
Thanks for your advice, I find it difficult not to look on Google for answers as i feel like I can't really seem to get them from the doctors. I'm struggling to deal with the symptoms as they are very bizarre and i've never experienced them before. The tinnitus in my ears is stopping me from going out and enjoying myself because it hurts my ears too much to be in loud places. I'm always struggling with my sleep.
Kayley.
Hi
My husband had a water infection for 3 months because he didn’t understand his illness properly ...
He thought he felt so poorly because he had CLL ...so he didn’t think to tell any one
One day he passed out
That’s when we found out about his water infection
He is still on antibiotics and if it stil doesn’t clear up he may have to have monthly visits to the hospital to have blood infusions
He was also lacking in Vit D
But that’s information I picked up on this site ....and since he has been on supplements he has had much more energy and hasn’t been falling asleep so often
I can’t thanks this forum enough because without it I would be in the dark on a lot of things
My husbands consultant isn’t the type to offer important information like remember to get the flu jab and don’t eat blue cheese etc etc
I found all that out on here
I have to pump her
For information,but how do you know what to ask if you don’t fully understand what’s going on yourself
We’re beginning to understand so much of his illness now and now knowing what signs to look for and what questions to ask
Kayley, sorry just one more thing ! Since my problems with my ears I always have cotton wool in them when showering and hair washing , and ears have been much better. Like the previous writer this is a journey of finding out and trying to find answers.
Wondering if you ever got properly checked for your symptoms. It is hard to say why you get migraines since it could be just chronic sinitus . However I had those symptoms, low vitamin D and white blood count was low too. Really bad migraines, neck pain back pain in upper back, neurological symptoms as well, like numbness, dizziness, foggy feeling when trying to think of words etc. I ended up having Chiari one malformation in my brain . Discovered in my MRI that they did for me at the hospital when I fell. I’ve had the symptoms for years but never knew what it was until I found they did a MRI on my head and told me I had nodules on my thyroid and carry one affirmation my brain the nodules turned out to be a para thyroid cyst which are very rare that I actually only account for 1% of the thyroid cyst reported. i’ve had the symptoms for years but never knew what it was until I found they did a MRI on my head and told me I had nodules on my thyroid and carry one affirmation my brain the nodules turned out to be a para thyroid cyst which are very rare that I actually only account for 1% of the thyroid cyst reported
Kayley, it sounds to me like you have some TMJ/TMJD symptoms. I work for a doctor who is a TMJ specialist so I see these symptoms all the time. If the disc in the jaw joint is displaced it can cause: headaches, ear pain, neck and upper back pain, a feeling of water in your ears etc.
Hi Kayley, it seems you and I are suffering from very similar issues-- are you back to normal now??? Please lmk what you did and where you are in the process.
My WBC is low (between 2.4 and 3.8) and Ive had a chronic sinus infection/inflammation for 2.5 years now. It's gotten pretty bad over the last 8 months. I had a full sinus surgery to correct some of the damage which only helped with some symptoms but my constant state of dizziness/fatigue/sick-feeling persists. My ears crackle when I do a yawning motion and have some tinnitus at times. Additionally, the pressure and tension in my face (under my eyes) seems to be creating black dots in my vision-- if i ever feel better with less pressure the black dots go away.
I recently discovered that my mononucleosis (2.5 years ago when it all started) damaged my tonsils to the point where I needed to get them removed last week. I am still recovering from the surgery so it is too soon to tell if this cures me and allows my immune system to finally rest. I've also seen a hematologist and LGL Leukemia is highly unlikely but was initially believed to be present-- thats a stretch at this point though. So Leukemia, autoimmune diseases, etc all were ruled out. For me, it's coming down to my tonsils that have been chronically infecting me and having my immune system fight itself-- thats the hypothesis and hopefully it gets better over the next couple weeks. I've also been to Tbilisi, Georgia for phage therapy that's supposed to treat bacteria infections and that made no difference for me.
I'm a 26 y/o male with no prior medical issues.
I hope to hear from you soon,
Andreas
I’m now turning off replies to this old post because the poster does not have a CLL diagnosis and the post is now attracting responses from others with medical issues not attributable to CLL.
General medical advice cannot be given on this site nor can we attempt to diagnose complex, unresolved health issues which require medical attention.
Regards,
Newdawn
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