CMV infection?: I've been feeling extra unwell for... - LUPUS UK

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CMV infection?

whisperit profile image
10 Replies

I've been feeling extra unwell for a while, especially as the day wears on - extra fatigued, flushes, nausea. I was treated with antibiotics recently, but the symptoms have recurred this week.

Today, I saw a new GP, who suggested that I might have CMV infection. I gather this is innocuous in most people, but can cause problems in the immune suppressed (like me!)

I am due to have tests tomorrow, and wondered if anyone else has had experience of this infection and its treatment (which all sounds a bit alarming)

Thanks x

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whisperit profile image
whisperit
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Author_ink profile image
Author_ink

Whenever Im feeling nausea and week is from hot weather or high fever. This hot weather got me miserable

whisperit profile image
whisperit in reply to Author_ink

personally, i think it is just the lupus, but we shall see...!

Buffy14 profile image
Buffy14

I often feel like that I am on immunosuppressant medication for lupus, haven't been to a gp I just put everything down to lupus, what is a CMV infection

whisperit profile image
whisperit in reply to Buffy14

CMV is Cyto Megalo Virus. Putting the pieces together today, I think my out of hours GP thought it was CMV because of my pattern of feeling worse in the evenings rather than the mornings (he thought this was more like an infection pattern than an auto-immune one) and because I am immune suppressed due to being on mycophenolate and hydroxy. Therefore, he deduced that this might be CMV infection, which often appears in immune-suppressed people.

However, the consultant I saw today said that she could see no sign of infection and that my symptoms are more likely to be just more lupus.

I have to return to the hospital tomorrow for a specialist opinion.

nanleighh profile image
nanleighh

Hi Whisperit, I'm so sorry to hear you're feeling so poorly. As far the CMV virus goes, most of us have been exposed to one of these viruses by the time we reach adulthood. You can Google and look up all the different diseases that these viruses cause. It's important that they do the testing for CMG both IGG and IGM. The IGG tells us if you've had an infection from the past, And like I said most people have antibodies to the CMV virus. The I GM tells us whether you've had a recent infection or not. I am a maternal health nurse, and we do this testing quite frequently in pregnant women. Those that have suppressed or compromised immune systems, are more likely to have an active infection. I'm not sure why your doctor think you might have this virus but it's good that he's being thorough. I hope that they get to the bottom of this and that you feel better really soon. Hugs XO XO, Nan

whisperit profile image
whisperit in reply to nanleighh

Thanks for this, Nan I had a general idea about CMV but only vague.

I was admitted to the local hospital today and they have taken bloods for culturing; I gather the result will take a few days to come.

Meanwhile, after a litre of iv fluids, I managed to rally enough to persuade them that a night on a busy emergency assessment ward, surrounded by obviously very ill elderly chaps was going to do me more harm than a night at home. So I have escaped for now and will re-present myself for their inspection first thing tomorrow! x

nanleighh profile image
nanleighh in reply to whisperit

I hope everything turns out well, and you are on the mend soon. 🙏🏻😍

baba profile image
baba

It can be treated with antiviral drugs

whisperit profile image
whisperit in reply to baba

thanks; a worry i have is that some AV drugs tend to be quite nasty. Oh well, what will be will be.

eb1193 profile image
eb1193

A test two years ago revealed I had not caught CMV. But after a nasty infection a couple months ago, I was put on valcyte to prevent CMV because I've been on high dose prednisone for a year plus an immunosuppressant (cellcept). The only side effect I seem to have from the medication is insomnia.

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